Body's elimination of estrogen

75-85% of estrogen inactivation/clearance is by the healthy LIVER, the rest is cleared extrahepatically

Contrast this to the androgens.   Which can also be significantly inactivated in other tissues;

The major route of estrogen inactivation is via the healthy liver's conversion of estrogen to ESTRONE.    ESTRONE has only ~30% of ESTRADIOL's activity level (17BHSD in some peripheral tissues also makes this conversion). In the liver, ESTRONE is then dealt with by one of the following 3 methods:

• Formation of ESTRIOL.   The major urinary estrogen in humans, ESTRIOL formation is increased ▲with obesity and hypothyroidism,  and decreased ▼with hyperthyroidism;
• Catecholestrogen formation (liver, nerve cells, other tissues).   ESTRONE and ESTRADIOL catalyzed by 2-hydroxylase to their 2-hydroxylated metabolites and excreted after processing by COMT; catecholestrogen formation is increased in hyperthyroidism ▲  / decreased in hypothyroidism ▼ ; a specific hydroxylase (CYP1B1) can activate the potentially mutagenic/carcinogenic ESTRADIOL metabolite 4-hydroxyESTRADIOL, which gives rise to radicals that can damage DNA.
• Sulfotransferase reaction (liver, uterus, other tissues).   ESTRONE is converted to biologically inactive ESTRONE sulfate, the most abundant plasma estrogen, which can be metabolized to ESTRIOL and catecholestrone, but is more often conjugated with glucuronic acid ("sugar acid"), making the estrogen water soluble for easy elimination in the urine;

The liver clears 0.70 - 0.85 liters/hr

Longcope C, Layne DS, Tait JK. Metabolic clearance rates and interconversions of estrone and 17beta-ESTRADIOL in normal males and females. J Clin Invest. 1968 Jan;47(1):93-106. PubMed

Blood flow in the liver appears important in determining the overall metabolic clearance of E2

Longcope C, Tait JF J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1971 Apr;32(4):481-90.PubMed

One of the best ways to keep the liver functioning efficiently is by doing a coffee enema

Coffee Enema -"A Trash Truck"

For other liver detoxification methods:

How to Reduce Body's Estrogen Levels

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