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Children have a relatively fast metabolism of drugs in

comparison to adults. Why?
-Humans are born with more liver enzymes and they gradually lose
them as they age.
-Their liver is proportionately lar

1 Answer

5 votes

Final answer:

Children have a relatively fast metabolism of drugs compared to adults due to factors such as liver enzymes, liver size, and kidney function.

Step-by-step explanation:

Children have a relatively fast metabolism of drugs compared to adults due to several factors:

  1. Liver Enzymes: Humans are born with more liver enzymes, such as cytochrome P450 enzymes, which are involved in drug metabolism. As children age, they gradually lose some of these enzymes, leading to a slower metabolism of drugs.
  2. Liver Size: The proportionately larger size of a child's liver allows for faster drug metabolism. A larger liver means more liver cells available to perform drug metabolism.
  3. Kidney Function: Children also have more efficient kidney function than adults, which helps to eliminate drugs from the body more rapidly.
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