The liver weighs about 1.5 kg and is the largest gland in the human body. It is located on the right side and, together with the gallbladder, performs important functions for the functioning of the body. This is why liver disease causes many problems.
An interesting fact: blood circulates abundantly in the liver, so it has a brownish-red color. At least one liter of blood is flushed through this organ every minute. All human blood is filtered by the liver 300 to 400 times a day.
12 facts you need to know about the liver
1. One of the tasks of the liver and gallbladder is the production of digestive enzymes and bile. The liver releases about a liter of this fluid per day, and without it, the processing of nutrients is unthinkable. The body also makes proteins that are essential for blood plasma and ensure that it clots. This organ produces a significant amount of all lymph in the body (one third to half).
2. In cooperation with the immune system, the liver fights unwanted cells and harmful substances that threaten the body, such as ethanol in alcoholic beverages. The liver breaks down blood cells and hormones that have existed for a while, as well as substances contained in medicines. All excess liver helps to neutralize, process and remove.
3. Everything we eat, including medications and supplements that are used in the hope of improving and enhancing our health, puts additional strain on the liver.
4. The liver regulates the level of glucose in the blood, converting it to fat and protein as needed, and it also regulates the circulation of vitamins and minerals.
5. The liver stores the necessary metabolic end products – glucose, which is used by the body for energy purposes, as well as iron, vitamin B12 and fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.
6. As long as the liver is not severely damaged, it does not hurt. Although liver cells have the potential to regenerate, this process has its limits. The last stage of damage is cirrhosis, then connective tissue is formed in the liver, which cannot function. There is no cure for liver cirrhosis, but the disease can be stopped or slowed down by protecting the organ from overload.
7. Right-sided pain is most often caused by problems with the gallbladder or pancreas, and not with the liver, as is often assumed.
8. Problems with liver function are most often detected using biochemical blood tests and measurements of the level of enzymes synthesized in liver cells. When the liver is sick, damaged, the level of these enzymes in the blood is higher than normal. Ultrasonography can visually detect liver damage such as excessive accumulation of fat or fatty liver disease.
9. More than half of obese adults have an increase in fat cells in the liver. The same phenomenon is observed in alcohol lovers, because alcohol contains not only ethanol, which damages the liver, but also a large number of calories.
10. A person cannot live without a liver, because then the digestive process does not take place, and food does not turn into living cells and energy that our body needs. Therefore, the liver must be protected. There is no other organ that can carry the same load and replace the liver.
11. If the liver is sick, sleeplessness occurs at night, daytime sleepiness appears, and problems with concentration may occur. However, many liver diseases are asymptomatic. If targeted medical research is not carried out, serious liver disease can develop for decades.
12. Oriental medicine regards the liver as the most important organ. It is believed that the liver accumulates negative emotions – anger, hatred, aggressiveness, evil, and the effect is two-sided: if the liver is sick, then the patient becomes nervous and angry.
Maintain liver health, it is important for any person, the functioning of the organs of the whole body depends on its condition, as well as how well you will feel!