The liver, which weighs approximately 1.5 kg and is the largest organ in the body, is located in the upper right corner of the abdomen, just below the rib cage. The liver has many vital functions in the body and is the only organ that can renew itself. The task of the liver is to remove toxic (poisonous) substances from the body, to play a role in the metabolism and digestive system, to coagulate blood, to store and synthesize many nutrients and to perform immune functions. A person cannot survive without a healthy and functioning liver. For this reason, attention should be paid to liver health and necessary medical controls should not be neglected. If you want to learn more about the organ such as "features of the liver", "function of the liver", you can follow the rest of the article.
What Does the Liver Do?
The liver is on the right side of the body located in close proximity to the gallbladder. Bile is synthesized in the liver and then transferred by the liver to the small intestine (here, it ensures the digestion of food from the stomach). The self-renewing structure of the organ is of vital importance in various liver diseases and especially in cirrhosis. For example, when a person is transplanted, even a small transplanted liver tissue may grow to its normal size over time. At the beginning of the work done by the liver can be the removal of toxic substances from the body. These harmful substances, also known as toxic substances, are removed from the body by the liver's detoxification process (excretion of unwanted substances in the body through metabolic processes such as sweating, urination, bile formation, etc.). >
- Digesting and storing food
- Storing an average of 200-400 ml of blood as a result of the increase in blood pressure
- Converting carbohydrates and proteins into fat, providing energy and cholesterol production
- Cleaning the blood by obtaining urea from ammonia
- Taking part in the production of blood plasma proteins
- Taking part in breaking down old and damaged blood cells and removing them from the body
See Your Liver houses
The liver, which is the only organ that has a double blood flow, that is, two vascular entrances, has important functions. The main function of the liver is; It can be listed as taking part in metabolic processes in the body, storing and synthesizing and distributing many vitamins, minerals, proteins or other nutrients. In general, the functions of the liver are detailed in the rest of the article.
Metabolism
The liver undertakes the production of some substances (anabolism) and the destruction of some substances (catabolism) in processes related to metabolism. Simple sugars such as fructose and galactose taken with food are converted into glucose in the liver and balance the energy metabolism. The resulting glucose is stored for later use. Apart from these, the liver is also responsible for removing toxic substances from the blood.
Digestion
The function of the liver in digestion is to secrete bile, which helps nutrients pass through the intestine. Approximately 800 to 1000 ml of bile is secreted daily in the liver. Bile is especially involved in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and fats such as A, D, K, E in foods.
Coagulation of the Blood
The liver creates the proteins necessary for blood clotting. In case of liver disorder, the blood cannot coagulate adequately and bleeding is seen as a result of this situation.
Storage and Storage
The liver is involved in the storage and preservation of fat-soluble vitamins and minerals such as iron and copper. In addition, it breaks down the fats that people take with nutrition and converts them into energy or even includes them in the metabolic process for later use. The liver stores glucose, one of the most important molecules of energy formation in the body.
Immune Function
The liver plays an important role in the immune system, which is naturally present in the body or acquired subsequently. It is responsible for the normal functions of cells in the immune system. It also prevents the decrease of immune resistance as it removes harmful substances in the body.
What are Liver Diseases?
Mostly genetic factors, alcohol use, some drugs, toxins, obesity and various viruses can cause liver diseases. may cause. damage to the liver These factors, which cause liver disease, can progress over time and reach a life-threatening level and go up to liver failure. For this reason, some symptoms seen in people should be followed closely and a healthcare professional should be consulted when necessary.
Adiposity of the Liver: Fatty liver is the accumulation of more than normal fat in the liver, usually due to excess weight. The liver cannot metabolize this accumulated fat, and the accumulated fat causes damage to the liver tissue over time. Fatty liver, high blood sugar, increase in cholesterol-triglyceride levels and pregnancy may also occur.
Cirrhosis: Cirrhosis is a condition in which healthy liver tissue is replaced by scar tissue. Cirrhosis, a rare disease, causes liver tissue to lose its function. Some of the most common causes of this scarring are excessive alcohol consumption, chronic hepatitis (B and C) and wilson's disease.
Autoimmune Hepatitis: This disease represents a condition in which cells in the immune system attack liver tissue and is rare. Autoimmune hepatitis, which is mostly seen in female patients, can lead to cirrhosis over time.
Hepatitis A: Hepatitis A infection, the causative organism of which is the virus of the same name, is a contagious disease and is mostly caused by lack of hygiene. Especially unhygienic toilets can pass through unclean water and food that is not thoroughly washed. Hepatitis B: It is a contagious disease that is frequently seen all over the world. This disease is caused by the hepatitis B virus. The virus causes inflammation in the liver. Hepatitis B is usually transmitted through blood or bodily fluids of infected persons. It is a disease that can be transmitted mostly through unprotected sexual intercourse and injection drug use. (Hepatitis C, blood transfusion and passes through the vein with the direction of drugs. 95% of hepatitis C can be treated with medication.)
Liver Cancer: These are malignant tumors formed in the liver for various reasons. Liver cancer is a type of cancer that shows late and progresses slowly. Its most prominent symptoms include loss of appetite, weight loss, fatigue and jaundice. One of the factors that cause liver cancer is an underlying or previous liver disease. In this type of cancer, where early diagnosis is vital, the primary treatment is removal of the tumor in the liver.
What Should Be Done for Liver Health?
The liver is an organ that works like a factory of the body. For this reason, the liver, which has many vital functions, should be well protected and factors that may harm it should be avoided. Some of the things that can be done for a healthy liver can be listed as follows:
- Not to prefer foods that tire the liver: Excessively fatty meat products, chicken skin, heat-treated foods such as salami, sausages, fried foods and cocoa products.
- Staying away from alcohol consumption: Excessive or regular alcohol consumption can be one of the most important factors that cause liver damage. Alcohol use can cause liver failure, initially cirrhosis, by disrupting liver tissue. For this reason, not drinking alcohol or reducing its consumption is important for liver health.
- To maintain weight control: Excess weight can cause fat accumulation in the liver and subsequently fatty liver. In order to prevent this, it is important to have healthy eating habits and to exercise regularly.
- Medicine use: Unnecessary and frequent use of drugs can be a factor that tires the liver. For this reason, it is necessary to be careful to use painkillers, antibiotics and epilepsy drugs only with the recommendation of a doctor and in appropriate doses. It is recommended that people with existing liver disease have regular blood tests. Liver enzymes and liver functions can be determined by the assays.
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