The liver detoxifies the blood but it also is responsible for making many different components needed for the body to function properly. One substance which the liver makes, cholesterol, is needed for cells to work properly. Too much cholesterol,...
Raised liver enzymes and low white blood cells are two separate conditions that have several mild to severe causes and indications. Both conditions can manifest from the same disease or its treatments. Your physician will typically address each...
Liver function tests are biochemical measurements of blood levels of various substances to assess overall liver health. Although the term "liver function tests" is commonly used, it is a misnomer because none of these measurements directly assess...
Your liver is the largest internal organ in your body. It carries out many important functions, such as regulating blood cholesterol, fighting infection, storing energy and cleaning your blood of toxins and other potentially harmful molecules....
Hepatitis is the inflammation, or irritation, of the liver by a chemical or microorganism such as hepatitis C virus. Hepatitis C infection typically spreads by contamination of blood or by sexual contact. It's common in people who inject drugs,...
The liver is the second largest organ in the body after the skin, and it is primarily responsible for removing toxins, which along with the stress your body experiences, burdens the liver with more work. Liver disease and failure may occur as a...
Liver cells contain high concentrations of certain enzymes, or proteins, that facilitate chemical reactions. Liver cell injury causes leakage of these enzymes into the bloodstream, leading to abnormal elevations in the levels of these proteins....
The liver is the largest gland in the body and has many important metabolic functions. Among many things, the liver helps detoxify the body by filtering the blood and removing toxins, it aids in digestion by helping in the absorption of fats and...
Your liver is one of the most overworked organs in your body with over 500 different functions. These include detoxifying chemicals, storing some vitamins, controlling cholesterol, metabolizing fat and regulating hormones. In today's world,...
The liver is the largest internal organ in the body. Its functions include processing nutrients, making blood proteins, removing drugs and toxic substances from the blood, and storing energy and vitamins. There are many disorders that affect the...
Hoodia Prime is manufactured by the company Nature’s Biology. It contains the herb hoodia gordonii and is marketed as an appetite suppressant for both men and women. It’s best to consult a medical provider before trying any weight-loss...
Medical professionals order liver function tests to evaluate overall liver health. With liver function tests, the laboratory measures the levels of certain proteins and chemicals in the blood. Abnormally high liver function test results may...
The rate of fatty liver disease is growing with the rise in obesity rates in the United States. This silent disease often progresses from a small buildup of fat to a state in which the liver is hard and parts of it begin to fail. You may not feel...
More than 250,000 people are infected with hepatitis B virus in the U.S. every year. Infection is most common in young adults who are sexually active or work in hospitals and medical laboratories. Hepatitis B virus damages liver cells, causing the...
The liver removes toxins from the body and generates enzymes involved in digestion. If cells within the liver are damaged or die suddenly, the liver may be unable to function normally. When this happens, patients can develop acute liver failure...
The liver is the largest organ in the body. It is responsible for filtering toxins out of the blood stream, balancing hormones, digesting fats and proteins and regulating the breakdown of red blood cells. Excessive exposure to alcohol or poisons,...
The Johns Hopkins Gastroenterology and Hepatology website reports the incidence of alcoholism in the United States is 7 percent as of 2010. A common consequence of alcoholism is chronic liver disease, which begins with increased fat deposition in...
Cirrhosis describes a destructive condition of healthy tissue of the liver. This healthy liver tissue is replaced by hard nodules connected by strands of thick fibrous tissue. The damaged liver cells leave the liver unable to perform its hundreds...
Found in the upper right part of the abdomen, the liver is a multi-functional organ that is vital to many of our bodily processes. Keeping the liver healthy is essential to maintaining over 500 functions that rely on it daily. Bile production,...
Cholesterol is a necessary substance for the synthesis of some hormones in the body. It is also an essential element in cell membranes. This waxy substance is found in the bloodstream and in every individual cell of the body.
All chemicals we ingest, smoke or are exposed to in other ways -- including alcohol, pharmaceuticals and other toxic compounds -- must be broken down by the liver for elimination from the body. Milk Thistle supports and enhances liver function and...
Hepatitis C virus infects the liver and causes a multitude of effects that could lead to death. It is associated with the development of liver tumors, liver cirrhosis and liver cell failure. According to the National Digestive Diseases Information...
Your liver, along with the kidneys and skin, is the principle organ of detoxification. Your liver's role is to process toxins. A toxin is a chemical or substance that, when in your body, impairs proper functioning and causes injury to your...
Milk thistle has been used for centuries as an herbal remedy for a variety of diseases. In recent times, the purported benefits of using milk thistle center mostly on the liver. Hepatic disease affects millions of patients and can lead to...
Milk thistle is "perhaps one of herbal medicine's best kept secrets," wrote ethnobotanist James Duke in "The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook." Distinguished from the more common bull thistle by the creamy white veins on its leaves, milk thistle has...
A healthy liver will benefit your entire body. The liver produces bile and metabolizes proteins, fats and carbohydrates to aid digestion. It also protects your body by screening out toxins. Any substance, including drugs, taken by mouth must first...
Four primary liver enzymes can be elevated in the bloodstream, indicating possible damage to the liver. These include the transaminases AST and ALT, also known as aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase, respectively and the...
The liver is one of our most vital organs. It helps filter out toxins and waste materials from our blood, and keeps the rest of our organs supplied with clean blood so they can function properly. It also produces enzymes, converts nutrients to...
Jaundice occurs when your skin, mucous membranes or eyes turn yellow from a yellow pigmented substance called bilirubin. About 1 percent of your red blood cells retire each day, states the University of Maryland Medical Center. These retiring...
Hepatitis A is an infectious disease of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus and usually contracted by consuming contaminated food or water. Learn more about hepatitis A, including symptoms and treatments, in this video.
Primary liver cancer begins in the cells of the liver itself. Learn about liver cancer symptoms, treatments and diagnosis in this video on health and diseases.
Various cancers can spread to the liver, however, liver cancer begins in the cells of the liver itself. Learn about the different causes, symptoms, and treatments for Liver Cancer in this video.
Liver disease is a collection of several different diseases affecting the liver. Watch this video to learn about the various diseases and how to prevent and treat them.
Jaundice is a yellow discoloration of the skin and whites of the eyes due to an increase of bile pigments in the blood. Jaundice is often symptomatic of certain diseases, such as hepatitis. Learn about the different causes of, symptoms of, and...
