In his own words, Brian Austin Green isn't the Superman he once thought he was, especially after his health journey with ulcerative colitis.
The star recognizes that it's a myth a lot of men place upon themselves, "that sense that they're indestructible," he exclusively tells HELLO! and that it often prevents them from getting the medical check-ups they routinely need.
It is because of said reality check that the actor has partnered with Depend, who is "igniting conversations about the importance of men proactively taking charge of their health," and raising awareness about prostate cancer, which one in eight men are diagnosed with.
WATCH: Brian Austin Green opens up on devastating health battle with ulcerative colitis
MORE: Nicole Kidman's daughter Sunday's new modelling photo revealed - and she's so grown up
"I was guilty of doing it," he said of procrastinating on important health tests, such as bloodwork for prostate cancer. However, now he says: "There's no reason I'll wait until something seems like it's wrong. Unfortunately, so many men do that, and it's too late at that point."
Plus, Brian has five boys – Kassius Marcil-Green, 20, Noah, ten, Bodhi, eight, Journey, six, and Zane, who he welcomed this year – and he hopes to inspire them to stay on top of his health, earlier than he started to. Hoping to "remove the stigma," he says he hopes they treat it as "common as going to the dentist and getting your haircut and doing things like that."
Also a driving force behind his effort to raise prostate cancer prevention awareness is his own experience with ulcerative colitis, which increases the risk of getting prostate cancer.
Brian is hoping to inspire both his sons and his fans to take better care of their health
Recalling learning of his diagnosis in his early thirties, the father-of-five admitted: "It kind of came out of nowhere," explaining that he usually suffers from annual flare-ups.
MORE: Prince William and Princess Kate enjoy fun Christmas outing with children after US tour
MORE: Deborah Roberts looks back on family loss during emotional period
A recent "inopportune" flare-up happened while his partner, Sharna Burgess, was pregnant with their first child together. He recalled: "I would end up being stuck in bed for longer and longer periods of time," just as his three boys with Megan Fox spent more and more time at his house.
The actor welcomed son Zane in 2022
It was yet another reality check, and he said: "I was just really frustrated. So I felt like I really need to be a little more proactive and take a little more control of my health and do what I can do to keep flare-ups like this from happening."
Brian completed a PSA (prostate specific antigen) test this fall, which is a first step in identifying risk for prostate cancer. "It's so much easier now," he says, maintaining: "I hope that in myself doing this, I can just help remove some of the stigma about it for men and make it a little more normal in their lives to just take the time and do annual checkups."
Read more HELLO! US stories here
Like this story? Sign up to our newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.