Where is the Liver Located

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The liver is the largest of our internal organs. It functions like a chemical factory that disintegrates, rebuilds and rebuilds substances. The liver is involved in the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and proteins. The organism can excrete toxic substances through the liver. Many important blood proteins are produced in the organ, for example the coagulation factors. It also provides the bile acids for fat loss. Excess glucose is stored by the liver and, if necessary, again provides it to the body. Our organism also stores vitamins and trace elements such as iron, copper, zinc and manganese in the liver.

The liver (hepar), weighing from 1.4 to 1.8 kilograms, is the heaviest internal organ and the largest gland of the human body. The red-brown organ is located in the right upper abdomen immediately below the diaphragm and is protected by the lower ribs.

The liver is divided into a right and a left lobe of the liver. The right lobe of the liver is much larger than the left; it fills almost the entire upper abdominal cavity. The smaller left lobe extends approximately to the middle of the left upper abdomen.

Location of the liver in the body

The liver is a wedge-shaped organ and for the most part is located in the right upper abdomen. It is located just below the diaphragm and pushes far over the stomach. Since it is fused with the lower surface of the diaphragm and the diaphragm moves down into the abdominal cavity with each breath, the liver also shifts down with inhalation. The doctor can therefore feel the liver particularly well when the patient inhales: the patient lies relaxed on his back. On exhalation, the liver rises up with the diaphragm. After that, the patient inhales as deeply as possible: his liver then moves down, where the doctor can then palpate the edge of the liver under the costal arch. In some liver diseases, for example, with fatty liver, it is so enlarged that it is palpable even without these breathing exercises.

Location and structure of the liver

At about 1.5 kg, the liver is the heaviest internal organ in humans. It usually manages a variety of tasks unnoticed and produces vital proteins and coagulation factors, ensures the breakdown and excretion of metabolic products and takes care of the utilization of components from food (such as the storage of glucose as glycogen). In addition, the bile is formed in the liver, among other things. Below you will learn more about the location and structure of the liver in the human body.

How does the liver work?

The liver is one of the largest organs of the body with many functions important for metabolism. It converts nutrients from food into substances useful for the body, stores them and, if necessary, releases them to the cells. It also absorbs toxins, converts them into non-toxic substances or ensures that they are excreted. The liver in an adult weighs about 1.4 kg and is located in the right upper abdomen below the diaphragm. It almost completely fills the space under the ribs and extends to the left upper abdomen. From the outside, a larger right lobe is distinguished from a smaller left lobe of the liver. Between the lobes passes a ligament of connective tissue, which fixes the liver in the abdominal cavity. At the bottom of the liver in a hollow is the gallbladder, which stores bile.

What is the liver?

The healthy human liver is a reddish-brown organ with a soft consistency and a smooth, slightly reflective surface. On the outside, it is surrounded by a solid connective tissue capsule. Liver weight averages 1.5 kilograms in women and 1.8 kilograms in men. Half of the weight is accounted for by the high blood content of the organ.

Liver Disease

The liver produces proteins and bile and is significantly involved in the breakdown of alcohol. As the only organ of the body, it can completely regenerate in a few weeks. In addition, the wedge-shaped organ is a popular outlet for the louse. But where exactly did the louse run over your liver? Where does the liver sit at all? In our guide we clarify where the liver is located.