Role and Functions of a Liver

The liver is situated on the upper right side of the abdomen, just below the diaphragm. It is the largest internal organ of the human body and weighs around 1.5kg in the average adult. Blood from the digestive system must first filter through the liver before it travels anywhere else in the body. 

The principal roles of the liver include removing toxins from the body, processing food nutrients and helping to regulate body metabolism. A range of conditions can prevent the liver from performing its vital functions. Culprits include fat accumulation, alcohol misuse, viral infection, iron or copper accumulation, toxic damage and cancer.

 

Functions of the liver

Some of the many functions of the liver include:

• Drugs, including alcohol, are filtered through the liver and neutralised or converted into other forms by special enzymes.
• Bile, produced by the liver, is stored in the gall bladder and used to help break down dietary fats.
• Fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K need bile in order to be absorbed by the body.
• The liver converts carbohydrates into glucose for instantly available energy and converts glucose into its storable form (glycogen). When blood sugar levels drop, glycogen is converted back into glucose.
• Amino acids from protein are sent to the liver for the production of body proteins such as hormones.
• The liver changes ammonia (a toxic by-product of protein metabolism) into urea, which is then excreted in urine.