Liver disease is the 12th leading cause of death in America, according to a 2011 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (1). The liver is the largest internal organ in the human body and works hard to efficiently purify blood, store vitamins, produce immune factors and aid in digestion (2).

Detoxing the liver is a popular pastime among adherents of alternative medicine and followers of a healthy lifestyle, but the concept has no basis in scientific fact. Your body has a natural detoxification system that involves your liver, kidneys and sweat glands.

Liver disease involves a wide spectrum of illnesses and causes. Some common causes of hepatic disease include viral hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease and cancer. Some symptoms that result from liver disease may impact walking or gait function.

Liver disease is a serious disorder requiring professional medical care. Chronic liver disease can damage your liver and affect your ability to process nutrients, medicines and hormones.

Every day your liver performs more than 400 functions. Chief among them are storing vitamins, iron, glucose and fats so your body can use them later, and metabolizing food into nutrients that are vital for health and life.

An increase in blood pressure during or after delivery is common and raises a woman's risk for developing chronic diseases later in life. Several factors may influence postpartum blood pressure, and treatment may affect breast-feeding.

Jaundice is caused by certain medical conditions and is characterized by a yellow tinge to the skin and eyes. If you have jaundice, drinking plenty of fluids and following a diet that is low in fat, rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains can help treat jaundice.

Bilirubin is a byproduct of normal hemoglobin breakdown. When old red blood cells are broken down, the hemoglobin within them is converted into bilirubin. The liver then degrades bilirubin into bile and either stores it in the gallbladder or excretes it through the stool.

Fatty liver disease may be asymptomatic or mildly uncomfortable. However, it can cause more severe discomfort and other problems if left untreated. If you experience intense pain, or pain accompanied by fever and vomiting, the disease may have progressed, or there may be another condition present. See your doctor.

Newborn jaundice, also called infant jaundice, is when a newborn's blood contains excessive amounts of bilirubin. Usually this happens because a newborn's liver is not mature enough to process the bilirubin efficiently. Symptoms of newborn jaundice include yellowing of the skin and eyes on your baby.

The liver absorbs many of the toxins that enter the body. As those toxins build up, the liver becomes congested and ceases optimal functioning.

Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ-10, is a vitamin-like substance found in the internal organs of the human body, in small amounts in certain foods, and in nutritional supplements. People take CoQ-10 for a number of health conditions including heart disease and diabetes.