and runs for 24 hours a day.

而且24小時不停的運轉

This is your liver, the heaviest organ in your body,

這就是你的肝臟，你身體裡最重的器官

and one of the most crucial.

也是最關鍵的器官之一

This industrious structure simultaneously acts as a storehouse,

這個產業結構同時運作如一個倉庫

a manufacturing hub,

一個製造中心

and a processing plant.

一個處理廠

And each of these functions involve so many important subtasks

而且每個功能都包含了許多重要的子任務

that without the liver, our bodies would simply stop working.

所以只要少了肝臟，我們的身體就會停止運作

One of the liver's main functions is to filter the body's blood,

肝臟的其中一項主要功能就是過濾身體的血液

which it receives in regular shipments from two sources:

它固定會接收兩處傳送的東西

the hepatic artery delivers blood from the heart,

肝動脈從心臟傳遞血液

while the hepatic portal vein brings it from the intestine.

而肝門靜脈則從腸道帶出血液

This double delivery fills the liver with nutrients,

這種雙重遞送讓肝臟充滿營養

that it then sorts, processes and stores

它接著進行分類、處理及貯藏

with the help of thousands of tiny internal processing plants,

有數以千計個微小內部處理廠來幫忙

known as lobules.

稱作小葉

Both blood flows also deliver the oxygen that the liver needs to function.

雙方血流也提供了肝臟運行所需的氧氣

The blood that is received from the intestine

從腸道被接收的血液

contains carbohydrates, fats,

則含有碳水化合物、脂肪

and vitamins and other nutrients dissolved in it

和維生素等多種營養成分溶解於其中

from the food you've consumed.

從你已經吃喝的食物

These must be processed in different ways.

這些必須以不同的方式來進行處理

In the case of carbohydrates,

假使是碳水化合物

the liver breaks them down and converts them into sugars

肝臟將它們分解並轉化為糖分

for the body to use as energy when the filtered blood is sent back out.

作為身體能量的使用，當過濾的血液回流

Sometimes the body has leftovers of nutrients

有時候身體會有營養成分的殘留物

that it doesn't immediately require.

不是即刻需要的

When that happens, the liver holds some back,

這個時候，肝臟會將它們儲存起來

and stacks them in its storage facility.

然後放至貯存設備

This facility works like a pantry

這個設備運作像食物儲藏室

for future cases when the body might be in need of nutrients.

作為之後身體可能需要的營養補給

But the blood flowing into the liver isn't always full of good things.

但是進入肝臟的血流並不總是充滿好的物體

It also contains toxins and byproducts that the body can't use.

它還包含了身體無法使用的毒素及副產品

And the liver monitors these strictly.

而肝臟可是嚴格控管著這些

When it spots a useless or toxic substance,

當它辨識出沒有用的或是有毒的物質時

it either converts it into a product that can't hurt the body

不是將它轉化為對身體無害的產品

or isolates it and whisks it away,

就是將它隔離或趕走

channeling it through the kidneys and intestine to be excreted.

引導它通過腎臟和腸道來排泄

Of course, we wouldn't consider the liver a factory

當然，我們之所以將肝臟視為一座工廠

if it didn't also manufacture things.

便是因為它能夠生產、製造

This organ makes everything from various blood plasma proteins

這個器官生產製造一切，從各種血漿蛋白質

that transport fatty acids and help form blood clots,

是運輸脂肪酸還有形成血凝的

to the cholesterol that helps the body create hormones.

到膽固醇是幫助身體製造荷爾蒙激素的

It also makes vitamin D and substances that help digestion.

肝臟也製造幫助消化的維生素D以及重要物質

But one of its most vital products is bile.

但其中最重要的產品則是膽汁

Like an eco-friendly treatment plant,

就像是一座環保處理廠

the liver uses cells called hepatocytes

肝臟使用我們稱為肝細胞的細胞

to convert toxic waste products into this bitter greenish liquid.

來轉化有毒廢物成為這種苦澀帶綠的液體

As it's produced, bile is funneled into a small container below the liver,

當它被生產出，膽汁陸續進入肝臟下方的一個小容器

called the gallbladder,

我們稱之為膽囊

before being trickled into the intestine

還未緩緩流滴至腸道

to help break down fats, destroy microbes, and neutralize extra stomach acid.

幫助分解脂肪、銷毀細菌及中和多餘胃酸之前

Bile also helps carry other toxins and byproducts from the liver

膽汁也幫忙從肝臟帶走其他的毒素及副產品

out of the body.

排除體外

So as you can see,

因此大家可以知道

the liver is an extremely efficient industrial site,

肝臟是一個極其高效能的工廠

performing multiple tasks that support each other.

執行多重任務來相互支援

But such a complex system needs to be kept running smoothly

但是這樣一個複雜的系統是需要通過健康

by keeping it healthy

來保持它平穩的運作

and not overloading it with more toxins than it can handle.

可別用無法負荷的毒素來讓它超載

This is one factory we simply can't afford to shut down.

這可是一個我們無法承受它倒閉的工廠