LIVER HEALTH & WHY IT’S IMPORTANT

The liver is the second-largest organ in the body and performs multiple (over 500) functions essential for our wellbeing. To keep Liver healthy, it is very important to understand what roles the Liver plays in our body.

We describe here the main functions and how to keep liver healthy and productive.

Filtering function:

Liver filters blood and removes compounds from body including medicines, toxins (eg alcohol) and hormones (estrogen, aldosterone). Consumption of large doses of medicines eg paracetamol, alcohol- methyl alcohol, rat poison cause liver damage, some cause liver to fail rapidly in a few hours to days.

Nutrient processing:

Liver produces bile- yellowish digestive juice that aids in digestion of lipids (fats, cholesterol) from the intestine and subsequently converting these to easily storable forms. This is crucial because, regardless of how healthily one eats, without a a good liver health, the body will not be able to utilise the nutrients from the food being consumed.

Nutrient Storage:

Processed nutrients are stored for later use- Iron as ferritin, copper and fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Animal liver is a good source of these nutrients. Liver dysfunction leads to decreased absorption and deficiency of fat soluble vitamins.

Energy:

The liver plays a critical part in maintaining blood sugar balance. The liver extracts, converts sugars into a form that can be stored- glycogen. When blood sugar levels decrease- eg during fasting, liver converts stored glycogen to glucose and releases into blood stream. In liver damage, this process is hampered predisposing patient to hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar).

Synthetic function:

Liver produces proteins and hormones (angiotensin) required for body. Many of proteins involved in blood clotting are produced in the liver, in liver dysfunction blood clots poorly.

Immunologic function:

Liver filters blood of pathogens and plays a crucial role in activating body’s responses to bacteria-virus-other pathogens.

How to maintain a good liver health:

• Keep a healthy weight.
• Consume a healthy diet.
• Workout regularly
• Steer clear of alcohol
• Prevent adding salt and sugar.