Myoglobin
An oxygen-carrying protein in muscle, released when muscle is damaged.
What it is
Myoglobin stores oxygen inside muscle cells and appears in blood quickly after muscle injury, falling again within a day or two.
Why it matters
It is read with creatine kinase when muscle damage is suspected; very high levels matter for kidney protection.
This guide is educational only and cannot diagnose you. Discuss results, especially anything outside your laboratory’s reference interval, or that does not match how you feel, with a GP or other appropriately qualified clinician.
This guide is educational only and cannot diagnose you. Discuss results, especially anything outside your laboratory’s reference interval, or that does not match how you feel, with a GP or other appropriately qualified clinician.
How it affects the body
In muscle it holds oxygen for use during contraction; free in blood at high levels it can stress the kidneys.
For athletes
Unaccustomed intense training can raise myoglobin sharply; dark urine after extreme exertion needs same-day medical attention.
Related tests
No published panels currently list this marker.