The Liver - The Body's Filter

The Liver - The Body's Filter
by Joseph Devine

The liver is responsible for many things in your body, primarily:

Several processes involving carbohydrate metabolism
The bulk of protein metabolism
The production of coagulation factors, which help the blood clot
The production and secretion of bile, which emulsify fats
The breakdown of insulin
The breakdown of hemogoblin
The breakdown of toxins which would otherwise poison the body
Converting ammonia into urea, one of the main components of urine

Regeneration

The liver is unique among organs in that it is capable of regeneration. If you have as
little as a quarter of a functional liver, it is capable of regenerating into a full liver over
time. Full regeneration occurs in no more than eight years.

Liver Transplantation

Because the human body cannot function without a liver, liver transplantation is
sometimes a necessary procedure. The surgery was first performed by Thomas
Starzl in the 1960s, but the process at the time was very imperfect. Though the
process became fairly common by the late '70s, the one-year survival rate was a
dismal 25%. Now, however, after several refinements to the process and medical
advances, the one-year survival rate hovers around 80-85%.

Unfortunately, as with all other transplants, graft rejection is a problem. That means
that sometimes the human body sees the foreign object (in this case, the liver) as a
danger, and the body's immune system attacks it. To prevent this from happening,
doctors will prescribe the patient with a cocktail of drugs to prevent the body from
attacking the new organ. The patient will have to take these drugs for the rest of his
or her life.

About The Author

Joseph Devine

For more information about liver transplants and the potential health dangers of
dietary supplements, visit the website of Williams Kherkher today.

The liver is one of the most important
organs in the body. It performs
numerous functions to keep your
body healthy and running in optimum
condition. Without it, you could not
live, and there is no known medical
way to make up for the lack of a
liver. While the liver is a naturally very
resilient organ, there are still a
number of ways in which the proper
functioning of the liver can be
damaged, including alcohol
consumption, cancer, viruses, and
the consumption of certain products.

The Functions of the Liver

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The content on
this website is for educational purposes only. Please consult with your physician before using natural
remedies and before making any drastic changes to your diet or exercise program.