All Liver

The liver is the body's biochemical workhorse, performing thousands of metabolic, enzymatic, detoxifying, and regulatory tasks. This organ is central to the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins, including storage and interconversion: it store such vitamins and minerals as B-1 2, K, C, manganese, iron and zinc: it filters bacteria and other foreign material out of the blood; it elimininates blood-borne toxins like alcohol: it takes up or releases sugar in the blood in response to hormonal commands from the adrenals and pancreas: it manufactures bile for the digestion process. The liver plays so central a role in the body that it is implicated in many diseases and dysfunctions. In addition, the organ itself can be damaged by infection and by chemical abuse, particularly alcoholism.