Life-Line of Youth- The Amazing Liver

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Life-Line of Youth- The Amazing Liver JoAnn Guest Dec 15, 2004 21:19 PST

Your Life-Line of Youth- The Amazing Liver

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http://www.healingedge.net/cat_liver.

The Amazing Liver

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Your Life-Line of Youth

 

Somewhere between 90 and 125,000 people die each year because of simple

liver disease and cirrhosis. There is no reason for this to be

happening.

 

This fantastic and complex organ performs the true miracle of converting

food into living energy and the elements for sustaining life. The human

system is a scientific marvel often compared to a machine, e.g. the

steadfast pump of the heart, the remarkable bio-computer brain, the

electrical system of the nerves.

 

So subtle and versatile is the liver that it defies a machine-like

analogy, but rather might be compared to an entire city, for the variety

of its activities.

 

It is one of the body's most vital organs.

 

The largest of the internal organs, the liver, " weighs in " at 2.5 to 5

pounds. It is suspended behind the ribs on the upper right side of the

abdomen and spans almost the entire width of the body over to the heart.

 

 

It has two separate lobes that operate independently of each other (in

case one side stops functioning). One unique feature of the liver is

that it is capable of regenerating itself after a portion is removed.

 

After a loss of up to 75% due to injury or surgery the remaining liver

can grow back and be restored to normal size within several months.

 

The liver receives blood directly from the stomach, pancreas and

intestines via the portal vein. The liver with its dazzling intricate

labyrinth of special cells, veins and ducts receive this nutrient rich

blood, and filters out the nutrients taking them into its own cells to

be processed.

 

The liver also receives freshly oxygenated blood via a different artery,

from which it takes its oxygen supply.

 

It filters out wastes and other poisons and converts them into

substances which can be safely carried out of the body. The liver

filters more than a quart of blood each minute.

 

The liver is the organ that is responsible for processing, converting,

distributing and maintaining the body's fuel (energy) supply.

 

It converts the complex energy foods we eat (carbohydrates fats, and

proteins) into simple glucose (blood sugar) or stores this fuel as

glycogen.

 

It breaks down and converts fats for distribution and storage.

 

The liver is responsible for dismantling proteins into amino acids,

assembling proteins, and making new amino acids for use throughout the

body. It breaks down old blood cells and recycles the iron.

 

The liver also makes bile, a yellowish-green alkaline liquid which is

stored in the gall bladder, and secreted into the small intestines to

help break down fats. Bile contains the pigments which give color to

urine and feces. When the bile ducts are obstructed it is the bile

pigments which can cause the body to turn jaundice or yellow.

 

Add to the list of liver functions the production of many different

hormones and proteins, which affect the way the body grows and heals.

 

Many vitamins and other nutrients like iron are stored in the liver and

released when needed. Poisons such as alcohol and drugs are detoxified

in the liver.

 

As we can see, this organ is vital for many reasons. No one has ever

devised an artificial liver because it is so complex. Second only to the

brain in complexity, the liver is the home of many of the mysteries of

life. As powerful as this organ is, it is also delicate and may fall

prey to disease.

 

The following paragraphs will briefly describe some of the common

diseases of the liver:

 

Hepatitis literally means an inflammation of the liver. It can be caused

by alcohol, viruses, drugs and blood exchange. One type of viral

hepatitis, hepatitis A (also called infectious hepatitis) is transmitted

usually through food and is more common where sanitation and hygiene are

poor. The other type, hepatitis B, is a virus spread via exchange of

blood (it is also known as serum hepatitis). Today's blood supplies are

thoroughly checked for the hepatitis B virus. There is now a more recent

type of hepatitis (hepatitis C). This type seems to involve blood

exchange or I.V. drug use. This type of hepatitis seems to be the most

troublesome of all. For many there are no symptoms for 15 to 20 years.

This type C hepatitis can turn into cirrhosis or even liver cancer. Many

people in the United States are receiving liver transplants for this

type of hepatitis. Others have found natural ways to get his type of

hepatitis under control or even cured.

 

Alcohol can damage the liver even in moderate quantities. Alcohol is a

concentrated sugar which causes fat to be deposited in the liver.

 

For those who drink only occasionally, the damage is temporary and the

liver can usually 'bounce back' to normal after several days of rest and

clean living. Those who drink more often don't give the liver a chance

to recuperate from the alcohol poisoning and more serious damage to the

live can result. In some cases alcohol abuse can lead to alcoholic

hepatitis or cirrhosis. As mentioned before, the liver is one organ

which has the amazing ability to regenerate itself.

 

Cirrhosis is a condition in which a liver damaged by disease, alcohol or

drugs doesn't grow back 'good as new.' In cirrhosis, the liver forms

fibrous scar tissue and lumpy irregular nodules as it regenerates.

 

In advanced cases the liver becomes so badly scarred by cirrhosis that

it can no longer do its work, and the afflicted person dies of liver

failure.

 

The liver as we know has well over 500 functions in the human body.

Below are some functions of this amazing organ:

 

Metabolizes proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, thus providing energy and

nutrients

 

Stores vitamins, minerals, and sugars

 

Filters the blood and helps remove harmful chemicals and bacteria

 

Creates bile which breaks down fats

 

Helps to assimilate and store fat soluble vitamins (A,E,D,K)

 

Stores extra blood which can be quickly released when needed

 

Creates serum proteins which maintain fluid balance and act as carriers

 

Helps maintain electrolyte and water balance

 

Creates immune substances such as gamma globulin

 

Breaks down and eliminates excess hormones

 

Vascular (blood management)

 

Provides blood clotting factors

 

Breaks down ammonia (and other toxins) created in the colon by bacteria;

thus preventing death

 

Helps to maintain blood pressure

 

Constructs cholesterol and estrogen, reconstructs hormones

 

Humanizes nutrients, metabolizes protein, carbohydrates, fat for energy

 

Synthesizes urea, constructs blood protein, interconverts amino acids

 

Constructs 50,000 systems of enzymes to govern metabolic activity

throughout the body

 

Removes damaged red blood cells

 

Converts the thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4) into it more active form

triiodothyronine (T3). Inadequate conversion may lead to hypothyroidism,

chronic fatigue, weight gain, poor memory and other debilitating

conditions.

 

Creates GTF (Glucose Tolerance Factor) from chromium, niacin and

possibly glutathione. GTF is needed for the hormone insulin to properly

regulate blood-sugar levels.

 

Manufactures bile salts which emulsify fats and the fat-soluble vitamins

A, D, E, and K for proper absorption. The liver also removes some

fat-soluble toxins from the body.

 

Activates B vitamins into their biologically active coenzyme forms.

 

Virtually every nutrient must be biotransformed by the liver into its

proper biochemical form before the nutrient can be stored, transported

or used in cellular metabolism.

 

Stores various nutrients, especially A, D, B-12 and iron for release as

needed.

 

Manufactures carnitine from lysine and other nutrients. Carnitine is the

only known bionutrient which can escort fats into the mitochondria where

they are used to generate ATP energy. The mitochondria generate 90% of

the ATP energy at the cellular level.

 

Converts lactic acid from a toxic waste to an important storage fuel.

Lactic acid is produced when glucose is metabolized through the energy

production cycle. When excessive levels accumulate, you experience sore

muscles. A healthy liver will extract lactic acid from the bloodstream

and convert it into the reserve endurance fuel, glycogen.

 

Serves as the main glucose buffer, preventing high or low extremes of

blood sugar. The liver is the key regulator of blood sugar between meals

due to its manufacture, storage, and release of glycogen, the starch

form of glucose. When blood sugar is low, a healthy liver converts

stored glycogen into glucose, releasing it into the bloodstream to raise

blood sugar levels. When blood sugar is high, a healthy liver will

convert the excess into stored glycogen or fat.

 

Chief regulator of protein metabolism. The liver converts different

amino acids into each other as needed.

 

Produces cholesterol and converts it into the various forms needed for

blood transport.

 

Converts essential fatty acids such as GLA, EPA, and DHA into the

lipoprotein forms necessary to allow transport via the bloodstream to

the 50 trillion cells requiring fatty acids.

 

Main poison-detoxifying organ in the body. The liver must break down

every substance toxic to the body including metabolic wastes,

insecticide and pesticide residues, drugs, alcohol, etc. Failure of this

function will usually cause death in 12 to 24 hours.

 

Removes ammonia, a toxic by-product of animal protein metabolism, from

the body.

 

Breaks down hormones after they have served their function. i.e., if the

liver does not break down insulin fast enough, hypoglycemia results

because the circulating insulin continues to lower blood sugar.

The liver is vital to a host of other metabolic functions, but this

brief overview should serve to illustrate the central role the liver

plays in maintaining good health and the importance of implementing

life-style change if necessary.

 

Liver Disease Risk Factors

Junk foods such as french fries, doughnuts, fried chicken and snack

foods are cooked in overheated, overused, hydrogenated fats. Fried foods

are a major source of liver-toxic lipid peroxides (rancid fats) and

trans-fatty acids. Lipid peroxides are immune suppressive and damage

liver cell membranes. Trans-fatty acids suppress production of PGE1, an

important liver-protecting anti-inflammatory prostaglandin.

 

Alcohol. The liver converts alcohol into toxic acetaldehyde during its

alcohol detoxification process. Acetaldehyde inhibits PGE1, production,

is a powerful free radical inducer, and is largely responsible for the

liver, brain, heart, kidney, skin, and blood vessel lining damage

associated with chronic alcoholism.

 

Coffee. Coffee crops are sprayed with pesticides. Almost all the coffee

beans in the U.S. are imported, there is no way to determine which

pesticides were used. Carcinogenic hydrocarbons are produced during

roasting and the highest levels are found in dark roasts.

 

Smoking. Tobacco smoke contains toxic benzopyrene, polycyclic aromatic

hydrocarbons, cyanide, acetaldehyde, tars, etc. As the body's main

detoxifying organ, the liver must work overtime to remove this stew of

toxins.

 

Fuel exhaust. Auto and diesel exhaust contain dozens of liver damaging

poisons such as lead, sulfur and nitrogen oxides, acetaldehyde, cadmium,

and peroxyacetylnitrile.

 

Birth-control pills. There have been some cases where as little as two

to three weeks of use have been documented to severely reduce the

ability of the liver to detoxify naturally produced estrogen. The livers

of women on B vitamin/protein deficient diets may have difficulty

metabolizing estrogen to nontoxic estriol, leaving it instead in the

form of liver-toxic estradiol.

 

Candida. Candida yeast ferments dietary sugars into liver-toxic

acetaldehyde in the process of turning sugar into energy. Candida also

appears to increase gut and urinary levels of ammonia, another liver

toxin.

 

Pesticides such as PDT, Aldrin, chlordane, lindane, 2,4,5-T dioxin, and

toxaphene can cause chronic liver damage even at levels measured in

parts per billion because they tend to accumulate in body fat over a

lifetime.

 

Long-term drug use whether prescribed or illegal are potentially

liver-toxic. Potential liver damage is a common warning found in

prescription drug descriptions. Anabolic steroids. Liver damage is a

major side effect of chronic steroid abuse by athletes.

 

Acetaminophen. Tylenol, Anacin-3, Arthritis Pain Formula Aspirin Free,

Datril Liquiprin Elixir, and St. Joseph Aspirin Free Fever Reducer for

Children are just a few of the OTC (Over The Counter) products

containing acetaminophen. People should be careful not to take too many

drugs containing acetaminophen at the same time. Taking more than 15

grams can lead to irreversible liver disease. Whether smaller doses over

long periods of time (such as those recommended for relieving arthritis

symptoms) harm the liver has not been determined, but prolonged use

increases the risk of kidney damage. Additional research is needed, but

some reports indicate that fasting (i.e., you stop eating because of a

bad cold or influenza) while taking acetaminophen may contribute to

liver damage. People who consume large amounts of alcohol are at highest

risk of developing liver damage from overuse of acetaminophen.

 

Patient Alert: Acetaminophen was originally introduced in 1955 for

children's fever and pain relief. Please note that the 15 grams

mentioned above is for an adult;.

 

Read all labels completely before giving your child any medication. It's

not uncommon for infant formulas to contain higher amounts of active

ingredients than children's formulas.

 

Liver Weakness

Signs and Symptoms

 

Depression, Anger, Frustration, Lumps in neck, breast, etc., Poor

digestion

Dizziness, Eye problems, Red or flushed face, Irritability, Ringing in

the ears, Warm palms and soles

Hypertension, Migraines and other types of headaches, Dizziness,

Insomnia, Violent anger, Bitter taste in mouth

Weak tendons and ligaments, Chronic menstrual problems, Scanty

menstruation

Rigid body, Vertigo, Extreme dizziness, Severe pain, Convulsions, Spasm.

Tremors

Constipation, Sinus congestion, Allergies, Hemorrhoids, Excessive Mucus

Difficulty in breathing, Fatigue, Respiratory distress, Gas, Bloating,

Cholesterol problems, Skin problems.

 

Chronic degenerative diseases, Cancer, Diabetes, Arthritis, Osteoporosis

 

Deciphering Liver Function Tests Different cells have different enzymes

inside them, depending on the function of the cell. When cells die or

are damaged, the enzymes leak out causing the blood level of these

enzymes to rise. The most important thing to remember about liver

function tests or “LFTs” is that they do not in fact measure liver

function. They have meaning, but they generally cannot be interpreted

without clinical information. Also, the numbers do not always detect

liver disease. Some patients with severe advanced liver disease will

have nearly normal enzyme levels. An added complication in

interpretation is that the numbers are not linear, i.e., an AST (see

below) of 300 is not twice as bad as 150 (normal is 40) and a reading of

94 and 80 are essentially the same to a liver specialist.

 

ALT - Alanine aminotransferase used to be called SGPT (Serum Glutamate

Pyruvate Transaminase). The presence of this enzyme is more Specific for

liver disease than AST which is found in more types of cells (i.e.,

heart, intestine, muscle). The normal range is 5 - 50 IU/L.

AST which is found in more types of cells (i.e., heart, intestine,

muscle). The normal range is 5- 50 IU/L (International Units per Liter).

 

AST- Aspartate aminotransferase used to be called SGOT (Serum Glutamic

Oxaloaceti Transaminase). The normal range is 5-50 IU/L.

 

AP - Alkaline Phosphatase. This enzyme level is elevated in a number of

disorders that affect the drainage of bile - gallstone or tumor blocking

the common bile duct, alcoholic liver disease, or drug-induced

hepatitis. AP is also found in bone, placenta, and intestine 50 the GGT

is used as a supplemental test. The normal range is 30-115 IU/L.

 

GGT or GGTP- Gamma Glutamyl Transpeptidase. Elevated levels of this

enzyme are specific to liver disorders (GGT levels are not elevated in

diseases of bone, placenta or intestine.) The normal level is zero.

Bilirubin is the main bile pigment in humans which when elevated, causes

the yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes called jaundice. Bilirubin

is formed primarily from the breakdown of a substance in red blood cells

called “heme.” It is taken up from blood processed through the liver and

then secreted into the bile by the liver. Healthy persons have only a

small amount of bilirubin circulating in their blood - less than 1.2

mg/dl (milligrams per deciliter).

 

Albumin is a major protein produced by the liver. Chronic liver disease

causes a decrease in the amount of albumin produced. Serum albumin

levels of less than 3.5 mg/dL indicate advanced liver disease. The

normal range is 3-5 mg/dL.

 

Prothrombin Time (also called protime or PT) is a test used to assess

blood clotting. Blood clotting factors are proteins made by the liver 50

when the liver is significantly injured, the production of proteins is

impaired. There is a good correlation between abnormalities in

coagulation measured by the PT test and the degree of liver dysfunction.

PT is expressed in seconds and compared to a healthy control patients

blood.

 

The LFTs are used primarily to screen or monitor liver disease. If the

markers are present, your physician may order specialized tests to make

a precise diagnosis of the underlying cause of liver disease.

There are specific tests that allow the precise diagnosis of hepatitis

A, B, C and D.

 

Unfortunately blood testing has no real way of telling us the health of

our liver or our biological age. But we have discovered that by the time

you have reached the age of 30 your liver is probably functioning at 75%

of its ability at best.

 

The health and vitality of all body systems depend to a large extent on

the health and vitality of the liver. Because we are constantly

bombarded by toxins in our air, water and food, it is a good idea once

or twice a year to renew the health of a clogged and overworked liver

with a detoxification regimen.

 

Also if you have been using prescription drugs (antibiotics and/or

tranquilizers), for any length of time, your immune system may be

exhausted, and it's essential to rejuvenate and flush your liver to

release stored toxins.

 

As you learn more about your body, always remember how vital your liver

is to maintaining good health. It's not something we think about all the

time, but the common problems of an abused or toxic liver will speak to

you with many symptoms. You know your body better than anyone else..

listen to it.

________________

 

JoAnn Guest

mrsjo-

DietaryTi-

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