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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2013 May 5.
Published in final edited form as: Clin Pharmacokinet. 2009;48(3):143–157. doi: 10.2165/00003088-200948030-00001

Table VII.

Sex differences in pharmacokinetics: biotransformation Physiological parameters which may influence differences in metabolism

PARAMETER PHYSIOLOGIC DIFFERENCE PHARMACOKINETIC IMPACT
Hepatic higher basal metabolic rate (BMR) in M; hepatic metabolism in pregnant F Increased metabolism
Extra-Hepatic metabolism by fetus/placenta Decreased metabolism
Plasma Proteins free concentration increase in pregnant F Increased metabolism

Weight for individuals of a given height will produce overlap in the BMR distributions for men and women.