The liver is one of your body's most vital organs. It sits on the right side of your abdomen, just beneath your rib cage, and weighs about 1.5 kilograms. Despite its size, the liver performs over 500 functions - from filtering your blood and breaking down harmful substances to producing proteins and storing energy. When the liver becomes damaged or diseased, these functions begin to fail, which can have serious consequences for your health. Understanding liver disease - what causes it, how to recognise the signs, and what you can do about it - is the first step toward protecting this essential organ.