Magno
Metabolic
Creatine kinase (muscle) on TRT
What the number means, why it moves on a protocol, and how it sits with related markers.
What it is
Creatine kinase leaks from muscle when it is worked or damaged. Lifters often run high CK; it is what can make ALT and AST look like a liver problem when they are not.
The range
How to read the lab range
Lab ranges top out around 200 to 300 U/L. Two days after a hard session it can read in the thousands. Very high CK with dark urine is a medical problem, not a training one.
Why it moves on a protocol
- Training in the two or three days before the draw.
- Muscle mass; bigger people run higher.
- Statins and dehydration add to it.
How Magno reads it
Magno keeps every test on one line, against your lab's range, with the change since last time. Pro explains it in plain words. Get Magno for iPhone.
Read yours
Drop your lab PDF or a photo and get every marker explained in plain words. Free, no account, your file never leaves your browser. Track it in the iPhone app to see the change since your last test.
Questions people ask
High ALT and high CK, is my liver damaged?
Not necessarily. ALT and AST leak from muscle too. A normal GGT with a high CK points at muscle rather than liver.
Related markers
Not medical advice
This explains what the number is and why it moves. It is not medical advice; decisions belong to you and your clinician.