In this week’s article, we are going to get a bit deeper into the workings of a specific organ in the body – the liver. It is so essential to our health and well-being, so when you know what your liver actually does, it’s easier to spot when it’s not working at it’s best.
Most people are aware of the liver’s important role in getting rid of toxins (the combined words of ‘liver and detox’ are usually the first things that spring to mind) but are less aware that there are another 500 or so (yep!) other essential jobs your liver does every day.
The main jobs of your liver:
1. Detoxification – any toxins that end up in the body need to be processed by the liver first before being excreted through your breath, sweat, urine or faeces. The world around us is full of toxins, here is just a few examples of the many toxins in our environment:
• Pesticides on food
• Polluted air we breath
• Various man-made chemicals in our household products
• The ‘extra’ toxins we may consume like cigarettes, alcohol and drugs – prescription or recreational.
• By-products of processing hormones such as oestrogen
2. Bile production – the liver produces 800-1000ml of bile every day, which is then concentrated in the gall bladder, to be released whenever you eat a meal containing any form of fat. Bile has the hugely important job of helping the body to digest and absorb fats, cholesterol and fat-soluble vitamins too (vitamins A, D, E and K).
3. Blood clotting – with the help of vitamin K, the liver produces proteins that are needed for blood clotting, while also breaking down old or damaged blood cells.
4. Cholesterol production – cholesterol is essential for a health life, which is why the liver makes the majority of the cholesterol in our body. If you are concerned about your cholesterol levels, read ‘The Great Cholesterol Myth‘ to get the full picture of why cholesterol is so important and how to maintain healthy levels.
5. Protein, fat and carbohydrate metabolism – protein (from meat and pulses) breaks down to amino acids in your digestive system. The amino acids are then used for many different functions in the body from structural tissues (muscles, skin etc) to neurotransmitters such as serotonin. The liver also breaks down fats to make energy and helps the body to maintain a constant level of sugar (carbohydrates) in your blood for easy-to-access energy. This is a very brief overview of all three metabolism pathways, though there is a lot more to know about the processing of these three essential macronutrients!
That’s the top 5 jobs of your liver but equally essential are:
• Iron & copper storage – iron is stored in the liver (as ferritin), ready to make new blood cells and stores copper to be used as and when needed.
• Vitamin storage – the liver stores vitamins A, D, E, K and B12.
• Immune function through the immune cells called Kupffer cells that destroy any pathogens that may enter the liver via the gut.
• Albumin production – this is a substance which helps to maintain blood pressure and stops the blood vessels from becoming leaky.
• Blood pressure regulation – the hormone angiotensinogen (made by the liver) helps to regulate blood pressure.
The key message here is to look after your liver as it will then look after you in return! Next week we will look at how your body gets rid of toxins.
These are the kind of things my clients learn when working with me, how to transform their bodies and their lives – to be healthier, happier. Contact me today “here” to learn more about how I can help you look fabulous, feel fantastic and love the body you are in!
Resource: Nutri Advanced “What Your Liver Actually Does“
Recent Comments