Weighing about 1.5 kilograms, the liver is one of the largest organs in the body. One of the functions of the liver is to work to help the body's metabolism. Then, what else should be known about liver function?
Where is the heart in the body?
The liver is located in the right upper abdomen, below the diaphragm, and fills most of the space under the ribs and also a small portion of space in the upper left abdomen. When viewed from the outside, there appears to be a difference from the larger right lobe and smaller left lobe. These two lobes are separated by connective tissue bands that attach the liver to the abdominal cavity. Gallbladder, where bile is stored, is located in a small basin at the bottom of the liver.
One of the functions of the liver is to get rid of toxins in the body
Some of the things that liver functions do are as follows:
- Cleanse the body of harmful substances in the blood, including drugs and alcohol
- Break down saturated fat and produce cholesterol
- Produces blood proteins that help coagulation, transport oxygen, and function of the immune system
- Store sugar (glucose) in the form of glycogen
- Store excess nutrients and return them partially to the bloodstream
- Produces bile, substances needed to help digest food
Tissue liver function consists of many liver cell units, which are called lobules. Then, there are many capillaries (the smallest blood vessels) that carry blood and bile that stretch between these liver cells. Blood from the digestive organs flows into the main vessels of the liver by transporting nutrients, drugs, and also toxic substances.
Once it reaches the heart, these substances are processed, stored, converted, purified, and channeled back into the blood or released into the intestine for use in the digestive process. In this way, this liver can purify the blood from alcohol and avoid the byproducts resulting from the breakdown of the drug. The liver also breaks down old or damaged red blood cells. Together with vitamin K, the liver produces proteins that are important in blood clotting.
The function of the human heart to produce energy
The function of the human liver is to play a major role in all processes of digestion and absorption of nutrients in the body. Besides removing toxins, one of the functions of the liver is to produce energy by breaking down fat.
In the process of digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, the function of the liver is to help stabilize blood sugar levels (glucose). If blood sugar levels increase, for example after eating, the liver filters sugar from the blood supplied by the portal vein (veins in the liver) and stores it in the form of glycogen. If a person's blood sugar level is too low, the liver will break down the sugar reserves it has and release it into the blood. As with sugar, the liver also stores vitamins and minerals (iron and copper), to be released into the blood if needed.
While if the body lacks sugar levels, fat will be taken to be used as energy. Again the heart has a major role in preparing fat to be a substitute for sugar.
In the process of digesting fat, liver cells break down fat and produce energy. These cells also release about 800 to 1,000 milliliters of bile per day. This yellow, brownish or olive green liquid is collected in small capillaries and then passed to the main bile duct, which transports bile to the small intestine called the duodenum. Bile is needed for the breakdown and absorption of fat.
The function of the human liver to help the kidneys produce urine
Liver function also plays an important role in protein metabolism. Because the liver cells change amino acids in food so that they can be used to produce energy, or form carbohydrates or fats. The "garbage" substance produced from this process is called ammonia.
Liver cells convert ammonia to a far harmless substance called urea, which is released into the blood. Urea is then transported to the kidneys and released from the body in the form of urine.
The function of the human heart plays many important roles in the body. Consult your doctor or pharmacist if you want to know more about the functioning of the human liver.
When the function of the human heart is damaged
If the function of the human liver is damaged, this cannot be repaired unless a transplant is done. Liver disease or liver disease is a disease caused by various factors that damage the liver, such as viruses and alcohol use. Obesity is also associated with liver damage. Over time, liver damage affects the wounds on the tissue (cirrhosis), which can cause liver failure, a life-threatening condition.