Topic Overview
A healthy liver does the following:
- It regulates the composition of blood, including
the amounts of sugar (glucose), protein, and fat that enter the
bloodstream.
- It removes bilirubin, ammonia, and other toxins from
the blood. (Bilirubin is a by-product of the breakdown of
hemoglobin from red blood cells.)
- It
processes most of the nutrients absorbed by the intestines during digestion and
converts those nutrients into forms that can be used by the body. The liver
also stores some nutrients, such as vitamin A, iron, and other
minerals.
- It produces cholesterol
and certain important proteins, such as albumin.
- It produces
clotting factors, chemicals needed to help blood clot.
- It breaks
down (metabolizes) alcohol and many drugs.
See a picture of the
liver and the other organs of the digestive system.
Credits
| By | Healthwise Staff |
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| Primary Medical Reviewer | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine |
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| Specialist Medical Reviewer | W. Thomas London, MD - Hepatology |
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| Last Revised | January 17, 2012 |
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