Definition: Chemicals created by the body's natural breaking down of other chemicals in the body. Metabolites are most often created by the liver as it breaks down chemicals in order to dispose of them.
Catechol estrogen quinones are a metabolite of naturally occurring estrogen that have been found to cause DNA damage which triggers the development of prostate cancer as well as breast and other cancers.
Examples: The liver creates metabolites for many chemicals in the body in order to dispose of them.