Liver
Definition:
The liver is a big reddish-brow organ lying beneath the diaphragm on the right
side. The liver is made up for a great part of liver cells which absorb
nutrients and detoxify and remove harmful substances from the blood such as
drugs and alcohol. The liver has many other vital functions and there is
currently no way to compensate for the absence of liver.
Other liver functions include:
- controlling levels of fats, amino acids and glucose in the blood
- fighting infections in the body, particularly infections arising in
the bowel.
- manufacturing bile, a kind of digestive juice which aids in the
digestion of fats
- storing iron, certain vitamins and other essential chemicals
- breaking down food and turning it into energy
- manufacturing, breaking down and regulating numerous hormones
- making enzymes and proteins which are responsible for most chemical
reactions in the body, for example those involved in blood clotting and
repair of damaged tissues.
Source: GreenFacts, based on the British Liver Trust 
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