The Liver
- The liver is the second largest organ in the human body, after the skin.
- After the brain, it is also the second most complex organ in the body.
- In the human body, the liver is located in the upper right area of the abdomen, beneath the rib cage and the lungs.
- The liver is a solid organ, which is approximately 3–3.5 pounds or 1493.79 grams.
- Everything we drink or eat, including medicine, passes through the liver.
- It is impossible to survive without a liver.
- It is also said that the liver is an organ that can easily be damaged if you don’t take good care of it.
- It is the only organ, which has the ability to regenerate efficiently.
What are the Functions of the liver?
- The human liver is involved in 500 different functions.
- It performs various crucial functions associated with digestion, immunity, metabolism, and the storage of nutrients within the body.
- The important functions of the liver are:
- It produces and excretes bile.
- It detoxifies the blood and purifies it.
- It also acts as a blood clotting factor.
- It produces proteins for blood plasma.
- It stores excess glucose in the form of glycogen.
- It filters and eliminates toxins from the blood cells.
- It carries out the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins.
- It activates enzymes and stores vitamins, minerals and glycogen.
- It synthesizes plasma proteins, namely albumin and clotting factors
- It is responsible to excrete bilirubin, cholesterol, drugs and hormones.
- Liver disease does not cause any obvious signs or symptoms until it is fairly advanced and the liver is damaged.
- At this stage, symptoms may be loss of appetite, weight loss, and jaundice.
Liver diseases
- Some common types of liver diseases are:
- Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
- Hepatitis C
- Hepatitis B
- Cirrhosis of the liver
- Alcoholic hepatitis
- Hepatitis A
Latest News
- 19 April 2023:
- World Liver Day is observed on 19 April to raise awareness about liver-related diseases.
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