What are the heaviest organs in the human body?

An organ is a gaggle of tissues that work collectively to carry out a selected process within the physique, resembling digesting vitamins or producing chemical messengers that allow mind cells to speak. Though scientists maintain totally different views on what precisely counts as an organ, the most-cited variety of organs within the human physique stands at 78. These embrace main practical items just like the mind and the center, in addition to a lot smaller physique elements, such because the tongue.

Organs are available in all sizes and styles to replicate the myriad of vital capabilities they carry out. However which of the physique’s organs weigh essentially the most? The reply to that query could shock you.

These are 11 of the heaviest organs within the human physique.

Associated: 10 physique elements which might be ineffective in people (or possibly not)

1. Pores and skin

Close up of an older Asian woman's face as she brushes her fingers against her cheeck

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Pores and skin wears the crown of the heaviest organ within the human physique — nevertheless, there’s some discrepancy as to how a lot it really weighs. Some sources state that adults carry a median 8 kilos (opens in new tab) (3.6 kilograms) of pores and skin, whereas different sources (opens in new tab) say that the pores and skin makes up about 16% of an grownup’s complete physique weight, which might counsel {that a} 170-pound (77-kg) grownup’s pores and skin would weigh about 27 kilos (12.3 kg), for instance.

Why does this discrepancy exist? In line with a 1949 report within the Journal of Investigative Dermatology (opens in new tab), the bigger of the 2 estimates counts the panniculus adiposus — a fatty tissue layer that lies between the highest layers of the pores and skin and the underlying muscle — as a part of the pores and skin, whereas the smaller estimate counts this tissue layer as separate.

For what it is price, the authors of the report argue towards the inclusion of the panniculus adiposus and subsequently conclude that pores and skin makes up solely about 6% of an grownup’s weight. However a contemporary medical reference textual content, the Main Care Pocket book (opens in new tab), states that the fatty tissue is a part of the third and deepest layer of pores and skin, the hypodermis, which suggests it ought to be counted.

2. Femur

medical illustration shows an x ray view of human legs, with the right femur bone highlighted in red

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The skeleton is taken into account an organ system, or a gaggle of organs that collectively carry out particular physiological capabilities. One of many largest organ techniques within the human physique, the skeleton can weigh as much as roughly 15% of an grownup’s complete physique weight, in line with a 2019 evaluation printed within the Worldwide Journal of Organic Sciences (opens in new tab).

The grownup skeleton normally accommodates 206 bones, though some people could have extra ribs or vertebrae. The femur, an extended bone situated in between the knee and the hip, is the heaviest of all of them, in line with the medical useful resource StatPearls (opens in new tab). On common, the femur weighs roughly 14 ounces (380 grams) — a bit lower than one pound (0.4 kg) — however its actual weight varies relying on one’s age, intercourse and well being standing, in line with a 1974 evaluation within the journal Acta Anatomica (opens in new tab).

3. Liver

3d illustration showing the organs of the torso with the liver highlighted in pink

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Weighing round 3 to three.5 kilos (1.4 to 1.6 kg), the liver is the second heaviest organ within the human physique, in line with the American Liver Basis (opens in new tab).

The liver is a cone-shaped organ that sits on high of the abdomen and beneath the diaphragm, the dome-shaped muscle situated beneath the lungs. It helps break down toxins and digest meals, amongst different important capabilities. At any given second, the liver holds a few pint (half a liter) of blood — about 13% of the grownup physique’s blood provide, in line with Johns Hopkins Medication (opens in new tab).

4. Mind

Labelled diagram of the four main parts of the cerebral cortex, as well as the cerebellum

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From reasoning to controlling motion, the human mind performs a myriad of significant capabilities within the physique, and its weight displays its significance. In line with a commentary printed within the journal PNAS (opens in new tab), the mind accounts for about 2% of the typical grownup human’s physique weight.

The mind’s mass additionally depends upon one’s age and intercourse. At age 20, a median male’s mind weighs 3 kilos (1.4 kg). By the age of 65, it drops to 2.86 kilos (1.3 kg). Feminine brains, however, are likely to weigh round 10% lower than that of males, in line with the Encyclopedia of The Human Mind (Tutorial Press, 2002) (opens in new tab). Nevertheless, when total physique weight is taken under consideration, males’s brains are typically solely 0.2 kilos (100 g) heavier, in line with a 1992 evaluation printed within the journal Intelligence (opens in new tab).

5. Lungs

Black and white transparent illustration of the human lungs.

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Lungs are among the many heaviest organs within the human physique. The suitable lung sometimes weighs about 1.4 kilos (0.6 kg), whereas the left lung is barely smaller and weighs roughly 1.25 kilos (0.56 kg). As well as, male adults are likely to have heavier lungs than feminine adults, in line with Grey’s Anatomy of the Human Physique (Bartleby, 2000) (opens in new tab).

Curiously, lungs weigh just one.4 ounces (40 g) at delivery. This organ is barely totally developed when respiratory alveoli – the tiny branches of air tubes within the lungs – are totally shaped. This occurs on the age of two, when lungs weigh roughly 6 ounces (170 g), in line with the guide Pediatric Vital Care (Mosby, 2011) (opens in new tab).

6. Coronary heart

An illustration of inside a human heart

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The human coronary heart is on the heart of the circulatory system. This important organ tirelessly pumps the blood by way of the physique, sending oxygen and vitamins into tissues and carrying waste merchandise away from them. Heavy muscle fibers that energy coronary heart beats make up many of the coronary heart’s spectacular weight: round 10 to 12 ounces (280 to 340 g) in male adults and round 8 to 10 ounces (230 to 280 g) in feminine adults, in line with Grey’s Anatomy of the Human Physique.

7. Kidneys

This 3D illustration shows a cross-section of kidneys inside a human body.

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Kidneys take away toxins and waste merchandise from the physique. This vital process is completed by nephrons, that are tiny buildings that act as filters between the bloodstream and the bladder. Every kidney accommodates tens of millions of nephrons, making this important organ one of many heaviest within the physique: about 4.5 to six ounces (125 to 170 g) in male grownup and from 4 to five.4 ounces (115 to 155 g) in feminine grownup, in line with the Grey’s Anatomy of the Human Physique.

8. Spleen

anatomical illustration shows a female body, depicted in blue, with the internal organs of the torso highlighted in a lighter blue. The spleen is highlighted in red

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Positioned in shut proximity to the pancreas, the spleen removes outdated and broken purple blood cells from the bloodstream, regulates the circulating ranges of white blood cells, a sort of immune cell and produces antibodies, immune molecules that assist combat infections. The spleen weighs on common 5 ounces (150 g) in adults, however this weight could differ between people, in line with a 2019 evaluation printed within the journal Surgical procedure (opens in new tab).

9. Pancreas

Doctor holding magnifying glass up to an anatomical model of the pancreas to show pancreatitis.

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The pancreas regulates blood sugar ranges and secretes enzymes that assist the intestines take up vitamins from digested meals. Alongside the spleen, it is among the heaviest organs within the digestive system. The pancreas sometimes weighs from 2 to three ounces (60 to 100 g) in adults, in line with Grey’s Anatomy of the Human Physique. Nevertheless, it may be as heavy as 6 ounces (180 g) in some people, in line with a 1994 research printed within the American Journal of Surgical procedure (opens in new tab).

10. Thyroid

a 3D illustration shows the throat and upper torso of a male patient, with the thyroid gland highlighted in orange

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The thyroid, a gland situated within the neck, performs a key function in regulating the physique’s power use. Its weight varies between people, however it normally weighs about an oz. (30 g). The thyroid gland could get heavier throughout menstruation and in being pregnant, in line with Grey’s Anatomy of the Human Physique (opens in new tab). Hyperthyroidism, a medical situation that causes the thyroid gland to provide extra hormones than the physique wants, may lead this organ to develop in dimension, in line with the Nationwide Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Ailments (opens in new tab) (NIDDK).

11. Prostate gland

Close up image of a blue gloved hand of a doctor holding a magnifying glass to examine the prostate gland (concept).

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The prostate gland produces an alkaline fluid — that means it has a pH better than 7 — that’s the main element of semen. Regardless of its comparatively small dimension, which is akin to that of a walnut, the prostate is among the heaviest organs within the human physique.

A mean grownup prostate is round 0.8 ounces (25 g), however the organ’s weight could differ from individual to individual. An enlarged prostate could develop to effectively over thrice the typical dimension and weight greater than 2.8 ounces (80 g), in line with the College of Utah (opens in new tab).

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