By Elena Voropay

Did you ever think that every scoop of protein, every spoon of creatine, every capsule of glutamine, and every single pill you pop in your mouth have toxic chemicals that need to be processed and detoxified somewhere in the body? It is the duty of your loyal, patient and restless liver to do just that. But that's not all. All the calories you eat and burn for energy are routed through the liver. With a size of a football, liver occupies a lot of space in your abdominal cavity. It is the largest gland and the second largest organ (after skin) in the body. But this is not the reason for its importance. Liver performs over 500 functions and is responsible for ensuring that all the metabolic processes in the body run smoothly. Everything that enters the body must pass through the liver to be processed - from the food you eat and the air you breathe to the soap you use and the chemicals you touch. Functioning as a filter to protect the body from harmful substances, liver helps the body use all nutrients. That means that everything ingested, inhaled, or administered intravenously effects this vital organ. The liver, in turn, reflects the amount of care or lack thereof back onto your system.

converts the food you eat into available energy *

destroys and removes various toxins you get from eating foods, drinking alcohol, even taking supplements and drugs *

breaks down fats by producing bile, green alkaline fluid necessary for fat digestion *

stores and releases hormones, vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients for nourishing the body

Energy Production

The liver performs unique and important metabolic tasks that no other organ can do as it processes carbohydrates, proteins, fats and minerals to be used in maintaining normal body functions. After eating, the food is broken down into smaller particles that the body absorbs and 85-90% of the blood that leaves the stomach and intestines carries all the important nutrients your muscles are hungry for to the liver where they are converted into substances the body can use.

Carbohydrates, or sugars, that are not used up immediately after a meal are temporary stored as glycogen in the liver and are released as energy when the body needs them. This is how the liver helps to regulate blood sugar levels without taxing your muscles. If it wasn't for this unique ability of the liver to reserve energy, everything you eat would turn to body fat and every time you go hungry your body would eat up muscles to spare energy. So the liver manages your caloric energy bank giving only what's needed and reserving the rest for future use. When the liver is loaded with glycogen and has no more space to store additional energy, it tells the body to 'freeze' the calories turning them into fat. But if the glycogen is depleted from the liver, it will start making glucose from proteins or fats. Liver damage may cause uncontrollable blood glucose concentration and lead to diabetes. Assuming that you are not looking forward to getting an additional spare tyre around your waist, watching the levels of your fuel tank by regular eating should be one of your top priorities.

Proteins reach the liver in their simpler form called amino acids. Once in the liver, they are either released as energy, stored for later use, or converted to urea for excretion. The liver produces all of the proteins your body needs by reassembling individual amino acids back into proteins. And protein sources are not limited to meat, eggs and protein shakes. Grains and legumes, for example, are loaded with various amino acids. However, nature hasn't completed the process of positioning them into a complete form. From here, it is the liver's job to rebuild the structure of proteins and supply them to all the tissues in the body, including the muscles and the brain. The main protein produced by the liver is called albumin. It is the most abundant protein that supports the integrity of all cells and transports other compounds through the bloodstream, including calcium, vitamins, hormones, fatty acids, many drugs, and bilirubin.

The liver also has the unmatched ability to convert certain amino acids into sugar for quick energy when your carbohydrate supplies are low or when energy stores are depleted. To meet its demands, the body breaks down proteins from muscles and other organs converting them into usable ketone bodies and releasing ammonia as a by-product of metabolism. This toxic compound may be very dangerous for all systems, especially the brain and the nerves. The blood carries ammonia to the liver for filtration and de-toxification before it cab be excreted as urea by the kidneys.

Fats cannot be digested if the liver doesn't work efficiently. It produces a special greenish-yellow liquid called bile which breaks down all fats into tiny droplets by the process of emulsification before they can be taken up by the intestinal enzymes and used by the body. Your liver secretes as much as 1500 ml of bile very day! Stored in the gallbladder and released during digestion as needed, bile helps to activate enzymes secreted by the pancreas and is essential for the absorption and storage of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.

If the liver's function is impaired, the fats are not taken in and used appropriately and may be deposited in the liver. This applies not only to the lipids from your diet, but also the triglycerides from your fat stores circulating in your bloodstream at times of fasting. When released from the adipose tissue, the fatty acids are attached to the protein albumin and transported to various tissues for oxidation to be used as energy. This complex process takes place in the liver making it the most important facilitator of fat loss, especially if you strive for muscle definition with strict diet and strenuous exercise. Unless efficiently processed, fat becomes stored in the liver putting additional toxic stress on the filtering system exacerbating liver function.

Detoxification

Be it vitamins and minerals or some muscle-building hormone-altering supplements, they can do as much harm as good for your body if the toxic elements are not processed and excreted. The liver filters blood with all the circulating nutrients and chemicals you ingest. Before distributing blood throughout the body, it removes a wide range of dangerous elements from drugs, pesticides, hormones, food substances and microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites. If these substances are not detoxified by the liver, they can build up in the blood and become stored in the fat tissues and cell membranes. During exercise, stress, and fasting these toxins are released from their stores and can be very harmful for the body causing unwanted symptoms such as weakness, headaches, stomach pain, and nausea.

The liver transforms harmful chemicals into less harmful ones before they can be excreted. This filtration generates free radicals which are hazardous for the liver and other organs when created in excess. Free radicals can be caused by all metabolic actions including exercise, eating and breathing. They are a part of normal living, but high amounts of free radicals can be destructive causing various diseases. Intense exercise, especially building muscles, takes a seat in the first row when it comes to making free radicals. Here, liver's significance becomes obvious.

One of the greatest features of the liver is its miraculous ability to re-generate itself. Even if you have done quite a bit of damage to your liver, it has the capacity to reconstruct new healthy cells and greatly improve its function. Good balanced nutrition and certain supplements can help you literally build a new liver and improve all metabolic functions of your body. But you have to apply discipline and be consistent. The reward – more energy for your workouts, stronger and firmer muscles, more efficient detoxification, easier digestion and absorption of all nutrients. As a result you will sleep better, recover faster, and feel naturally stimulated for all your activities.

1. Don't gorge on protein. Too much protein will result in an increased amount of toxic ammonia in the blood. This occurs when the amount of dietary protein is greater than the liver's ability to use it causing a build up of toxins that can interfere with all vital processes including brain function. On the other hand, too little protein can reduce healing of the liver since amino acids are the building blocks of all tissues in the body. Vegetable and dairy protein from soy, grains, legumes and whey may be tolerated better than meat protein and thus may be used more efficiently for all your body building needs. Additionally, excess calories will force your liver and other organs to work harder in order to process and distribute the nutrients accordingly. This additional stress allows less time for recovery and takes up valuable energy needed for healing and reconstruction of the liver.

2. Balance hydration. If you don't like feeling and looking bloated, cut back on salt. This is obvious, but becomes even more important where the liver function is concerned. As sodium encourages the body to retain water, it may disrupt normal fluid and electrolyte balances. And if your liver is overworked already, which is probably the case, the effect of salt increases 10-fold. Avoiding such foods as canned soups and vegetables, cold cuts, dairy products, and condiments like mayonnaise and ketchup will ease the load for your liver and kidneys letting them do what they do best – filtering and excreting the unwanted wastes. Most prepared foods contain more sodium than your body needs. On the other hand, fresh wholesome foods contain just enough to meet your demands. Try using lemon juice, herbs and spices to add a kick to your favourite dishes. Herbs like dill, caraway seeds, garlic, onions, turmeric and cayenne are easy to use in cooking and can help protect the liver. Remember to drink plenty of water as well. H2O is a natural diuretic which helps to excrete the build up of excess fluids in the body.

3. De-grease your plate. Since fat is directly processed by the liver, every bit of butter you spread on your toast and every cheese slice burdens the liver. Indeed, some fat is absolutely necessary for normal healthy function, so allowing 50 grams of lipids from different sources for your muscular frame may be beneficial. But limit animal fats and go semi-vegetarian. Fish, flaxseed, coconut and safflower oils are easier to digest as they are less dependent on bile for intestinal absorption. These also help to build muscle tissue and assist in recovery because of their unique ability to be used as immediate energy and help reduce inflammation. This will minimise muscle soreness you experience after a tough workout without compromising muscle growth.

4. Freshen Your Liver. Just like stretching after a workout, eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables can be tough. You know you should do it, you know it's good for you, but something keeps you from following mom's recommendations. It is a habit that starts with self-motivation. Get a good recipe book and experiment with fresh bright coloured fruit and vegetables. They contain living enzymes, fibre, vitamin C, natural antibiotic substances, and anti-cancer phytonutrients that will actually serve as a building materials for your recovering liver. Asparagus, watermelon, broccoli, bitter dandelion and mustard greens can help in cleansing the liver.

5. Clean up body pollution. Avoid excessive alcohol, drugs, medicines and minimise your exposure to environmental toxins. If it can't be used for construction, it will be used for destruction. The more unwanted chemicals you ingest, the greater is the liver damage. Give this vital organ a break and stay clear from alcohol in any form, artificial preservatives, flavourings and colourings, limit convenient pre-packaged foods, carbonated drinks (except mineral water), caffeine and refined breads and sugars. You may even rest from protein shakes and bars for a few days and just go with nature's supply of nutrients from wholesome grains, legumes, produce and herbs. This will not only give your body a break, but facilitate new liver cell growth. And that means more energy for life.