What Does the Liver Do?

The liver is the largest internal organ in the body. It is the second largest organ next to skin. It weighs 1300 gm to 3000 grams. It is about 1/18th of the total body weight in children and about 1/50th of the total body weight in adults. It is located under the diaphragm on the right side of the upper abdomen, on the right of the stomach.

The liver has a multitude of important and complex functions. Some of these functions, according to the website Medterms.com, are to:

Manufacture proteins, including albumin and blood clotting factors.
Synthesize, store, and process fats, including fatty acids and cholesterol.
Metabolize and store carbohydrates, which are used as the source for the sugar in blood that red blood cells and the brain use.
Form and secrete bile that contains bile acids to aid in the intestinal absorption of fats and the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Eliminate, by metabolizing and/or secreting, the potentially harmful biochemical products produced by the body, such as bilirubin from the breakdown of old red blood cells and ammonia from the breakdown of proteins.
Detoxify, by metabolizing and/or secreting, drugs, alcohol, and environmental toxins.

When your liver is not functioning properly you will feel sluggish and possibly nauseous. Your liver can affect your eyes in many ways; for instance, bloodshot eyes may mirror the condition of an overloaded liver.

Poor liver function may be the cause of frequent bad breath, abdominal bloating, poor digestion, fatigue, headaches, unpleasant moods, coated tongue, sluggish metabolism, poor immune system, excessive body heat, sugar cravings, inability to lose excess weight and numerous other symptoms. On the long term liver problems increase kidney, heart, brain and cardiovascular stress.

The American Cancer Society estimates that 18,920 new cases of liver cancer were diagnosed in the United States last year and some 14,270 people died of the illness. Causes include hepatitis, cirrhosis, excess alcohol consumption and diseases causing chronic inflammation of the liver.