The Facts
The liver is the largest internal organ in the body. Its main functions
are to:
- metabolize most of the nutrients that are absorbed by the intestine
- store nutrients
- produce proteins
- detoxify blood by removing drugs, alcohol, and potentially harmful chemicals
from the bloodstream and treating them chemically so they can be excreted
by digestive or urinary systems
Because the liver comes in close contact with many harmful substances, it
is protected against disease in two main ways. First, it can regenerate
itself by repairing or replacing injured tissue. Second, the liver has many
cell units responsible for the same task. Therefore, if one area is injured,
other cells will perform the functions of the injured section indefinitely or
until the damage has been repaired.
Different types of liver disorders include hepatitis, cirrhosis,
liver tumors, and liver abscess (collection of pus), just to
name a few. The focus here will be the two most common forms: hepatitis and
cirrhosis.
There is more than one type of hepatitis, and although they have similar
symptoms, they're contracted in very different ways. Hepatitis A is the
most common and the most infectious. It affects millions around the world and
is responsible for more than two million deaths a year. Hepatitis B is acquired
through exposure to infected blood, vaginal fluids, or semen. Hepatitis C affects
about 3.5 million North Americans. About 15% of those with hepatitis C may have
been exposed to infected blood products before widespread blood testing began.
The second type of liver disorder is called cirrhosis. It's a major
cause of death in American men aged 25 to 64. It is twice as common in men as
in women and 30 times more common among heavy drinkers.