What is a vital amine? Understanding the History of the Word 'Vitamin'
•
4 min read
In 1912, Polish biochemist Casimir Funk coined the term "vitamine" from the Latin for "vital" and the chemical term "amine," believing these life-giving nutrients all contained a nitrogen-based component. A vital amine, therefore, was Funk's initial name for the essential micronutrients now universally known as vitamins.