The liver

The liver is the largest organ in the body. It is surrounded by a fibrous capsule and is divided into two lobes – left and right. It is in the upper part of the abdomen on the right-hand side of the body and is surrounded and protected from injury by the lower ribs.

The liver and surrounding organs

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The liver’s functions include:

• regulating sugars and fats in the body so that they can be used for energy
• producing proteins that circulate in the blood. Some of the proteins help the blood to clot and prevent excessive bleeding, while others are essential for maintaining the balance of fluid in the body
• destroying harmful substances such as alcohol and drugs
• getting rid of waste products by breaking down substances not used by the body so that they can be passed out in the urine or stools (bowel motions)
• storing glucose and vitamins so that they can be used by the body when needed
• producing bile, which breaks down the fats in food so that they can be absorbed by the bowel (intestine).

The liver is connected to the first part of the small intestine (duodenum) by a tube called the bile duct. This duct takes the bile produced by the liver to the intestine.

The liver is very good at repairing itself. It can function normally with only a small part of it in working order.