The amount of a substance (eg, vitamins, hormones, enzymes, drugs) that produces a specific effect, as defined by an international body and accepted internationally.
a standard measurement of biological agents set by the scientific community
a way to express the activity or effect of some vitamins (primarily fat soluble) and hormones
A standardized dose measure that provides a set amount of a specific supplement, such as vitamin A, , or E.
(IU) Unit of measurement of vitamins and drugs.
A measure of potency based on an accepted international standard. It is usually used with beta-carotene and vitamins A, D, and E. Because it is a measure of potency, not weight or volume, the number of milligrams in an IU varies, depending on the substance being measured.
A measure of vitamin activity.
IU. A unit used to measure the activity of many vitamins, hormones, enzymes, and drugs. An IU is the amount of a substance that has a certain biological effect. For each substance there is an international agreement on the biological effect that is expected for 1 IU.
In pharmacology, the International unit (IU, alternatively abbreviated UI, from French unité internationale) is a unit of measurement for the amount of a substance, based on measured biological activity (or effect). It is used for vitamins, hormones, some drugs, vaccines, blood products and similar biologically active substances. Despite its name, the IU is not part of the International System of Units used in physics and chemistry.
