The liver is one of the body’s busiest parts. It does not squirm about or move, like the stomach, intestines, hearts, or muscles. Its activities are invisible. The liver is the body’s largest inner organ, weighing about 0.90 – 1.36 kg (2 – 3 lbs), and fills the top part of the abdomen, especially on the right side. It has at least 500 known jobs in body chemistry, all different and important.
The leaver has a special blood vessel to it – the hepatic portal vein. This does not come directly from the heart, but carries blood that has been to the stomach, intestines, and spleen. This blood is rich in nutrients, which provide the body with its energy and raw materials. The lever processes many of the nutrients brought to it by the blood. It stores others, especially glucose sugar, minerals such as iron, and vitamins such as B12. It also detoxifies possible harmful substances.
