subject: Herbal Products To Support Healthy Liver [print this page] Weighing about four pounds, the liver is the largest gland of the body and the only internal organ that will regenerate itself if part of it is damaged. Up to 25 percent of the liver can be removed and within a short period of time, it will grow back to its original shape & size. The liver has many functions, perhaps the most important of which is the secretion of bile. This fluid is stored in the gallbladder and released as needed for digestion.
Bile is necessary for the digestion of fats; it breaks fat down into small globules. Bile also assists in the absorption of the fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) and helps to assimilate calcium. In addition, bile converts beta carotene into vitamin A. it promotes intestinal peristalsis as well, which helps to prevent constipation.
The liver plays an important role in fat metabolism; in the synthesis of fatty acid from amino acids and sugars; in the production of lipoproteins, cholesterol, and phospholipids and in the oxidation of fat to produce energy. The liver creates a substances called glucose tolerance factor (GTF) from chromium and glutathione. GTF acts with insulin to regulate blood sugar levels. Finally the liver is responsible for regulating thyroid function by converting thyroxin (T4), a thyroid hormone, into its more active form, triidothyronine (T3).
Cirrhosis of liver is a degenerative inflammatory disease that results in hardening and scarring of liver cells. The liver becomes unable to function properly due to the scared tissue, which prevents the normal passage of blood through the liver.
Causes
The most common cause of cirrhosis of the liver is excessive alcohol consumption. Liver disease resulting from alcohol intake is the fourth leading cause of death among people aged twenty-five to sixty four in urban areas of the United States. A less frequent cause of cirrhosis is the hepatitis C virus (HCV). It is estimated that 4 million people in the united states have hepatitis C, and about 85 percent of those who will go on to develop chronic liver disease, including cirrhosis.
Blood transfusions given before routine testing for HCV are presumed to be the main cause of the rising number of people infected with HCV. Malnutrition and chronic inflammation can also lead to liver malfunction.
