Sometimes, when people think about liver health, they relate it to the negative effects of alcohol. While it’s true that excess drinking of alcohol can have a negative effect, the liver has many more important functions in our daily lives to keep our bodies in top working order – many of which we are not even aware of.

The liver is a large organ involved in digestion. After eating, there is a high level of glucose in the body, which causes our blood-sugar level to rise. The liver converts this into a substance that creates energy, which is immediately available for the body to use. This gives us energy for both physical and mental activity, which is why people can feel more alert a little while after eating. Conversely, we some-times feel tired after a large meal due to the effort the body has to put into digesting it! Metabolic rate and heat production increase after eating, and due to the liver’s processes using a lot of energy, this helps to keep our internal temperature warm.

Another role the liver plays in digestion is secretion of bile to help soften fats and make them more easily absorbed into the blood. Fats are needed for storage of energy. Also in relation to food, the liver is able to make Vitamin A, which is found in carrots and green leafy vegetables. Vitamin A is essential for healthy eyes and bones, cell growth and immunity. The liver is also able to store some vitamins and minerals for when the body needs them.

Getting rid of harmful substances
Another job the liver has is to help to clean the blood, make blood clot when we have a cut, and to assist with immunity to fight disease.

One of the liver’s most commonly known – and important – functions is to break down tiny molecules, and this includes getting rid of harmful substances such as alcohol and other poisons. Drinking too much alcohol leads to a rise in the blood-alcohol concentration, which is what makes us feel drunk. This causes the liver to have to work really hard, which puts it under strain and over time it will lose its ability to regenerate, and this may lead to liver failure.

There are many diseases that can affect the liver – either directly or indirectly, and these include liver disease, inflammation of the liver and hepatitis A, B and C.

Most of these diseases develop slowly and have no obvious signs or symptoms until the damage is really bad. The causes of these include being overweight and not getting enough exercise, having type II Diabetes and not managing insulin intake properly, high cholesterol levels in the blood, and excess smoking and drinking.

Prevention is better than cure – so look after your liver!