About Decreased Liver Functions

Most people can't explain the various functions of the liver, even though those functions are critical to human survival. The liver is a complex organ. Unlike some other parts in the body, the liver doesn't perform a single function. It has multiple functions, all of which are important to good health. When you understand what the liver does, you can understand how its decreased functionality could be dangerous.

Significance

• Without the liver's ability to produce and process just the right kind and amount of chemicals needed to break down toxins in the bloodstream, man could not expect to live a long and productive life. That is especially true if a person isn't conscientious about things taken into his body in the way of food and drink, as well as what is inhaled from the environment. The liver works somewhat like a factory. It takes in one product---the toxins---and chemically alters them so they can be properly metabolized and eliminated.

Function

• The liver performs a multitude of tasks. It eliminates toxic ammonia, referred to as urea, that the body naturally produces and disposes of through urine. It also handles toxic substances that are ingested, such as drugs and alcohol. Perhaps most important, the liver is responsible for cleaning the blood of harmful bacteria. It accomplishes this by producing the proteins (plasma) required for proper blood flow, regulation, and clotting. It also forms bile, which is critical to the breakdown of the body's waste products for easier elimination. It processes and stores the right types of fats and carbohydrates needed for body health and energy. The liver also produces the good kind of cholesterol, which the body requires in order to move fats throughout the body.

Effects

• A number of concern arise when the liver isn't functioning properly. Perhaps the most well known are the effects of hepatitis, which causes liver inflammation. There are various strains of hepatitis, with some being more serious than others. These include hepatitis A, B, C, and E. Hepatitis can cause several problems for the body. Some forms can be successfully treated with medications, while others can become drug resistant and result in a number of other health issues.
  Jaundice makes the skin and eyes look yellow. It usually results from one of more of the other problems associated with decreased liver function.
  Mild to severe nervous system disorders can result from decreased liver function. This is referred to as hepatic encephalopathy. Left unchecked, it can lead to brain damage as well as severe damage to important parts of the nervous system.
  Liver cirrhosis is well known primarily because of its connection to alcohol and drug abuse. While that isn't the sole cause of liver cirrhosis, it is perhaps the most common. Other causes include acute Hepatitis C and autoimmune deficiency. While cirrhosis cannot be reversed, it can be treated in order to prevent additional liver destruction.
  Decreased liver function may also result from a number of other problems such as congenital defects and tumors.

Diagnosis

• Liver function tests, sometimes referred to as LFTs, can help diagnose the particular cause of decreased liver function. Each of the different tests are designed to ferret out possible changes in liver function, as well as to pinpoint specific problem areas. They can give insight into the cause of liver damage or injury, as well as ascertain if the production and distribution of bile is sufficient. They can even sometimes root out the early warning signs of liver cancer.

Warning

• Patients who fail to heed their doctor's or pharmacist's warnings and do not follow medical directions given could be putting their liver health in danger. Such actions could result in any number of problems or diseases, and even death.