Healthy function of the liver and the circulatory system show the interconnected relationship that exists between these two systems. Neither could function without the other. Disorders of the liver are often diagnosed by abnormal readings of blood tests that detect changes in proteins found in blood. Blood enters the liver through the hepatic artery and portal vein, with 13 percent of the body's blood in the liver at any given time.
Liver Function
The liver serves numerous functions in the body, including detoxifying medications, environmental contaminants and alcohol. It also synthesizes and metabolizes fats, including cholesterol. The liver also ensures constant energy flow to cells by storing excess carbohydrates. For cardiovascular health, it processes the waste products of the breakdown of red blood cell, and it produces clotting factors to control blood flow.
Blood Sugar Levels
The liver and the circulatory system work together to maintain normal blood sugar levels in the body. When you eat excess carbohydrates, your body stores them rather than eliminates them to provide a vital energy backup system. When blood sugar levels drop, the pancreas secretes a hormone that signals to the liver to break down stored sugars to a usable form that is then transported through the circulatory system.
Liver Support
Several dietary supplements support healthy liver function and, in turn, blood flow. Pantothenic acid, or vitamin B-5, assists in the production of cholesterol, which is essential for the integrity of cell membranes and for synthesis of hormones. The body also requires cholesterol in order to produce bile for metabolism of fats. For healthy cholesterol levels, niacin increases the body's HDL, or good, cholesterol, and it helps the body rid itself of LDL, or bad, cholesterol through metabolism in the liver. Herbal supplements such as milk thistle also provide benefits to liver function by increasing levels of glutathione, a chemical that helps the liver remove toxins from the blood.
Blood Cell Formation
Healthy blood cells rely on several nutrients. Folate, riboflavin and vitamin B12 also serve important roles in red blood cell formation. Vitamin K is important for the manufacture of blood-clotting factors produced in the liver. Vitamin E helps the body use vitamin K. By using vitamin K, the liver ensures proper clotting to prevent harmful blood loss. Red blood cells normally have a lifespan of about 120 days. The liver metabolizes the waste products of red blood cell breakdown. In this way, the liver serves the circulatory system throughout the life of its components.
References
- Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford: Anatomy and Function of the Liver
- Lab Tests Online; Liver Panel - The Test; June 2011
- "Principles of Anatomy and Physiology"; G. Tortora, et al.; 2005
- Colorado State University Extension; Vitamins: Introduction and Index; R. Bowen; August 2003
- MayoClinic.com; Niacin to Boost Your HDL, "Good," Cholesterol; June 2011
- WholeHealthMD.com; Supplements: Milk Thistle; April 2009
