Tag: Vitamin c synthesis

While vitamins themselves were discovered in the early 20th century, a major milestone occurred in 1933, when scientists first successfully synthesized vitamin C, marking the beginning of commercial-scale synthetic vitamin production. The push for synthetic vitamins stemmed from an increased understanding of nutritional deficiencies.

While the vast majority of mammals can synthesize their own vitamin C internally, humans lost this ability due to an ancient genetic mutation. This biological quirk explains why scurvy was a common and deadly disease among sailors until citrus fruits were introduced as a preventative measure.

Over 61 million years ago, a genetic mutation rendered early primates, the ancestors of modern humans, unable to synthesize their own vitamin C. This is why the human body cannot produce vitamin C and must obtain it from dietary sources, a stark contrast to the majority of animal species that produce it internally.

While the term 'vitamin' was first coined in 1912, the history of these vital nutrients extends much further back. Many people wonder which vitamin was first *invented*, but it is more accurate to ask which one was first *discovered* and later synthesized, as vitamins are naturally occurring compounds. This key distinction separates the act of finding something that already exists from the act of creating something new.

While commonly associated with oranges, ascorbic acid vitamin C is a vital organic compound with a specific chemical formula of C$_{6}$H$_{8}$O$_{6}$. This water-soluble vitamin is structurally related to glucose and is essential for human health, though our bodies cannot produce it on their own.

Remarkably, most mammals on Earth produce their own vitamin C, and the list of those who cannot is very short. This innate ability is the primary way that carnivore animals get vitamin C, avoiding the risk of scurvy that plagues humans and a few other species.

According to genetic studies, the inability of certain animals to produce their own vitamin C is due to a mutation in the GULO gene. This gene encodes the final enzyme in the ascorbic acid biosynthesis pathway, rendering affected species dependent on dietary intake.

Over 120,000 tons of L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C) are produced annually for global use, far exceeding natural sources. The complex process of vitamin C production involves a combination of microbial and chemical steps to transform simple sugars into this essential nutrient.

Did you know that most animals can produce their own vitamin C, but humans cannot? To understand why, one must look at what is vitamin C synthesized from and the key genetic mutation that affects primates.