What Causes High Levels of Toxins in the Liver?

As the largest organ in the body, the liver plays many vital roles. And while perhaps its foremost task is to cleanse the blood of toxins, certain common circumstances can damage the liver's ability to function properly, causing it to accumulate high levels of toxic substances and compromising its health.

Function

• The liver is in the upper right part of the abdomen.

  The liver produces bile, which carries waste and breaks down fats in the digestive tract. It produces the cholesterol and protein responsible for carrying fats. The liver also stores iron, helps process your urine and cleanses the blood of poisons. Plus, it makes white blood cells, which regulate blood clotting and help the body resist infection.

Direct Toxins

• Some toxins are guaranteed to cause liver damage.

  According to the Mayo Clinic, some toxins are guaranteed to cause liver damage, including "deathcap" mushrooms and excessive exposure to dry-cleaning solvents and other industrial chemicals. These contain poisons that the liver cannot process, effectively overwhelming it. Left unchecked, the effects of direct toxins can eventually lead to liver failure.

Idiosyncratic Toxins

• Some people are sensitive to certain random toxins and may experience toxic hepatitis and liver damage, while others may not be susceptible to the same toxins.

Drugs

• Drugs can be toxic to the liver.

  Hundreds of drugs on the market today are known to be potentially toxic to the liver. For instance, inhaled anesthetics, steroids, and certain cholesterol-lowering and blood-pressure medicines and antibiotics may cause liver damage.

  When taken too often or combined with excessive alcohol use, many over-the-counter pain relievers can become toxic to the liver. These include ibuprofen, naproxen sodium, acetaminophen and aspirin.

Other Considerations

• Not surprisingly, people who have other liver diseases such as hepatitis and cirrhosis are less likely to effectively process toxins. And people with slower metabolisms, including women and older adults, may experience higher levels of toxins in the liver as their bodies can't process them as quickly. Finally, constant exposure to industrial toxins and certain inherited genetic defects may also inhibit the liver's ability to process toxins and cause them to accumulate.