bioavailability
by-oh-uh-vay-luh-BIL-ih-tee
/ˌbaɪoʊəˌveɪləˈbɪləti/
The proportion of a nutrient or drug which enters the circulation when introduced into the body and so is able to have an active effect.
It’s not about what you eat, but what you actually absorb. For example, spinach has iron, but its bioavailability is low because of other chemicals in the plant.
The story behind the word. A modern scientific compound. It combines the Greek 'bios' (life) with the concept of being 'available'. It answers the question: 'Is this nutrient available for the life of the cell?'
Word relationships
- absorption: Absorption is the process of taking something in; bioavailability is the measure of how much actually becomes useful.
Commonly confused with
- bioequivalence: Bioequivalence is a term used to compare two different drugs that have the same effect.
Word family
- bioavailable (adjective): Available for biological use.
Collocations
- high bioavailability
- increase bioavailability
- oral bioavailability
Example sentences
- "Bioavailability is a subcategory of absorption and is the fraction of an administered dose of unchanged drug that reaches the systemic circulation." A textbook on how the body processes medicine and food. (Pharmacology by Rang & Dale)
- "The bioavailability of Vitamin A is significantly increased when consumed with a small amount of healthy fats." Explaining why certain vitamins should be taken with fat.
Memory hook
Think: 'Is it BIOLOGICALLY AVAILABLE?' or can the body actually get to it? Bioavailability: Is it 'available' for 'bio' (life)?
When not to use
Too technical for casual conversation about 'eating healthy'.
Fun facts
- Cooking certain vegetables, like tomatoes, actually increases the bioavailability of certain nutrients like lycopene.
Related words
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