Tag: Vitamin nomenclature

By definition, true vitamins are essential organic compounds that cannot be synthesized by the body and must be obtained through diet. This strict classification is precisely why we don't have Vitamin B4 today, as the substances once given this name failed to meet the necessary criteria.

In the early 20th century, scientists identified a water-soluble compound vital for growth, which they initially labeled 'Vitamin G'. This nutrient was later reclassified, explaining why vitamin B2 was called Vitamin G during a period of evolving vitamin nomenclature. The change reflects a pivotal moment in nutritional science as researchers began to distinguish individual components of the B-complex.

In 1912, Polish biochemist Casimir Funk coined the term 'vitamine,' a combination of 'vital' and 'amine,' after his research on nutrients vital for health. This initial discovery began the process of assigning alphabetical labels, but it does not fully explain why do some vitamins have names while others are known by numbers or complex chemical titles.

According to a 2018 report, the alphabetical naming system for vitamins was established in the early 20th century, but several letters were dropped over time as scientific understanding evolved. This is precisely the case for the once-recognized 'vitamin G', a term now considered an outdated reference for a well-known B vitamin.

The human body requires a range of vitamins for optimal health, but there is no such nutrient officially named 'vitamin 1'. This common misconception likely stems from confusion with the numbered B-complex vitamins, the first of which is Thiamine, or vitamin B1.

In the early 20th century, scientists began naming newly discovered dietary factors with letters of the alphabet. This initial, somewhat haphazard, approach is the reason why there are no vitamins between E and K today, a direct result of historical reclassification and evolving scientific understanding.

Did you know that the term 'vitamin' was originally coined as 'vitamine' in 1912? The peculiar naming system we use today, answering **why are vitamins labeled with letters?**, is a fascinating story of scientific discovery, reclassification, and historical happenstance. The seemingly random alphabet soup is, in fact, a timeline of early nutritional science.