a.c.

An abbreviation of the Latin ante cibum, meaning before meals, traditionally written on prescriptions to schedule doses around eating. It survives in pharmacy shorthand alongside p.c., post cibum, after meals. For food and nutrition professionals the abbreviation is a standing reminder that meal timing changes everything: food in the stomach can speed, slow or block drug absorption, alter nutrient interactions and reshape blood-sugar responses. Dietitians counselling patients on medication schedules still think in these terms, translating a two-letter Latin tag into practical advice about when to eat and when to dose.