Vitamin Glossary "U"

• umbilical cord- a cord arising from the navel of the fetus that connects the fetus with the placenta.

   

• uric acid- a chemical formed in the body during the metabolic breakdown of RNA, caffeine, and related substances by the enzyme xanthine oxidase. Uric acid or sodium hydrogen urate crystals precipitating into joints and kidneys can cause gout, with severe pain and possibly even permanent damage.