I have slightly elevated CK 188 U/L and my doc asked me if I´ve been doing exercises which I havent. So I asked him that I´m on TRT and inject 4 times a week (2x testo+2x HGC) and he said yes it can be the cause. I don´t know if that can be correct. I´m on statins as well but maybe that has no influences on CK.
Any info out there?
Tommy
Heck, your CPK is low. My runs at 650.
There are many reasons for high CPK:
CPK is creatine phosphokinase, an enzyme found mainly in the heart, brain, and skeletal muscle. It is tested by taking a blood sample.
High CPK can indicate muscle destruction, heart attacks, central nervous system issues, and others. Long term exposure of high CPK can load up your kidneys, and may cause muscle loss and weakness.
A CPK blood test is usually not included in the usual lab work unless you ask for it. Sometimes we have no symptoms when CPK is high, but most of the time we have body aches and soreness. CPK can increase with exercise, but if you exercise frequently and you have baseline CPK info, you can tell what may be drug induced after you start a certain medication. My CPK is 650, which is very high, but I cannot get off my meds since I am on my last HIV salvage regimen that adds to the problem.
To make sure your high CPK is not induced by heavy exercise, do not exercise for 5 days before the test.
Some medications can also increase CPK. Among them are statins, amphotericin B, ampicillin, some anesthetics, blood thinners, aspirin, clofibrate, dexamethasone, furosemide, alcohol, and cocaine. HIV medications like Isentress and Selzentry have also been reported to increase CPK in some patients.
Low thyroid function can also be a cause of high CPK, so get it checked.
There is no treatment. If CPK gets really high, doctors try to switch you to another medication, but it is very difficult for some patients to switch since they have no other options.
Some doctors prescribe corticoid steroids to reduce whatever the inflammation may be, but this is not a cure. Corticoid steroids can lower bone density, cause water retention and fat gain, and have been linked with joint bone death (necrosis), so they are not a good option to stay on for the long term.
If you are taking statins with or without fibrates, high CPK may indicate muscle related problems that these drugs can cause in some people. Statins (with or without fibrates) can cause rhabdomyolysis which can cause destruction of muscle tissue in few patients and increase CPK. Some patients have anecdotally reported improvements of this problem by taking Coenzyme Q-10 (statins lower it) and a good antioxidant formula.
In the old days of heavy AZT use in HIV treatment, we used to experience muscle myopathy and high CPKs that were sometimes successfully treated with L-Carnitine (over 1500 mg/day). I have not seen any data on the use of this supplement for high CPK induced by newer HIV drugs. I use it but my CPK is still higher than normal (If I do not exercise for 2 weeks, my lowest CPK is 400)
CPK Test
