Thoracic 5: Liver
Located under your right lower rib, the liver is the largest internal organ in the body. It has numerous functions that are essential to life: Liver functions include synthesis, storage, detoxification (including drugs and alcohol) and secretion.
The liver makes:
- Albumin, which maintains proper oncotic pressure in the blood and acts as a carrier protein for other molecules.
- Bile, stored in the gall bladder.
- Enzymes
- Aspartate aminotransferase (AST; formerly called SGOT). Not specific to the liver.
- Alanine aminotransferase (ALT; formerly called SPGT). ALT is more specific to the liver than is AST, but it, too, is found in other tissues. An elevated level of ALT in the blood is a sensitive indicator that liver cells have been damaged (thus releasing their internal stores of the enzyme). Both AST and ALT are enzymes that are important in the metabolism of proteins.
- Blood clotting factors, including Factors II, VII, IX, and X
- Lipids, including some components of bile
- Cholesterol
- Phospholipids
- Triglycerides
The liver stores:
- Glycogen, a form of stored sugar which is stored when glucose is present in excess.
- Vitamin A
The liver detoxifies:
- Drugs, which can be metabolized to less toxic forms, to water-soluble forms, or even to more active forms.
- Poisons, such as alcohol or other chemicals
- Internal toxins that are produced within the body, such as excess estrogens, are converted to less damaging substances that can be safely excreted through the bile or urine.
The liver secretes:
- Bile, which is also made by the liver
- Cholesterol, which is also made by the liver
The nerve supply to the liver comes for the region of the fifth thoracic vertebra. It is common when there is liver or gall bladder disease to have pain between the shoulder blades.
The liver is subject to many diseases including hepatitis (viral infection, most commonly A, B and C in the U.S.), cirrhosis (diffuse scarring of the liver due to hepatitis, alcoholism or chemical damage), tumors (mostly metastatic or the result of hepatitis).
Nutritional
| Supplement | Purpose... |
| AF-Betafood | Along with proper dietary guidelines, one of the simplest and most effective procedures is to take 2 to 6 tablets of A-F Betafood at the end of each meal. This fantastic nutritional supplement is made from dried beet leaf juice, beet and carrot powders, alfalfa meal, defatted wheat germ, some glandular extracts, etc., and it is a great gallbladder and liver decongestant, bile thinner and bile mover, fat metabolizer, antibiotic, and is also helpful in hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and elevated cholesterol (although I believe that too much is made of this “problem”). Even in acute gallbladder attacks, taking 15 A-F Betafood tablets a day for up to 3 weeks can clear the problem. |
| Livaplex | To support healthy liver function |
| SP Cleanse | Part of a complete detoxification program. Ask Dr. Greenwood about this. |
| Cholacol | If the stool is light colored stool or tends to float it may indicate a need more bile salts. |
| Pro-EPA or Pro-DHA (Nordic Naturals™) | To help control inflammation and support healthy fat metabolism. |
