The liver is one of the organs of the digestive system most important for digestion because it has the function of metabolizing and storing nutrients, which are only ready to be absorbed and used by the body after passing through it.
The liver is considered an organ, but at the same time it is a gland, it is about 20 cm wide and it usually weighs more than 1 kg. It is located in the upper right part of the abdomen very close to the stomach and is subdivided into 4 lobes: direct, left, caudate and square.
Liver Functions in Digestion
The liver is a very important organ for the digestion of food because it is able to:
- Transforming galactose and fructose into glucose to be used as an energy source; Storing glycogen and transforming it into glucose, sending it back to the blood when necessary; Transforming proteins into amino acids, synthesizing non-essential amino acids and producing essential proteins such as albumin, transferrin, fibrinogen and other lipoproteins; store fat-soluble vitamins and minerals; filter the blood, sending toxins to the kidneys to be eliminated.
In addition, the liver transforms the fat in the diet and accumulates it as an energy source, in which case the person develops a disease called fatty liver, which is when there is accumulation of fat in the liver, which impairs its functioning.
Other functions of the liver in the organism
In addition to being a fundamental part of digestion, the liver performs many important functions in the body, some of which are:
- Storage of vitamins A, B12, D and E, and some minerals, such as iron and copper; Destruction of old or abnormal red blood cells; Participate in the digestion of fat in the digestive process, through the secretion of bile; Storage and release of glucose; Plasma protein synthesis; Cholesterol synthesis; Fat production (Lipogenesis); Production of platelet precursors; Conversion of ammonia into urea; Purification and detoxification of various toxins; Metabolizes medications.
The liver has a great capacity for regeneration and that is why it is possible to donate part of the liver, making the donation in life. However, there are many diseases that can affect the liver, such as hepatitis, liver fat and cirrhosis.
Liver-related diseases
When the liver is affected by a disease, symptoms such as yellow color on the skin and eyes, dark urine, light stools, enlarged liver, becoming swollen are common, and there may be pain in the abdomen, especially on the right side afterwards. to eat.
However, the liver may also be compromised and the person does not show any symptoms, with some change being discovered when performing blood tests that assess liver enzymes such as ALT, AST, GGT and bilirubin, or through imaging tests such as tomography or ultrasound., for example.
