Creatine Kinase 101
Author: Terry Bytheway

Creatine kinase, also known as phosphocreatine kinase or
creatine phosphokinase, is an enzyme or type of protein that is
found in several tissue types of the human body, including the
muscle and the brain. The function of this enzyme is to
catalyze the conversion of creatine to phosphocreatine by
applying itself in the consumption of adenosine triphosphate,
the generation of adenosine diphosphate, and the reverse
reaction. Adenosine triphosphate is a vital source of energy in
biochemical reactions; in the skeletal muscle, the brain, and
the smooth muscle – or all tissues that swiftly use up
adenosine triphosphate – phosphocreatine acts as an energy
reservoir for the quick regeneration of adenosine triphosphate.
This is a very important function, and even though it doesn't
sound like much, creatine kinase definitely has its work cut
out.

Going back to basics, there are three types of creatine kinase
or isoenzymes in the body: CK-BB is mainly produced by the
brain and the smooth muscle; CK-MB is primarily produced by the
heart muscle; and most of CK-MM is produced by the skeletal
muscle.

In normal conditions, there is very little creatine kinase
circulating in the blood of the average, healthy human being.
Taking the creatine test is a good idea to find out where
exactly it is that one stands when it comes to the prevalent
level of creatine kinase in one's body. The test specifically
measures the blood levels of certain muscle and brain enzyme
proteins; the normal results for females range between 10 - 79
units per liter (U/L) and 17 - 148 U/L in males. A lower than
normally low level of creatine kinase shows that you have been
drinking excessively; alcohol liver disease and rheumatoid
arthritis are two of the most common possibilities that exist
with respect to lowered levels of creatine kinase.

On the other hand, if the test reveals that the level of
creatine kinase circulating in the blood is higher than it
should be in normal conditions, then chances are that the human
body in question has suffered damage either to the muscle or the
brain. In fact, astronomical levels of creatine kinase are
indicative of injuries, rhabdodomyolysis, myocardial
infarction, myocarditis, myositis, malignant hypethermia,
McLeod syndrome, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, and
hypothyroidism. If most of this sounds like gibberish to you,
just remember that a heart attack, a muscle disease or a stroke
may result in abnormally raised creatine kinase levels in the
blood. Statin medications used to decrease serum cholesterol
levels may also be the culprit.

Experts suggest that anyone who is not sure whether or not they
have had a heart attack (which is hard to imagine!) or whether
muscles in their bodies have been damaged as a result of any
sort of activity, should make it a point to go for a creatine
kinase test. This group also includes those with chest pain,
muscle pain, and any sort of muscle weakness. Emergency
patients (or patients with acute renal failure) are routinely
taken through this test, which actually only requires one's
blood sample drawn from a vein in the arm (not scary at all!).


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