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Liver Trivia

The biggest organ in our bodies, is the liver. Technically, the skin is a human’s largest organ, but it’s on the outside of things.

Inner Man is protected and kept ticking along by more than 500 functions performed by this multi-purpose organ. Perhaps its biggest and most onerous duty, is that of filtering out impurities and contaminants. As blood carrying the contents processed by the stomach and intestines wends its way through the liver, it’s purified and returned to the body. Waste is then eliminated.

Among its many other roles, the liver produces proteins and vitamins, controls glucose, controls fat storage, regulates elements of blood clotting, aids digestion, manufactures bile, turns out hormones, renders some poisons harmless, processes drugs, and manufactures cholesterol.

The liver is also the only organ in our body, which can be partially removed, and still function at a level to keep a human healthy. In fact, the liver re-grows itself over several months, depending on how much was removed. While most organ donations are the result of someone else having died, it is now possible for relatives to donate portions of their liver to a close relative, after which their own will re-grow.

Good news / bad news

Three old ladies