What Is a Fatty Liver?

By james

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Our bodies have many parts and organs that serve multiple important purposes. The liver is amongst the most important and is the single largest solid organ. By adulthood, it can be as big as a football, though it is really more triangular in shape.

Reddish-brown in color and with a rubbery texture, this organ is situated just under the ribcage, to the right of the abdomen, and just over the gallbladder. It works to help the body digest, process, and absorb food. It is an essential organ that carries out more than 500 tasks for the body. It is also amazing in its unique ability to regenerate. This is, however, all compromised when a person suffers from a fatty liver.

1. Liver Functions

The liver serves several major purposes in maintaining human life. The first is to clean the blood. The liver aids in the removal of toxins from the body. These toxins are often the result of normal bodily functions like breaking down proteins that we consume through food. The liver also facilitates the removal of waste material that is then sent out as fecal matter or urine.

It also produces a digestive juice called bile. Bile is accumulated in the gall bladder. This yellowish-green fluid helps the body to absorb fat drawn from our food, into the bloodstream. The liver also acts as a store for glycogen. This is a form of glucose that is made from carbohydrates that have been broken down and digested. Glycogen acts as a backup energy source for when the body needs a boost.