Creatine Kinase, Total Unit Converter

Creatine kinase (CK), also known as creatine phosphokinase (CPK), is an enzyme that helps produce energy in cells with high energy demands. It catalyzes the conversion of creatine and ATP to phosphocreatine, which serves as a rapid energy reserve for muscles and other tissues.

CK exists in three isoforms: CK-MM (found mainly in skeletal muscle), CK-MB (found mainly in heart muscle), and CK-BB (found mainly in brain tissue). Total CK measures the combined activity of all three isoforms in your blood.

In healthy individuals, a small amount of CK normally leaks from muscles into the bloodstream due to everyday wear and tear. When muscle, heart, or brain tissue is damaged, larger amounts of CK are released into the blood.

CK is found primarily in skeletal muscle, which accounts for most of the CK in your blood. Smaller amounts are present in heart muscle and brain tissue, with trace amounts in the gastrointestinal tract and urinary bladder.