$4.00
Priced per marker, with baseline labs included. You’ll see your total before you pay.
Other tests
Creatine kinase (CK) test
Enzyme released from damaged muscle; evaluates muscle injury, statin myopathy, and inflammatory myopathies.
At a glance
In about 5 days
Most results are ready in about 5 days. Some specialty markers can take up to 21 days.
Check before your draw
This marker has no preparation tag, but it can still need preparation. Contact us before your draw if you’re not sure.
Walk in at Quest
Your lab order arrives by email. Most Quest locations take walk-ins, so bring it with a photo ID.
What it measures
Creatine kinase, or CK, is an enzyme found mostly in your muscles. It can leak into your blood when muscles are strained or damaged, so it can stay higher for a few days after a hard workout.
Why it matters for women
Women can have lower CK levels than men because they tend to have less muscle, so results are compared with ranges for women. Autoimmune conditions that inflame the muscles are also more common in women. CK can help a doctor look into muscle aches or weakness that don’t have a clear cause.
You might check it if…
- you’ve had muscle pain or weakness without a clear cause
- you take a cholesterol medicine and notice muscle aches
- a doctor is looking into a muscle or autoimmune condition
What your result may mean
High Creatine kinase (CK): what it may mean
High creatine kinase (CK) may point to muscle injury. It can happen with heavy exercise, muscle problems from statins (statin myopathy), severe muscle breakdown (rhabdomyolysis), polymyositis or a heart attack, which a clinician may look into with CK-MB, the heart form of the enzyme. CK can stay higher for a few days after a hard workout, and a muscle injection or a fall can raise it too. An underactive thyroid can also push it up, and autoimmune muscle conditions can be more common in women. Muscle pain, weakness or dark urine can come with a high level.
Low Creatine kinase (CK): what it may mean
Low CK may be harmless, and it can be seen with low muscle mass or steroid use. Women can have lower CK than men because they tend to have less muscle, so results may be compared with ranges for women. Being less active or losing muscle with age can also bring it down. A low level may not cause symptoms by itself, and it can't tell a clinician much about muscle health without other findings.
Get started
Stop guessing. Start testing.
Answer a few questions. We’ll suggest tests linked to how you feel, with a clear price for every test.
No insurance required · HSA/FSA eligible · No subscription
These notes provide context and do not diagnose a condition. Not yet available in NY, NJ, RI, HI, ND, SD or WV.