Tag: Carl rehnborg

Before multivitamins became a household staple, a global search for a cure for deficiency diseases was underway in the early 20th century, leading to several key nutritional discoveries. This era of nutritional breakthroughs laid the groundwork for the modern dietary supplement industry.

Since the early 1940s, millions in the United States have relied on multivitamin supplements for nutritional support. But when did multivitamins become a thing? The answer lies in the culmination of early 20th-century scientific discoveries, widespread nutritional issues, and a period of national defense concerns.

The Nutrilite brand, founded by Carl F. Rehnborg, is widely credited with introducing the first multivitamin/multimineral supplement for sale in the United States in 1934. His innovative product was the result of years of research and observation into the connection between diet and health.

In 1912, Polish-American biochemist Casimir Funk coined the term “vitamine,” setting the stage for the modern nutritional supplement industry. The invention of supplements, however, is not the work of a single person but a story of scientific milestones that culminated in today's multi-billion dollar market.