Your Liver wants to be known II.

Hello friends, it's another Tuesday again and we'll be concluding our discussion on the functions of the liver and then we'll look at it's disorders next week..

FUNCTIONS OF THE LIVER.
The metabolic functions of the liver:
7. Carbohydrate Metabolism:
It helps in the breakdown of carbohydrates into glucose and goes on to store the excess as glycogen. It also has the capacity to regulate blood sugar by releasing stored glycogen back into the blood as glucose in case of low blood sugar and mopping up excess and storing them as glycogen when it is high. This is known as the glucose buffer function of the liver. In the event of extremely low level of glucose liver can convert protein and fat into glucose for use of the body that process is known as gluconeogenesis.

8. Fat metabolism.
The liver is involved in the metabolism of fat by producing large quantities of cholesterol, phospholipids, bile and lipoproteins that help break down and transport fatty acids to the cells for further oxidation to generate energy or for storage.
And as mentioned above the liver can also breakdown fats to produce glucose.

9. Protein metabolism.
The liver helps to breakdown large molecules of protein into smaller absorbable portions known as amino acids for the body to be able to utilize them.
It also uses these ammo acids to synthesize plasma proteins which are essential for optimum body functions. It also converts the ammonia that is released from breaking down protein into urea which is excreted by the kidney in the urine. Ammonia when left in the body is very toxic.

10. The liver produces plasma proteins that are needed in blood coagulation in the case of injuries which helps prevent excessive bleeding and even death.

11. The liver is involved in breaking down the drugs we ingest into smaller components that can be utilized by the body. Most drugs pass through the liver especially oral drugs through a process known as the 'first pass effect'. It also removes the toxic part of those drugs or harmful substances and excretes them through the kidney in urine or through faeces.

Photo Credit: Medicine Net.com

Comments

What to do when you have 'PINK EYE'( Conjunctivitis).

Conjuctivitis popularly known as the 'Pink eye' or 'apollo' as it is popularly called in Nigeria is an infection of the white part of the eye ball. This infection is most times caused by bacteria, viruses and allergies. The most common type is the viral infection. According to the University College of Medicine, Ibadan, Nigeria, about 1.5 million cases of conjuctivitis are seen yearly. MODE OF SPREAD. Conjuctivitis can be extremely contagious and can be spread through the following ways; * Through skin to skin contact eg handshake with an infected person. * By touching a surface contaminated with secretions from an infected eye. *Almost all age groups can be affected by this ailment but the most vulnerable group are children between the age of 3-13years. * Though contagious it rarely damages the eye especially when treated on time. SYMPTOMS OF 'PINK EYE'. - Redness. - Thick yellowish discharge t...

The Crisis of Identity.

When we went from placing value on what really matters to just external things humanity fell so hard and broke it's back. The impact of that fall is why we have so many people with low self esteem and terrible identity crises. Much more than failing economies, hunger, disease, widespread poverty is the crisis of the individual. The crisis of seeking validation, of feeling some sort of worth and value. That inner questioning and probing that requires an answer. Sadly many people do not have the answer to that inner question. They then turn to things, all kinds of external things and invite them to come in and answer that inner man. Unfortunately the externals can't do so. They lack the capacity to answer those questions and the individual in a bid to either answer or silence that question seeks more of these externals and at every point they keep saying No, we don't have the answers. The individual is now confused, what do I do? Then he sights another human li...

Things to note about Constipation.

Today we'll look at a condition that is common to most of us, constipation. ---- ----- ----- ------ ------ -------- ------- ------- --------- --- What is constipation? Constipation is condition of the digestive system where an individual faces infrequent bowel evacuation, or where the faeces are hard and small or where passage of stool is hard and painful. This occurs because the colon has absorbed too much water from the food in the colon ( large intestine). Causes of Constipation. - Lack of dietary fibre in food. - Physical inactivity. - Dehydration. -Medications eg narcotics, anticonvulsants, antidepressants. -Consumption of diary products by others. - Over use of laxatives. - Pregnancy. - Resisting the urge to poop. - An underactive thyroid. - Problems with nerves and muscles of the digestive system. - Ageing. Symptoms. - Few bowel movements of less than three times a week. - Hard or small stools. - Bloating. - A feeling that everything didn'...

jpmreloaded

Search This Blog