Muscle energy enzyme marker
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About Creatine Kinase
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About Creatine Kinase
Overview and History
Creatine Kinase is a cytosolic enzyme that catalyzes the transfer of a phosphate group to creatine, forming phosphocreatine — a quick energy reserve for cells with high, fluctuating energy needs. Biochemically it’s classified as a transferase and exists in tissue-specific isoforms (commonly CK-MM in skeletal muscle, CK-MB enriched in heart muscle, and CK-BB in brain and smooth muscle).
Clinically, CK measurement has a long history as an indicator of muscle membrane stress and breakdown. Before high-sensitivity cardiac troponins were widely used, CK and CK isoforms were primary blood markers to help detect recent cardiac or skeletal muscle injury; today CK still provides complementary information about muscle turnover and systemic strain.
Interpreting Highs and Lows
Elevated CK levels are commonly associated with recent or ongoing muscle stress: strenuous exercise, trauma, muscle inflammation, certain metabolic stresses, or processes that increase muscle membrane permeability. Elevations can also occur with some medications, extremes of exertion, or systemic events that strain muscle tissue. Low CK levels may be seen with low muscle mass, prolonged inactivity, certain genetic variants that reduce enzyme activity, or lab variability. CK results should be interpreted alongside clinical details and other Cardio Zoomer markers (e.g., troponin, inflammatory and metabolic indicators) to determine whether values reflect cardiac, skeletal, or systemic contributors.
Featured Test
Cardio Zoomer includes CK to assess muscle-related stress that can interact with cardiovascular health. CK helps identify recent muscle injury or high muscle turnover and, together with cardiac stress markers and inflammatory profiles, refines understanding of whether elevated enzymes reflect skeletal activity, cardiac strain, or broader systemic stress—supporting more precise, individualized interpretation.
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Mary Beth Augustine
DCN, RDN, FAND- Lead Clinical Educator
Suzanne Barker
MS, RDN, LD, CTTS, CGP- Clinical Educator
Suzette Garcia
MSc- MHNE- Clinical Educator
Brooke Mader Ganev
MS, CNS, LDN, FDN- Clinical Educator
Adair Anderson
MS, RDN, LDN- Clinical Educator
Lillie Luu Nguyen
DCN, CNS, LDN- Clinical Educator
Jason Barker
ND- Clinical Educator
Emaline Brown
ND- Clinical Educator
Dana Filatova
DCN, CNS, LDN- Clinical Educator
Jessy Dhanjal
ND- Clinical Educator
Nour Amri
MS, LDN, CNS, CKNS- Clinical Educator
