Question

Someone with liver failure will, in particular, have problems with the digestion and absorption of ___________. minerals fats vitamins carbohydrates proteins

Answer 1

All of them at one time or another since the liver produces so many biomolecules that are important in digestion and or absorption of nutrients. However ..the one most likely to be strongly affected inititially is fats because the liver makes bile necessary for emulsification of dietary triglycerides and activation of pancreatic lipase. Also the intermediary metabolism of triglycerides is dependent on VLDL, HDLs, and apolipoproteins like C, E etc., all of which are made by the liver. This is one reason why alcoholism which can severly impair liver function is characterized by fatty liver syndrome.