Weighing about three pounds, the liver is the largest internal organ in the human body. It’s reddish-brown and shaped like a scalene triangle (all three sides are different lengths). It’s positioned on the right side of the torso, just below the ribs, which protect it from damage.

The liver has the highest regeneration capacity of any organ. If just one-third is left intact, it can regrow. But if your liver tissue becomes damaged or scarred, that cannot be repaired.

The liver functions as a factory, manufacturing and/or storing all of the proteins, carbohydrates, fats, iron, fat-soluble vitamins, and other components your body needs for good health.

But its main job is to protect you from toxic substances that may enter your body, including those produced by medications and other matter you are exposed to, as well as toxins produced by your own body.

If the liver is not working properly, those toxins can build up and cause damage. That means when the liver fails, there will be a progressive loss of function of all the other organs in your body — including your heart — and death can soon follow.