The liver: the second largest organ in your body behind skin. It helps in digestion, stores nutrients, and detoxifies the blood stream. Most importantly in the minds of many college students, the liver processes alcohol.Below are a few facts about the liver and alcohol that may be surprising.1. Prolonged excessive drinking can make your liver fat. Fatty liver disease can occur after regularly drinking large amounts of alcohol, or after a short period of heavy drinking. If too much fat accumulates in your liver, it can lead to liver disease and other health complications. Spring Break may turn out to be more expensive than you thought. On the bright side, a hiatus from alcohol can bring your liver back to normal fat levels.

2. The liver breaks down 90 percent of the alcohol consumed. On average, the liver can break down one drink per hour. A standard drink is 12 ounces of beer, five ounces of wine, or one and a half ounces of liquor. Many parties lack a scale that measures in ounces, but a Solo cup provides an easy solution. One serving size of liquor is the bottom line, wine is the second line from the bottom, and beer is the third line from the bottom. Thank you, Solo Cup Company.

3. The liver regenerates and detoxifies itself. The liver is the detoxification center of the body, and it is capable of detoxifying itself when aided by a consistent, healthy diet. However, abundant alcohol consumption can cause some problems. Foods such as leafy greens, garlic, citrus, and green tea can help the liver clear itself of toxins. There is also a large market of liver cleansing vitamins available. 
The three-and-a-half pound organ directly below your diaphragm is keeping you alive. It rolls with the punches, kicks out the alcohol you kick back, and may possibly be the most important organ for a college student--after your brain of course. 
After your next night of drink specials, make sure to give a helping hand to your liver and feed it the nutrients it needs. It deserves all the thanks in the world for making the consumption of alcohol possible.