µg is the correct way to write micrograms. A microgram is a tiny unit of measurement in the metric system. One microgram equals one-thousandth of a milligram and one-millionth of a gram.
Sometimes the abbreviations ug or mcg are used in place of the microgram symbol.
When the µ symbol is used as a unit of measurement, µ stands for micro, but its name is mu. Mu is the 12th letter of the Greek alphabet. It’s also used in the Greek numerical system and has a value of 40. It originated from the Egyptian hieroglyph for water.
The notation µg is used in many industries where small amounts must be measured. However, you will most likely see it used as a measurement in medication or supplements.
For example, Vitamin D3 and K2 capsules from G&G vitamins include 100µg of vitamin D3 and 200µg of vitamin K2. 100µg of vitamin D3 is the same as 0.1mg (milligrams) or 0.0001g (grams). 200µg of vitamin K2 is equivalent to 0.2mg or 0.0002g.
The microgram symbol is used in supplements because the active ingredients are present in such tiny amounts. As you can see from the example, if mg or g were used, several decimal places would be needed. Using µg as the unit allows supplement manufacturers to keep the labels simple and present the information in a straightforward way.
Typing µ isn’t as difficult as it first seems. The symbol is not present on a standard keyboard but it can be accessed by using a simple sequence of keystrokes.
Typing µ option 1: Hold down the alt key and use the numerical keypad to type 0181.Both options will work as long as you use the numerical keypad to type the numbers and not the numbers across the top of the typewriter keys. The numbers on the typewriter section can be used but you must first turn on the number lock.
If you have a Mac, you’ll need to press the Option and M keys together.
µ can also be added in Word by selecting ‘Insert’. Then choosing ‘Symbols’ and ‘more symbols’. µ can be found in the subset ‘Greek and Coptic’ of ‘normal font’.
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Tom Russell writes extensively about CBD oil and other groundbreaking food supplements. He and his wife share their home with two daughters and a lifetime’s collection of books.