Gallstones
in the Liver:
A Major
Health
Risk * 15
Diseases of the Liver The liver is the largest gland in the body. It weighs up to three pounds, is suspended behind the ribs on the upper right side of the abdomen, and spans almost the entire width of the body. Being responsible for hundreds of different functions, it is also the most complex and active organ in the body. Since the liver is in charge of processing, converting, distributing, and maintaining the body's vital "fuel" supply (for example, nutrients and energy), anything that interferes with these functions must have a serious, detrimental impact on the health of the liver and the body as a whole. The strongest interference stems from the presence of gallstones. Besides manufacturing cholesterol—an essential building material of organ cells, hormones, and bile—the liver also produces hormones and proteins that affect the way the body functions, grows, and heals. Furthermore, it makes new amino acids 3 and converts existing ones into proteins. These proteins are the main building blocks of the cells, hormones, neurotransmitters, genes, and so forth. Other essential functions of the liver include breaking down old, worn-out cells; recycling proteins and iron; and storing vitamins and nutrients. Gallstones are a hazard to all these vital tasks. In addition to breaking down alcohol in the blood, the liver also detoxifies noxious substances, bacteria, parasites, and certain components of pharmaceutical drugs. It uses specific enzymes to convert waste or poisons into substances that can be safely removed from the body. In addition, the liver filters more than one quart of blood each minute. Most of the filtered waste products leave the liver via the bile stream. Gallstones obstructing the bile ducts lead to high levels of toxicity in the liver and, ultimately, to liver diseases. This development is further exacerbated by one's intake of pharmaceutical drugs, normally broken down by the liver. The presence of gallstones prevents their detoxification, which can cause "overdosing" and devastating side effects, even at normal doses. It also means that