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Physiology

How the liver works

As the largest organ and one you can't live without the liver plays many roles that are essential to overall health. Weighing approximately three pounds and holding 13% of the body's blood supply, the liver regulates most chemicals throughout the body. Physically the liver has two main lobes, within these lobes they are made up of thousand of lobules. Once the liver has done it's job bile by-products leave in the form as feces through the small intestine and blood by-products filter through the kidneys and leave in the form as urine.

With more then 500 identified functions and duties the liver plays, the most common ones are:

1. production of bile, proteins for blood plasma, cholesterol, proteins that help carry fats throughout the body, urea
2. conversion of excess glucose into glycogen for storage
3. amino acids in blood levels
4. stores iron
5. clears blood from drugs and poisonous substances
6. regulates blood clotting
7. resists infections

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How the liver works

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