Think your heart or brain is doing all the heavy lifting? Think again – your liver might just be the superhero of your body.
Your liver is a quiet multitasker, working behind the scenes 24/7 to keep you alive, balanced and functioning.
Here are some surprising ways your liver protects your health every single day.
It performs hundreds of essential tasks
Beyond just filtering blood, the liver has over 500 different roles – many of them vital for survival.
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It processes nutrients, detoxifies harmful substances, balances hormones, and keeps your energy stable, all without you noticing a thing.
It’s the second largest organ in your body
Only your skin is bigger. An average adult liver weighs about 1.3 kg and holds up to 13 % of your blood at any given time.
Tucked between your diaphragm and stomach, it’s cone-shaped and has a deep reddish-brown hue that makes it easy to identify during medical exams.
It can regenerate itself
The liver has a rare superpower: regeneration. Surgeons can remove up to 75 % of it, and it will grow back to full size within weeks.
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That’s why living-donor liver transplants are possible – even a portion of a liver will adapt and regrow to fit the new host’s needs.
It activates the medicine you take
Most medications don’t work until your liver steps in. It uses specialized enzymes to convert drugs into active forms that your body can use.
The liver also controls how long the medication stays in your system before it’s broken down and flushed out.
It creates bile to digest fats
Your liver turns cholesterol into bile, a yellowish fluid that breaks down fats and fat-soluble vitamins in your digestive system.
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Bile travels through tiny ducts to your gallbladder, where it’s stored and released when you eat a fatty meal.
It processes and stores nutrients
Once your food is digested in the small intestine, nutrients head straight to the liver.
There, they’re transformed into usable forms or stored for future use. The liver stockpiles important vitamins and minerals like iron, vitamin A, D, B12 and folate.
It filters toxins from your diet
From junk food to preservatives, harmful substances in your meals are filtered out by the liver.
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It sorts through your blood and eliminates what your body doesn’t need, passing the waste through bile (into your stool) or urine via the kidneys.
It detoxifies alcohol and chemicals
Alcohol, pesticides, heavy metals, and even hormones your own body produces – your liver handles them all.
It converts these toxins into less harmful compounds that can be safely excreted, acting like your body’s built-in chemical treatment plant.
It fights off infections
The liver isn’t just for digestion – it’s part of your immune system too.
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It contains immune cells that detect and destroy bacteria, viruses and other pathogens that sneak in through the food you eat.
It can even trigger a full-blown immune response when necessary.
It protects your brain from toxins
If your liver can’t clean your blood properly, toxins build up – and your brain feels it first.
Symptoms like mood swings, insomnia, poor focus, shaky hands or slurred speech can all point to liver-related brain fog, or even a condition called hepatic encephalopathy.
It keeps your energy balanced
When you skip a meal or sleep through the night, your liver releases stored glucose (in the form of glycogen) to keep your blood sugar stable.
That quick conversion helps prevent fatigue, dizziness and brain fog when you’re low on fuel.
It produces backup energy
If you run out of sugar, your liver kicks into survival mode. It turns fats and amino acids into ketones – a backup energy source.
This function is crucial during fasting, intense workouts or if you’re following a low-carb diet like keto.
It manufactures life-sustaining substances
Your liver is a chemical factory, producing essential proteins, enzymes and compounds.
From clotting factors that stop bleeding to transport proteins that move nutrients around your body, it ensures every system runs smoothly and efficiently.
This article is based on information from WebMD.com.