Caring for Your Liver

Liver Basics

Your liver is one of the most important organs in your body. It is also the largest – about the size of a football. It is protected from injury behind the lower right section of your ribs.

The liver acts as your body's chemical processing plant. Its functions include:

• Changing food into chemicals and nutrients that your body needs to stay healthy
• Storing nutrients from the foods you eat
• Breaking down drugs and alcohol
• Removing waste from your blood
• Producing enzymes and bile that help you digest food
• Making proteins needed by the immune system to help your body resist infection