The liver is a complex, multifunctional organ. Because of its role in digestion and filtration, what we eat can dramatically affect its health. Achieving proper protein intake has rarely been a problem in the U.S. diet, but with the advent of high-protein diets the lines of proper nutrition, weight loss and overall health have become blurred.
Identification
The liver is one of the largest organs in our body, second only to our skin. It weighs about 3 lb. and sits on our right hand side, behind our lower rib cage and below the diaphragm. It is divided into four lobes that are of unequal size and shape, according to TheBody.Com. The liver is the only organ capable of regenerating itself.
Function
One of the liver's functions is to secrete bile into the small intestine to aid in digestion. It also plays an important role in metabolizing proteins. The liver synthesizes all nonessential proteins and most plasma proteins, like albumin, which moves molecules through the blood and prevents fluid in the blood from leaking out into the tissues, according to MedlinePlus. The liver is also responsible for the deamination and transamination of amino acids.
Effects
When we take in more protein than needed, the liver breaks down the excess into fatty acids and triglycerides that are then stored as adipose tissue, or fat. Part of the liver's house-cleaning function is to produce urea, which removes wastes such as ammonia from our system. If we take in too much protein, we can get a buildup of the toxic ammonia, which can cause nervous system disease, according to MayoClinic.com.
Misconceptions
Some fad diets include high levels of protein. The recommended daily allowance for men and women older than 18 years of age is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. You can convert your weight from pounds to kilograms by dividing your weight by 2.2. For example, a woman who weighs 120 lb. weighs 54.5 kg and would need 44 g of protein per day.
Considerations
People with liver disease need to monitor their diet carefully. Hepatic encephalopathy is caused from a buildup of toxic byproducts that can't be filtered because of a diseased liver. One of those byproducts is ammonia, which comes from protein. Hepatic encephalopathy produces many symptoms such as mild confusion, personality changes, slurred speech and shaking of the hands or arms. If protein is the cause of the encephalopathy, dietary counseling will be needed to determine proper protein intake.
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