What is the liver used for

What is the liver used for?

The liver is one of the most important organs in the human body. It has many functions. It can participate in the metabolism of fat and promote the secretion of bile. The liver is also the largest digestive organ in the human body. If there is a problem with the liver, it will cause great harm to human health. There is a Chinese idiom called "肝胆相照", whether there is a problem with the liver or the gallbladder, they will affect each other.

What is the liver used for?

1. The function of the liver: bile secretion

Liver cells can continuously produce bile acids and secrete bile, which can promote the digestion and absorption of fat in the small intestine during the digestion process. Every day, 600-1100 ml of bile is transported to the gallbladder through the bile duct. The gallbladder concentrates and discharges bile. Bile also has the function of excreting hormones and harmful substances.

2. The role of the liver in fat metabolism

The liver is a hub for fat transport. After digestion and absorption, part of the fat enters the liver and is later converted into body fat and stored. When you are hungry, stored body fat can be transported to the liver and then broken down. In the liver, neutral fat can be hydrolyzed into glycerol and fatty acids. This reaction can be accelerated by hepatic lipase. Glycerol can be utilized through the sugar metabolism pathway, while fatty acids can be completely oxidized into carbon dioxide and water. The liver is also one of the main organs for the synthesis of fatty acids, cholesterol, and phospholipids in the body, and excess cholesterol is excreted with bile. The various components of blood lipids in the human body are relatively constant. The ratio is regulated by liver cells. When fat metabolism is disordered, fat can accumulate in the liver and form fatty liver.

3. The role of the liver in sugar metabolism

The main ingredient in the staple foods we eat every day is sugar. After being digested by the gastrointestinal tract, it turns into glucose and is absorbed by the intestines. Then it enters the liver through the portal vein. The liver then synthesizes it into glycogen and stores it in the liver. When the body's life activities require it, liver cells can break down glycogen into glucose to provide the energy needed by the body. Once the blood sugar concentration changes, the liver will play a regulatory role.

4. The role of the liver in vitamin metabolism

In addition to relying on carbohydrates, proteins and fats to provide energy for life activities, human life is also inseparable from vitamins. For example, the synthesis and storage of vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin D and vitamin K are closely related to the liver. Abnormal vitamin metabolism occurs when the liver is significantly damaged. Regular intake of B vitamins and vitamin C by patients with hepatitis or other liver diseases is beneficial to the recovery of liver disease. If secondary vitamin A deficiency occurs, night blindness or dry skin syndrome may occur.