We all know that the liver is an important organ in our body, this article talks about 10 functions of the liver, facts, how to keep your liver healthy, and some of the frequent questions about the liver.
The liver is an essential organ of the body that performs over 500 vital functions. How many of them do you know?
The liver is located in the right upper abdominal quadrant, under the diaphragm. It weighs about 3 pounds and is reddish-brown in color because it contains a lot of iron. It has an average length of 17 inches and a width of 14 inches.
The liver itself is divided into two lobes: the right and left hepatic lobe. The lobes are linked together by an intraparenchymal duct which contains a blood vessel, a bile duct, and lymph vessels.
The liver is made up of hepatocytes (65-85%), stellate cells (10-20%), and Kupffer’s cells (5-15%). The right and left hepatic lobes are separated by an intraparenchymal duct that contains three vessels: the bile duct, hepatic artery, and bile vein.
Interesting Facts About Liver
Due to its important functions, it possesses many interesting facts about it for readers.
The following are ten of these:
1) Liver’s main function is to detoxify harmful substances and produce bile juice.
2) Bile juice made from the liver cleans the blood entering the duodenum after digestion.
3) The liver is the largest internal organ and weighs about 1,500 g to 2,500 g on average. However, during conditions like hepatitis or cirrhosis, its weight may increase up to 20 times.
4) It is classified as a solid organ derived from embryological mesoderm, i.e., the middle germ layer of the three germ layers of the early human embryo.
5) The liver has a reddish-brown color because it contains a high amount of iron.
6) It is located between the diaphragm and ribs on the right side of the body.
7) The liver is supplied blood through the hepatic artery and hepatic portal vein. The blood supply from the hepatic artery is via the celiac trunk, superior mesenteric artery, and inferior mesenteric artery.
8) It also contains many important enzymes which are beneficial for the digestion of food as it produces bile juice.
9) It has a large capacity for regeneration, and it can regenerate itself without much problem, unlike most other organs of the body.
10) It consists of two lobes: the right and left hepatic lobe. They are separated by an intraparenchymal duct called ‘Portal Triad,’ which consists of the bile duct, hepatic artery, and vein termed the portal triad.
10 Functions Of The Liver
- It controls the level of glucose in the blood.
- It regulates the levels of amino acids and fatty acids.
- The liver synthesizes and secretes bile which helps in the digestion of food.
- It detoxifies harmful substances like alcohol, drugs, chemicals, etc. Thus, preventing them from further damaging other organs.
- It secretes albumin, which is a protein that helps blood in coagulation.
- It performs glycogenesis, i.e., it stores glucose when it is available in excess and releases them during times of deficiency.
- The liver also gets rid of extra iron in the body by breaking down ferritin, a storage form of iron.
- It converts ammonia into urea which is then excreted in the urine.
- It breaks down old red blood cells and helps the bone marrow to produce more red blood cells.
- The liver regulates cholesterol levels by secreting it or absorbing it from the gut. Thus, it helps in preventing the accumulation of extra cholesterol.
How To Keep Your Liver Healthy?
The Liver is so important for the body that keeping it healthy is a must.
Following are some of the ways to keep your liver healthy:
1) Eat healthily. Never consume too much alcohol; if you do not wish to harm your liver further than what it has already suffered, try and get rid of bad habits like smoking, as they further worsen the liver function.
2) Take multi-vitamins regularly to ensure the overall health of your body, and last but not least, exercise at least once a week for good health and energy.
3) The liver is very sensitive; if you want to know how healthy it functions, get yourself tested regularly.
4) If you get affected by a disease that causes liver damage, immediately consult your physician. Having good healthy habits and avoiding risky behaviors can avoid further complications and such diseases in the future.
5) Avoid overdrinking soft drinks as they contain a high amount of sugar, which has to be processed by the liver. Also, if you are on a diet, avoid taking too many diet drinks as they contain artificial sweeteners, which is again harmful to your liver’s detoxification process.
6) Consume fresh vegetables and fruits that contain a good amount of antioxidants to cleanse the toxins from your body.
7) It is also advised to take multivitamins with a fat solver specially designed to lower the fat levels in your body and thus support the healthy functioning of your liver.
8) Also, eat fibrous food as it further aids in the detoxification process.
9) Drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water per day, as it helps flush out all the harmful toxins from your body.
10) Avoid consuming too much sodium as it leads to water retention and, thus, further congests the liver, which becomes harder for your liver to work efficiently.
If you follow these few steps, then keep your liver healthy for a longer period of time. Also, do not hesitate to get yourself tested for better results.
What Are Some Of The Symptoms of Liver Disease?
Liver disease is also known as Hepatic dysfunction, which affects the liver and other parts of the body.
Now you may be wondering what do these symptoms mean? These are some of the common symptoms of liver damage: Fatigue, Loss of appetite, Weight loss, Nausea and vomiting, Yellowish skin or eyes, Throwing up Blood in stool or vomit, Pain around the lower right stomach area, Dark urine, and pale stools. These are a few of the symptoms of liver damage.
These symptoms may vary depending on the type of liver disease which you are suffering from. If you find that more than one symptom is present in your body, consult your physician for further investigations to give the right diagnosis.
If you feel any of the symptoms, then immediately get yourself checked so that in the future, it does not turn out to be more serious and thus can help you live longer without health complications.
Can Liver Damage Be Reversed?
Yes, liver damage can be reversed if it is found on time. There are several medicines and treatments available for patients with liver troubles.
One of the most popular treatments for damaged liver is Hepatic fibrosis which uses gene therapy to repair damaged tissues. Also, some other treatments that have been proven successful in reversing liver damage are Medications that lower bilirubin levels Medication for liver cancer Surgery to remove damaged parts of the liver.
The most important thing is to ensure that this damage is removed at an early stage. Some of these medicines are available only with a physician’s prescription and must be used according to his instructions.
In some cases, immediate surgical action may even be required if it is detected at an earlier stage.
What Causes Hepatitis?
There are many conditions, which can cause hepatitis.
Some of the most common causes of hepatitis that you should be aware of are Hepatitis A, B, and C – This is the major problem among people who travel abroad, especially in underdeveloped and developing countries worldwide.
Hepatitis D- The infection is caused by a defective virus, which results in indirect damage to the liver.
Hepatitis E – This is an acute infection that affects mainly pregnant women and newborn babies.
If you come across any of these diseases, then consult your physician immediately so that he can provide you with the right medication as the treatment differs according to each condition. Also, several other conditions can lead to hepatitis, but the most common ones are mentioned above.
What Causes Cirrhosis?
There is no specific cause for cirrhosis. It mainly occurs as a result of various conditions and diseases that damage your liver over time.
One of the more popular causes of cirrhosis is Alcoholism – This is one of the most common causes of cirrhosis.
Chronic hepatitis – This is caused due to various infections and diseases that affect your liver.
Gallbladder problems – Several other conditions can cause cirrhosis, such as gallstones, cancer, and fatty liver disease, leading to an inability of your body to break down fats properly or blockage of the bile duct due to tumors.
What Are The Most Common Causes Of Liver Cancer?
Liver cancer is a type of malignancy that starts from your cells lining inside or outside your liver. It is also known as hepatic carcinoma and many other names depending on where it occurs in your liver. The main cause of liver cancer is Hepatitis B or C. The symptoms are similar to those of hepatitis, and if you ignore them, it might lead to cirrhosis or liver failure. Liver cancer does not have many treatment options except for surgery, which in most cases is used only after all other treatments fail.
Another cause of liver cancer is the infections caused by the Epstein-Barr virus and Hepatitis B and C.
What Is Chronic Active Hepatitis?
If you have had hepatitis for a long time, it can turn into Chronic Active Hepatitis, which means that your body cannot repair itself completely after being attacked by an infection or disease that affects your liver.
One of the main causes of chronic active hepatitis is alcohol abuse, which over time destroys the cells lining your liver and reduces its functioning to almost nil.
This is a very dangerous condition as even a slight infection can prove fatal to you. Please consult your physician to ensure that you are on the right medication in sufficient doses to prevent the progression of this condition.
Hepatitis is a common disease that affects millions worldwide and, if left untreated, can lead to serious cirrhosis or even liver cancer.
Your liver breaks down the foods you consume, destroys harmful toxins in your body, absorbs nutrients, and produces bile, which helps indigestion. There are many other things that your liver does to keep you healthy, which include producing proteins and enzymes to combat infections.
Right from the beginning of its life in your body, the liver is exposed to several harmful agents such as medications, alcohol, and other toxins.
You must keep yourself away from these things so that they can remain healthy. Also, if you have hepatitis, you need to consult your physician immediately to provide proper medication and monitor the progression of this disease.