Functions Of The Liver, Gallbladder, And Pancreas

There are three additional organs take part in digestion of the food are the liver, the gallbladder, and the pancreas.

FUNCTION OF THE LIVER:

HEPATIC

The liver is located in the right upper quadrant or RUQ of the abdomen. The liver creates an yellowish-brown colored or greenish, thick fluid named bile. Bile contains a fatty substance i.e. cholesterol, bile acids, and many bile pigments. The pigment named bilirubin is manufactured from the breakdown of hemoglobin in the liver. Bile combines with bilirubin in the liver and then passes into the duodenum. This material is also excreted out from the body with feces.

The bile is manufacturing continuously in the liver travels down to the gallbladder via hepatic duct and cystic duct. Gallbladder is a pear-shaped sac like structure, which is under the liver. Gallbladder collects the bile and stored inside. The bile gets concentrated in the gallbladder. The bile forced to out to the duodenum via common bile duct and pancreatic duct. The duodenum or the first part of the small intestine receives a mixture of bile and pancreatic juice.

Emulsification is an effect of bile on fats in the duodenum, by which bile breaks large fat globules and then the enzymes from the pancreas can digest the fats. So fat digestion is the important function of the bile. Without bile fat materials from the food will remain undigested. The liver apart from producing bile, which also participates many important functions in human body.

The liver maintains the amount of blood sugars also called glucose normal in the body by removing excess of sugars from the bloodstream and stores it in the form of starch (glycogen) in the liver cells. In the situation of very low blood sugars in the blood, which is a danger condition to the body, the glycogens or the starch are converted again to the glucose by the liver. This process is called glycogenesis.

Another important function of the liver is also to convert fats and proteins in the body into glucose and uses it when the body needs it. This process is called gluconeogenesis. The liver also produces the important blood proteins essential for blood clotting. Bilirubin is produced by the liver destruction of old erythrocytes. The liver also removes the poison materials from the blood through a process called detoxification.

The another important function of the liver is formation of urea. The liver receives amino acids from the blood and it removes ammonia and which is converted into urea, and removed by kidney and excreted out with urine.

The liver helps in the digestion of fats via bile.

The liver also helps in controlling body temperature. It stores hematrin necessary for the formation of RBCs. It forms RBC in the fetal life. It is a storehouse for many chemicals enzymes, and substances life vitamins etc.

Hepatic Portal System:

The blood vessels that bring to the liver from the intestines. This system of blood vessels is called hepatic portal system.

Digested foods pass into the portal vein directly after being absorbed into the bloodstream from the small intestine, thus giving the liver first chance at using the nutrients.

Functions of the pancreas:

The pancreas is an gland, which works both as an endocrine and also as an exocrine organ. As an exocrine, the pancreas produces pancreatic juices filled with enzymes called amylase and lipase to digest the food. These pass into the duodenum through the pancreatic duct.

As an endocrine gland, the pancreas secretes insulin into the bloodstream. Insulin is a hormone essential to help release sugar from the blood, which acts as a carrier to bring glucose into cells of the body to be used for energy.

Functions Of The Liver, Gallbladder, And Pancreas

HEPATIC

Pump Life Into Your Liver, Stop Drinking

Although some contemporary research suggests that the moderate consumption of alcohol can do wonders for the body, anything in excess is always bad. There have been several cases of people drinking themselves to death. And indeed it does happen, with some of the most usual alcohol-related diseases being liver diseases. Liver failure is absolutely no laughing matter. So it's always best to watch your drinking anytime you're partying and never, ever go on alcohol binges when you're depressed. These can severely shorten your lifespan.

Liver failure is a road with many segments. And from the excessive ingestion of alcohol stems the problem of fatty change. Otherwise known as steatosis, this is the accumulation of fat in liver cells. These can be seen as fatty globules under the microscope. Alcoholism can cause really large fat globules. This can lead to alcoholic hepatitis. Acute hepatitis is an inflammatory reaction to the cells affected by fatty change. And this reaction probably predisposes to liver fibrosis.

HEPATIC STEATOSIS

Liver fibrosis itself is asymptomatic but its progression can really give people problems as cirrhosis is one of the worst conditions an alcoholic can get. Cirrhosis is a late stage liver disease that is marked by fibrosis and a totally altered liver architecture. It is so dangerous it can lead to liver failure if not treated properly. Late complications of this condition would include portal hypertension, coagulation disorders, ascites, and others including hepatic encephalopathy and hepatorenal syndrome.

The later stage of fibrosis and cirrhosis are probably irreversible although they can be maintained with effort for a long period of time. This is unlike fatty change and alcoholic hepatitis, which you can pull yourself out from with the proper balance of fasting and effort. Becoming an alcoholic can severely endanger your liver and your life.

Pump Life Into Your Liver, Stop Drinking

HEPATIC STEATOSIS

What Is A Fatty Liver?

Steatosis, or fatty liver, is a condition where triglycerides and other fats collect in liver cells. It is caused from altered fat metabolism from mobilization of fatty acids. Sometimes, as much as 40% of the liver's weight is accounted from these fat cells. A normal liver has only 5% fat. A normal liver weighs about 3 lbs., but a severe case of fatty liver may increase its weight as much as 11! That's nearly 4 times its normal weight!

Mild Steatosis is temporary and asymptomatic. Mild fatty liver is usually reversible by simply changing your diet and alcohol intake. But don't neglect it. Severe or persistent fatty liver may cause liver dysfunction. It may result in recurrent infection, and in the worst case, sudden death from fat emboli in the lungs.

STEATOSIS

The most common cause of fatty liver is chronic alcoholism, but there are other non-alcohol-related causes, such as pregnancy or malnutrition or prolonged total parenteral nutrition (TPN). Prescription and non prescriptioned drug use can result in steatosis.

What can you do if you suspect Steatosis, or Fatty Liver? Go to your doctor and describe your symptoms and tell him about your diet and lifestyle, including drug and alcohol uses. Talk to him about possible immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV). In cases of malnutrition caused steatosis, protein deficiency is usually at the root cause.

If you are diagnosed with any kind of liver damage or dysfunction, show your doctor this scientific, clinical double-blind study of sixty people with alcohol-related diseases (damaged livers), 70% had normalized their liver enzymes after only 30 days' using Bio-Directed Liver Formula, composed of artichoke buds and sarsaparilla extract. The case study was done by administering a therapeutic dose of 3 capsules twice a day and ask if it would be safe for you to do.

Two other double blind studies were published and copywrited in the Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, Date: 12/1/2002, by author: Dr. Charles Cochran showing the effectivness of this same product..

What Is A Fatty Liver?

STEATOSIS