A . What does your liver not do? Besides cleaning your blood from toxins, your liver has approximately 500 functions, including generating bile – a liquid helping you to digest food. Your liver takes what you are eating and drinking and turns it into energy and nutrients; for instance, it helps your body using carbohydrates.

A. Being an organ with the form of a wedge, the liver is approximately the size of a football ball. Weighing approximately 3 kilograms, it is your biggest organ –except for your skin. It is located in the right side of your body.

B. The hepatic function tests are blood tests used by physicians to determine the existence of any lesions, diseases or infections. Usually, these are blood tests performed simultaneously. Your physician may ask you such tests to determine your hepatic profile.

A. The liver is the only organ able to “regenerate” when part of it is damaged or removed. Therefore people may donate part of their liver. You do not have to be relative of some to donate part of your liver, although the majority of donors are relatives or close friends.

B. False. Some people do it monthly, restricting their diet to certain juices or food, in the hope of removing toxins from their liver. There is no scientific evidence however that such detox diets function. In exchange, a healthy diet shall provide your liver the nutrients necessary.

The liver decomposes the alcohol you drink in order to eliminate it from the body. The high consumption of alcohol may affect you. There are many hepatic diseases related to alcohol: fat hepatic disorder, alcoholic hepatitis and alcoholic cirrhosis. If you find it difficult to reduce the consumption of alcohol, ask for the help of a physician or a counsellor.

B. The excessive consumption of paracetamol may cause serious hepatic diseases. It is included in over 600 RX or OTC type medicines for cold, flu, cough or pain. The maximum dose of paracetamol is 3 grams.

B. Our skin and eyes may acquire a yellow tone when there is too much bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is a yellow pigment generated by body when it decomposes red cells. Usually, the liver filtrates bilirubin. Hepatitis A, B or C is a disease causing icterus. Also, the new born are frequently diagnosed with icterus, as their liver is developing and has problems with filtrating bilirubin.

B. False. Cirrhosis is the most advanced form of lesion of liver and it is associated with 1 of 5 excessive consumers of alcohol. The hepatic lesions caused by cirrhosis cannot be reversed, but if one stops drinking alcohol, the disease stops from advancing.

B. False. The moderate consumption of alcohol may prevent the hepatic diseases. There are other things as well that you may do for your liver: physical exercises and a balanced diet. You must also consider having a hepatitis C test.

B. False. The hepatic disease may be “silent” for a long time. Half of the persons affected lack symptoms. There are warning signs but they are usually unclear, such as fatigue or muscle pain. You may also have symptoms like: skin itches, bloating, dark colour urine, confusion, loss of weight or eye or skin yellowing. In this case, contact your physician.

A. There is a vaccine against B hepatitis, but not for C hepatitis. In USA, the vaccine against B hepatitis is administrated to all infants and children, and to the majority of adults. Three doses are administrated, within 6 months.

B. False. C hepatitis is usually transmitted by blood, or by an accidental prick with a syringe needle. It may be transmitted by infected mother to her child at birth. It may be transmitted sometimes by sexual contact. The general rule is that, if there is a risk of diseases with sexual transmission, there is risk of hepatitis.