CK, a muscle enzyme Creatine Kinase
An enzyme that leaks from muscle when muscle is worked or hurt.
What it measures
An enzyme that leaks from muscle after exertion or injury.
Explains a raised AST that has nothing to do with the liver, and at very high levels can itself strain the kidneys.
Why it matters for how long you stay well
Read in context it separates sore muscles from something that needs attention, and it is the number to check if exercise ever leaves you unusually weak or your urine dark.
How it shows up in daily life
A hard session at the gym, a long trek, or unfamiliar exercise in the days before the test will lift this, and your legs will already have told you.
High and low readings
When it reads high
Hard exercise in the last few days, or muscle injury.
When it reads low
Low is fine.
What moves it
Daily life
- hard or unfamiliar exercise in the days before the test
- how much muscle you carry
- dehydration
- long periods lying still
Medicines known to shift it
- statins (can raise it)
Listed so a result can be read in context. It is not advice to start, stop or change any medicine; that decision belongs with your physician.
Common questions
What does Creatine Kinase measure?
An enzyme that leaks from muscle after exertion or injury. Explains a raised AST that has nothing to do with the liver, and at very high levels can itself strain the kidneys.
What does a high CK result usually mean?
Hard exercise in the last few days, or muscle injury.
What does a low CK result usually mean?
Low is fine.
What is the usual reference range for CK?
A broad adult reference band is 30–200 U/L. For women the band is 25–145 U/L. Labs differ, so read your result against the band printed on your own report.
Educational only, not a diagnosis. A single number means little without your history and the rest of your panel, so discuss your own results with your physician.
Typical adult reference band
- Men
- 30–200 U/L
- Women
- 25–145 U/L
Labs differ. The band printed on your own report is the one that applies to your result.
Reported in U/L
Worth knowing
A hard gym session, a long run, or even a deep injection into muscle can raise this for several days.
Have a report with this marker on it? Read it in context.
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