Skip to main content

4-OH Pathway

Meaning

The 4-OH Pathway is a Phase I metabolic route for estrogen detoxification that results in the creation of catechol estrogen metabolites, specifically 4-hydroxyestrone (4-OH-E1) and 4-hydroxyestradiol (4-OH-E2). This pathway is generally regarded as the most genotoxic of the three primary estrogen metabolism routes due to the nature of its downstream products. Clinically, a preference for this pathway can indicate a greater need for nutritional support to ensure proper Phase II detoxification.