Definition

The extent to which a substance, like a drug, is absorbed into the body and becomes available for use in the body after it is taken.

Example

The bioavailability of the medication can affect how well it works in treating the condition.

Conversation

Have you heard about bioavailability in nutrition?

Yeah, it refers to how well our body absorbs nutrients, right?

Exactly! It's crucial for understanding how effective supplements can be.

For sure! If the bioavailability is low, we might not get the benefits we expect.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Bioavailability → It is formed from "bio-" (from Greek "bios", meaning life) and "availability" (from Latin "valere", meaning to be strong or to be worth). The term refers to the extent and rate at which the active ingredient or active moiety is absorbed and becomes available at the site of action in the body, thus relating to how life processes utilize substances.

Memory Tip

Think of 'bio-' meaning 'life' and 'availability' indicating how much of something is accessible — bioavailability describes how much of a substance is available for life processes.

Visually Confused Words