Why You Need a Healthy Liver

The human liver does not enjoy the same amount of positive attention as the heart, the brain, or even the backbone. It does not get referenced in poetry very often, or used in metaphors. This poor treatment seems highly unfair when one considers the vital role our largest internal organ plays in our lives. As with so many other things, people do not really appreciate it until it is lost.What Your Liver Does for YouThis highly important gland is located in the upper right (your right) area of your body, beside your stomach and below your chest's diaphragm. Its many functions include:* The breakdown of medicines and toxins so they can be filtered from the bloodstream * Storage of glucose, copper, iron, and certain vitamins in case they are unavailable for a time * The conversion of ammonia into much less toxic urea * The synthesis of amino acids, which are later made into proteins * The production of bile, which helps the small intestine absorb fats * The production of proteins that assist in blood coagulation * The production of a hormone that helps children grow, and helps adults form new tissue * The production of a hormone that aids in maintaining a healthy blood pressureIf you can believe it, this is not even a complete list of things your liver does for you. It is hard to imagine life without this kind of help, although sadly some people have had to face that prospect.Long-Term HarmWhen this important gland is not functioning correctly, people can suffer in many ways. The short-term effects include pain, nausea, abdominal swelling, and light-colored stools. If effective treatment is not administered, very serious health problems can result.Long-term symptoms can include easy bruising, cuts that take a long time to stop bleeding, disorientation, constant itching, type-2 diabetes, and a condition called jaundice that gives the skin or eyes a yellow tint. Over time, the patient may become comatose and could even lose his or her life.While it does have the ability to regenerate to some extent, extensive damage to the liver may not be reversible. Unfortunately doctors do not currently have a way to undo this damage; all they can do is try to prevent it from becoming worse. The most common causes of such damage are malnutrition, the illness hepatitis, and exposure to hepatotoxic substances.Some of these substances are well known and easily identified, such as excessive alcohol. Sadly, some are not so well known, or even widely believed to be safe. Many drugs have been recalled after being linked to lasting harm.