Was Thiamin the First B Vitamin Discovered?

December 27, 2025 •

5 min read

Yes, thiamin, also known as vitamin B1, holds the distinction of being the first B vitamin discovered. Its discovery is rooted in the late 19th-century study of the disease beriberi, which was rampant in populations subsisting on a diet of polished white rice.

Quick Summary

The discovery of thiamin, or vitamin B1, is tied to the efforts of researchers like Christiaan Eijkman and Casimir Funk who investigated the debilitating disease beriberi. Their observations and experiments, particularly with rice, led to the realization that a missing nutritional component caused the illness, ultimately confirming that thiamin was the first member of the B vitamin complex to be identified.

Key Points

First B Vitamin: Thiamin (B1) was the first B vitamin to be discovered, identified through research into the disease beriberi.
Eijkman's Experiments: Dutch physician Christiaan Eijkman's 1897 observation that chickens fed polished rice developed polyneuritis, while those on unpolished rice remained healthy, provided the key initial clue.
Grijns' Interpretation: Eijkman's successor, Gerrit Grijns, correctly interpreted the findings in 1901, proposing that beriberi was a nutritional deficiency caused by the lack of a vital substance.
Coined the Term 'Vitamin': In 1912, Casimir Funk coined the term "vitamine" from "vital amine" after isolating the anti-beriberi substance from rice bran.
Isolation and Synthesis: Thiamin was first isolated in 1926 by Jansen and Donath and later synthesized in 1936 by Robert Williams.
Disease Prevention: The discovery led to widespread food fortification, significantly reducing the incidence of beriberi, particularly in populations reliant on refined grains.

The Breakthroughs That Led to Thiamin's Discovery

The story of thiamin's discovery is a fascinating chapter in nutritional science, highlighting how clinical observations and experimental research unraveled a complex health issue. Long before the term "vitamin" existed, the devastating disease beriberi afflicted millions, particularly in Southeast Asia, where polished white rice was a dietary staple. The journey toward identifying thiamin, the anti-beriberi factor, involved several key figures and pivotal moments.

Eijkman's Critical Observations

The story begins with Dutch physician Christiaan Eijkman in the late 19th century, working in the Dutch East Indies (modern-day Indonesia). While attempting to find a microbial cause for beriberi, Eijkman noticed a curious pattern in the chickens used for his experiments. The chickens fed a diet of leftover polished white rice from the hospital developed a debilitating nerve disease called polyneuritis, exhibiting paralysis similar to beriberi in humans. When their diet was switched to unpolished brown rice, the chickens recovered.

This simple dietary change provided a groundbreaking clue: there was something in the rice hulls that prevented the disease. Although Eijkman initially believed the rice hulls contained an antidote to a bacterial toxin, his work laid the essential foundation for Gerrit Grijns, his successor, who correctly interpreted the findings in 1901. Grijns proposed that beriberi was not caused by an infection but by the absence of a vital substance in the polished rice.

The Naming of a New Class of Nutrients

This concept was further developed by Polish biochemist Casimir Funk in 1912. After isolating the anti-beriberi substance from rice bran, Funk proposed that beriberi, scurvy, and pellagra were all caused by dietary deficiencies. He coined the term "vitamine" from "vital amine," believing the substances to be amines essential for life. Although it was later proven that not all vitamins are amines, the name stuck, with the final 'e' eventually dropped.

The Isolation and Synthesis of Thiamin

The final isolation of the pure anti-beriberi factor was achieved in 1926 by Dutch chemists Barend Jansen and Willem Donath, building upon Funk's work. The substance was eventually named thiamin. The structure was fully determined by Robert Williams, who, along with Joseph Cline, successfully synthesized the vitamin in 1936.

The Timeline of Thiamin's Discovery and Its Impact

Late 19th Century: The beriberi epidemic drives research efforts, with early naval doctors like Takaki Kanehiro noting a dietary link.

1897: Christiaan Eijkman observes that chickens fed polished rice develop a nerve disorder similar to beriberi, which is cured by unpolished rice.

1901: Gerrit Grijns correctly interprets Eijkman's findings, suggesting that a nutritional deficiency, not a toxin, causes beriberi.

1910: Japanese scientist Umetaro Suzuki isolates a new compound from rice bran that he calls "aberic acid," but his work is not fully recognized at the time.

1912: Casimir Funk coins the term "vitamine" after his own isolation efforts and publishes his theory of deficiency diseases, sparking a new era of research.

1926: Barend Jansen and Willem Donath successfully isolate and crystallize the active anti-beriberi factor, setting the stage for its chemical characterization.

1929: Eijkman shares the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his groundbreaking discoveries concerning vitamins.

1936: The synthesis of thiamin is completed by Robert Williams, allowing for mass production and food fortification.

Comparison of Key B Vitamin Discoveries


Feature	Thiamin (B1)	Riboflavin (B2)	Niacin (B3)
Associated Disease	Beriberi	Ariboflavinosis (skin and eye issues)	Pellagra
Year of Identification	As early as 1897 (Eijkman's work)	Early 1930s (isolated in 1933)	Identified in the 1930s
Key Scientists	Eijkman, Grijns, Funk, Jansen, Donath	Richard Kuhn, Paul György	Conrad Elvehjem
Initial Isolation	1926 (Jansen and Donath)	1933	1937

Conclusion: The Enduring Legacy of Thiamin's Discovery

Thiamin's role as the first B vitamin discovered was not a singular event but a culmination of decades of research, beginning with clinical observations of a devastating deficiency disease. From Eijkman's experiments with chickens to Funk's coinage of the term "vitamine" and the eventual isolation and synthesis of thiamin, the pursuit of this single nutrient fundamentally transformed nutritional science. The legacy of this discovery continues to this day, with thiamin enrichment of staple foods like rice and flour preventing the resurgence of beriberi in many parts of the world. This triumph in nutritional research cemented the understanding that specific, minuscule dietary factors are essential for human health, paving the way for the discovery of other B vitamins and the entire vitamin complex.

Wikipedia's article on the history of vitamins provides further context on the discoveries that followed thiamin's identification.

The Chemical Journey of a Vital Amine

The term "vitamine" was initially chosen by Casimir Funk because he believed the anti-beriberi substance he isolated from rice bran was a "vital amine," meaning an amine essential for life. While his initial compound was not the true vitamin, his theory sparked intensive research. Thiamin (B1) and other early-identified B vitamins do contain nitrogen, supporting Funk's original hypothesis. However, the later discovery of vitamins like ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), which is not an amine, led to the shortening of the name to "vitamin".

The Role of Fortification

Thiamin, along with other B vitamins, is often added to processed foods in a process called fortification. This practice is a direct result of the knowledge gained from beriberi epidemics, particularly the observation that polishing rice removes the nutrient-rich husk and germ. By fortifying staple foods like white rice and flour, food manufacturers help prevent widespread thiamin deficiency in populations where these products are common.

The Beriberi Epidemics

Beriberi was a widespread health problem, particularly in East Asia during the 19th century, causing high morbidity and mortality in naval forces, prisons, and the general population. The adoption of polished white rice, a symbol of higher status, was a contributing factor. The disease was so pervasive that it was once a major cause of death among Japanese sailors until the Navy adopted Takaki Kanehiro's dietary modifications, which inadvertently increased the thiamin intake. These real-world impacts underscore the importance of the scientific discoveries that followed.

The B Complex: A Family of Essential Nutrients

The B vitamins, including thiamin, are water-soluble, meaning they are not stored in the body for long and must be replenished regularly through diet. Their collective role in metabolism and cellular function makes them a crucial part of a healthy diet. Thiamin's discovery opened the floodgates for isolating and understanding the roles of the other B vitamins, such as riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pyridoxine (B6), and cobalamin (B12). The term "B complex" came into use as researchers discovered that the "water-soluble factor B" was actually a group of multiple, distinct nutrients.

Frequently Asked Questions

Thiamin, also spelled thiamine, is a water-soluble vitamin essential for converting carbohydrates into energy and for proper nerve function. It is also known as vitamin B1 because it was the first B vitamin to be discovered by scientists.

Beriberi is a disease caused by severe thiamin deficiency, leading to symptoms like muscle loss, nerve damage, and heart problems. Historically, it was widespread in regions where polished white rice, which lacks thiamin, was a dietary staple.

Key figures include Christiaan Eijkman, who linked diet to beriberi in chickens; Gerrit Grijns, who correctly identified it as a deficiency disease; Casimir Funk, who coined the term 'vitamine'; and Barend Jansen and Willem Donath, who isolated the vitamin.

Funk's 1912 theory proposing that dietary deficiencies caused diseases like beriberi was revolutionary. Although the name 'vitamine' came from his incorrect assumption that all these compounds were amines, the term was widely adopted. The final 'e' was eventually dropped when non-amine vitamins were discovered.

Water-soluble vitamins, including the B complex and vitamin C, dissolve in water and are not stored in the body for long, requiring regular intake. Fat-soluble vitamins, such as A, D, E, and K, are absorbed with fat and can be stored in the body's fat tissues and liver.

Recognizing that polishing rice removed the thiamin-rich outer layers, researchers realized that adding the vitamin back into processed grains like white rice and flour could prevent deficiency. This led to widespread fortification programs that effectively eliminated beriberi in many areas.

For most people consuming a balanced diet, thiamin supplements are not necessary, as the recommended daily intake is often met through fortified foods and natural sources. However, individuals with certain medical conditions, such as alcoholism or malabsorption disorders, may require supplementation.