High AST and CPK Levels

[raymondo]

I am a 29 male.  Work out 3 to 4 times per week. My tricep muscles in both arms twitch frequently (past seven months).  Very slight tremble in my fingers (had for years). I recently went in for blood work and my AST level was 100 and CPK level was at 4024.  Every other test was fine except for high cholesterol.  The family doctor has set me up for a EMG with a Neurologist.  No family history of this type of problem.  When I do a tricep workout they stop twitching for three to four days.  I have been off the supplement Creatine for about three months now.  Any correlation between the Creatine and twitching?  I do not feel weak but I have noticed while bench pressing that I usually do 4 sets of each exercise; lets say I do 7 reps and the 7th is using some exertion to complete but not to the point where I feel I can't do another but when I go do the 8th rep I can't even strain/push to get it up?  Any ideas?

Thanks in advance Ray W.

[DOJO1221]

A related discussion, High Levels of CPK and CRP was started.

[crayon]

I am a polio victim and recently have been experiencing all kinds
of muscle problems? I had blood tests run by my physical therapist
and my cpk enzyme rate came back in the 600s so I had the test repeated two weeks later and the CPK rate was around 536. Since
the normal rate by this clinic is around 130-150, should I immediately be concerned to have this rechecked? Could I wait
and have this rechecked in a couple weeks?

[Hurry up and wait]

When my son was 6 he woke up and could not walk. We went to the hospital and he had a CPK level of 18,000. the worst Childrens hospital had ever seen was 13,000 and that child was flat out on a board. Mine limped in walking on his tippy toes. At first they were saying it was abuse but after they got the results of the CPK they sure changed their tune. They immediately put him into isolation and ran all kinds of tests. They finally put it down to  a virus. They could come up with no other explanation for what he went through. He did get better but it took a long time. He is almost 18 now and I still worry that some damage was  done to his heart or kidneys or elsewhere in his body because of the muscle deterioration and the enzyme ws produced from the muscle deterioration that could not be filtered through his kidneys. I have never heard of thi happening to any other person.

[tbirdus2001]

i had a test done cpk it was over 4000, i have weakness,and hurt all over, the doctors did another test to see if i had polimyositis(spell) a muscle bioposy, it was normal,what other tests should thay do i know it is the skelatal muscle that test showed that.

[Adele]

Your doctor should have done further testing to determine the causes of the elevated levels of both the AST and CPK level:  With an elevated CPK, doctors usually do testing on the other CPK "isoenzymes" to determine where the damaged muscle is... ie:  heart, brain, skeletal muscle.

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-JT]

Although, I could not find anything in the medical literature regarding twitches and creatine supplements, the CK level of 4000 is NOT normal (if that is really the lab value-decimal points would be very important here). In a research study looking at different lab aspects of creatine users, the highest levels were in th 600's. Elevated CK enzymes can signify primary muscle diseases. I would certainly proceed with the EMG as it can help look at the integrity of the muscle. And stop the creatine now. You will definitely need your labs repeated. The elevated liver enzyme AST can also be due to the creatine, but it is not as concerning as the CK enzyme. Consider seeing a neurologist if the laboratory results don't come back to normal after stopping the creatine. You will also need other blood and urine studies that are routinely done for muscle diseases such as aldolase, lactic acid, and pyruvate. It's possible that everything is just due to the use of creatine, especially if the CK number is wrong. Talk to your doctor about this. Good luck.