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Oral Estrogen Metabolism

Meaning

Oral estrogen metabolism refers to the specific biochemical transformation and inactivation pathways that synthetic or bioidentical estrogens undergo following ingestion and subsequent absorption from the gastrointestinal tract. A key feature of this process is the extensive first-pass metabolism in the liver, where the parent estrogen is rapidly converted into various metabolites, including sulfated and glucuronidated conjugates. This metabolic route results in a higher systemic ratio of less potent estrogen metabolites compared to the parent hormone. Understanding oral estrogen metabolism is critical for managing the efficacy and safety profile of oral hormone replacement therapy.