As organs go, the liver is huge. In fact, it’s the largest organ inside the body. (The skin is the largest organ overall.) Weighing in at about three pounds, the liver consists of a right lobe that measures six to seven inches across and a left lobe that measures about three inches. It occupies an area high in the abdomen on the right side of the body, connected to the surrounding area by strong ligaments. Although the liver is technically part of the gastrointestinal system, it plays an important role in blood circulation by collecting and processing all of the blood from the digestive tract and delivering it directly to the heart. In fact, the liver derives its dark, reddish-brown color by holding 13 percent of the body’s blood supply at any one time.

As the chemical factory of your body, the liver functions in an amazing number of ways. For example, it...

Two of these functions – the production of cholesterol and the detoxification of alcohol – get more public attention than all of the others combined.

The cholesterol connection
As a recent advertising campaign cleverly illustrates, there are two sources of the cholesterol in your body: what your body naturally makes (influenced by heredity) and what you take in as food. The liver manufactures virtually all of the cholesterol your body needs, using it in many essential ways, including the metabolism of fats. And the more animal fat you eat, the more cholesterol your liver produces to cope with it. “The liver works to keep things in balance,” says Doylestown Hospital gastroenterologist Alan Chang, MD. “Although this balance is achieved in some people, other individuals genetically have a bad cholesterol ratio.” Even a low-cholesterol diet doesn’t bring the numbers to where physicians feel they should be for cardiovascular health. When that’s the case, medication may be prescribed to improve the situation.

Alcohol and the liver
The liver treats alcohol just as it treats noxious chemicals such as bug sprays, aerosol cleaners, some drugs, paint strippers, and chemical fumes. When these substances are ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin, the liver detoxifies them so they don’t harm the body. However, when the amount of toxin – either all at once or over time – exceeds the liver’s capacity to respond, liver cells are damaged.

But how much is too much? That depends on a lot of things. “People vary a great deal in the way their liver reacts to alcohol, for example, and how well damaged cells regenerate themselves,” explains Dr. Chang. “While excessive amounts of alcohol almost certainly will cause some degree of liver damage, even moderate amounts taken with some medications such as acetaminophen or by people with certain medical conditions can be toxic.” For that reason, it’s a good idea to always read the directions for over-the-counter medication and carefully follow the instructions your physician or pharmacist gives you for prescription drugs.

When normal liver cells are damaged and replaced by scar tissue, the condition is called cirrhosis. Although excessive alcohol intake is the most common cause of cirrhosis, other diseases, acquired or inherited, can be at fault. Cirrhosis can cause a significant loss of liver function, since the scar tissue interferes with the flow of blood through the organ and also takes the place of healthy, functioning liver tissue.

Be kind to your liver
So what does your liver ask of you in order to perform at peak capacity? Actually, very little. “Avoid toxic substances and risky behavior,” advises Dr. Chang. “Eat a well-balanced diet. Get tested for hepatitis C if you have any risk factors.” In other words, be kind to your liver so it can keep doing the many things it does so well.

Dr. Alan Chang is with Central Bucks Specialists.