I remember as a kid that I always wanted to act more “grown up.” Because of this, I tried liver at the age of four or five years old.
Make no mistake, it wasn’t forced on me like some children; I completely volunteered for it. I wish I could say that it was an enjoyable experience, however, my taste buds just weren’t developed enough to stomach it.
To this day, I still won’t eat liver even though many of my friends swear by it. Just like the cow liver I tried to eat, humans, of course, have this organ as well. Although we are aware of its existence, many people simply don’t understand it or the concept of liver disease.
To begin, our liver is the largest solid organ in the body and is found in the upper right quadrant of our stomachs. I teach students to remember that when they drink alcohol, it goes “right” to the liver (liver on the right side, get it?).
Interesting enough, the li
ver is also considered to be a gland because, of its many functions, it also secretes bile to aid in digestion. The liver also works to filter the blood by ‘catching’ nutrients and chemicals from the digestive tract. These compounds are metabolized into proteins and glycogen that is needed for daily activities. Many of the medications that we take are also activated in the liver.
One of the interesting facts about the liver is that it is the only organ in the body that can easily replace damaged cells, However, if enough cells are injured in too quick a time, the liver cannot meet the needs of the body to regenerate.
The liver can be scarred in many ways. Hepatitis is an inflammation of the cells within the liver (‘hepa’ meaning liver and ‘itis’ meaning inflammation of). This can take varying forms such as Hepatitis A that is often mild and self-limiting to Hepatitis C that can ultimately cause complete liver failure. Obstructed bile flow from the gallbladder (cholestasis) can also cause liver damage as can chronic alcoholism.
Make no mistake, there are hundreds of other possible causes, however, I stuck with the major contributors. No matter the root cause, the symptoms are often the same. The patient might notice a yellowing of the skin or eyes (sometimes called jaundice) that is a result of an increase in bilirubin concentration in the blood.
Patients suffering from liver disease might also develop a condition in which ammonia levels are chronically too high due to the liver’s inability to properly use proteins (hepatic encephalopathy). Abnormal bleeding can occur due to the decrease in the production of blood clotting factors. It is also common for the patient to develop large pockets of fluid called ascites that require constant drainage.
If you have experienced any of these symptoms, contact your personal physician.
To prevent certain forms of liver damage, take steps now to take control. Good liver health is far more about avoiding what is bad than eating things that are nourishing to the liver. Avoid excessive alcohol use. The CDC recommends that men drink no more than two drinks per day while the ladies should limit themselves to one serving. Keeping your weight under control is a good idea as well.
Obesity can lead to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Finally, keep an eye on certain medications that you take. Tylenol and other medications containing acetaminophen have a side effect of liver damage if taken in too large of a quantity. Be kind to your liver; it is the only one you have!
Stay safe out there.
M. Eric Williams, MS, NR-P is a Mississippi native and Instructor of Emergency Medicine. He is a Doctoral Candidate and has 15 years’ experience in healthcare. If you have questions or comments, you may contact him at eric.williams@jcjc.edu.
