COPING WITH… Fatty Liver Disease

It affects around a third of us, more if we’re overweight or obese, says Dr Melanie Wynne-Jones

- Dr Melanie Wynne-Jones

The liver is our largest organ and performs hundreds of vital functions. It handles almost all we eat, drink, inhale or inject, processes it for use or excretion, and stores iron, vitamins, and glucose as glycogen, for rapid conversion when we need instant energy.

It metabolises/disposes of drugs, poisons and alcohol, manufactures proteins, including many needed for blood clotting and the immune system, and manufactures/ controls cholesterol levels. It also produces yellow bile, containing digestive enzymes and unwanted chemicals/ toxins. This is stored in the gall bladder and aids digestion, while waste products are excreted in the stools.