14.6k views
3 votes
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.
User AltDan
by
7.3k points
Welcome to QAmmunity.org, where you can ask questions and receive answers from other members of our community.