About the liver
About the liver
Weighing in at an average of 1.5kg, the liver is the largest organ inside your body making liver health incredibly important. It can be found in the upper right side of your abdomen, beneath the diaphragm and above your stomach.
The liver is one of the hardest working organs in your body. It works “behind the scenes”, performing over 500 functions. It is like a factory; it manufactures, stores, and processes anything you put in your body, including food, alcohol, medicine, or toxins.
What does the liver do?
Filters the good stuff that your body can use, and gets rid of the things that are no use or are harmful (alcohol, toxins etc)
Makes and stores vitamins and minerals
Assists in hormone production which helps to regulate our mental health
Regulates your energy levels by storing and releasing sugars
Helps fight infections in your body
More videos about the liver
- What does the liver do? TED-Ed Animation
Why look after your liver?
Liver disease is on the rise with around 1 million Queenslanders living with liver disease and 1 in 100 living with viral hepatitis.
Who’s at risk of liver disease
Top risk factors for liver disease include:
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Metabolic syndrome
- Older age
- Heavy alcohol use
- Hepatitis B
- Hepatitis C
Left untreated, liver disease can lead to permanent liver damage such as cirrhosis or liver cancer. The good news is simple lifestyle behaviours can reduce the risk of serious liver disease.
How to look after your liver
To keep your liver in tip-top shape, so it can do all the heavy lifting your body needs:
Eat a balanced diet
Exercise regularly
Use alcohol responsibly
Ask your GP for a liver check
Learn more about the liver
