Which vitamin was first invented? Understanding Discovery vs. Synthesis

January 6, 2026 •

3 min read

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.

Quick Summary

Clarifying a common misconception, the article explains that vitamins are discovered, not invented. It details how Vitamin B1 (thiamine) was the first vitamin identified and isolated in the early 20th century by scientists studying deficiency diseases like beriberi. The piece covers the parallel efforts of Umetaro Suzuki and Casimir Funk, highlighting the significant milestones in isolating and chemically synthesizing vitamins that advanced modern nutritional science.

Key Points

Discovery, not Invention: Vitamins are naturally occurring compounds, meaning they are discovered, not invented, by scientists.
Vitamin B1 Was First Isolated: The first vitamin to be successfully isolated from a natural source was Vitamin B1 (thiamine) in 1910.
Pioneering Work by Suzuki and Funk: Japanese scientist Umetaro Suzuki first extracted the anti-beriberi factor in 1910, while Polish biochemist Casimir Funk later coined the term 'vitamine' for the same substance in 1912.
Vitamin C Was First Synthesized: Although discovered later, Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) was the first vitamin to be chemically synthesized in a lab in 1933.
Nutritional Science was Born: The discovery and isolation of vitamins proved that deficiency diseases were caused by a lack of micronutrients, revolutionizing the field of nutrition.
Impact on Public Health: Early vitamin research led to the elimination of diseases like beriberi and scurvy in many parts of the world through dietary changes and food fortification.

Distinguishing Discovery from Invention in Nutritional Science

When exploring the history of vitamins, it's crucial to first define the terms 'discovery' and 'invention.' A discovery is the act of finding something that already exists in nature but was previously unknown. In contrast, an invention is the creation of something new that did not exist before. Since vitamins are organic compounds present in foods, they are discovered, not invented. The first vitamin to be successfully isolated and later synthesized in a lab marks a pivotal moment in nutritional history.

The Search for the Anti-Beriberi Factor

The story of the first vitamin begins with the centuries-old disease beriberi, which caused severe weakness, weight loss, and nerve damage. It was particularly common in populations that ate polished white rice. In the late 19th century, Dutch physician Christiaan Eijkman observed that chickens fed polished rice developed symptoms similar to beriberi, which were cured when their diet was switched back to unpolished rice. His research pointed to a substance in the rice bran as the 'anti-beriberi factor'.

The First Isolation: Vitamin B1

The first isolated vitamin was the anti-beriberi factor, now known as vitamin B1 (thiamine). Its isolation involved several key figures:

Umetaro Suzuki: In 1910, the Japanese scientist extracted a water-soluble micronutrient complex from rice bran, naming it aberic acid (later orizanin). His work, though published, didn't receive widespread international recognition initially.
Casimir Funk: In 1912, this Polish biochemist isolated a similar complex and coined the term 'vitamine,' hypothesizing that other diseases were also linked to dietary deficiencies.
Barend Jansen and Willem Donath: These Dutch chemists successfully isolated pure crystalline vitamin B1 in 1926, confirming its identity as the anti-beriberi factor.

From Discovery to Synthesis: A Comparison

While Vitamin B1 was the first to be isolated, Vitamin C holds the distinction of being the first vitamin to be chemically synthesized in a laboratory. This marked a significant advance in the ability to produce vitamins on a large scale.


Aspect	Discovery of Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)	Synthesis of Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)
Pioneers	Umetaro Suzuki, Casimir Funk, Barend Jansen, Willem Donath	Tadeus Reichstein, Albert Szent-Györgyi, Walter Haworth
Date of Key Milestone	Isolation: 1926	Chemical Synthesis: 1933
Process	Isolation from natural sources, specifically rice polishings.	Chemical manufacturing from glucose using a multi-step process (Reichstein process).
Significance	Confirmed the link between nutritional deficiencies and disease, pioneering the field of vitamins.	Enabled large-scale, cost-effective production, making supplements and fortified foods widely available.
Impact	Led to the cure and prevention of beriberi, saving countless lives.	Played a crucial role in preventing scurvy and supporting overall health on a global scale.

The Birth of the Term 'Vitamin'

Casimir Funk's coinage of 'vitamine' in 1912 provided a unifying concept for accessory food factors, even though not all were later found to be amines. The term was shortened to 'vitamin' in 1920.

The Legacy of the First Discoveries

The ability to understand, isolate, and eventually synthesize vitamins dramatically improved public health by preventing deficiency diseases like beriberi and scurvy. This era laid the groundwork for modern nutrition, food fortification, and supplements.

The Evolution of Vitamin Research

Following the identification of B1, research expanded to discover and characterize other vitamins, including fat-soluble and other B-complex vitamins, solidifying nutritional science as a critical field of study. For more on the history of nutritional science, see the work of the American Chemical Society, which details many of these landmarks.

Conclusion: A History of Discovery, Not Invention

The question of which vitamin was first invented is clarified by understanding that vitamins are discovered natural compounds. Vitamin B1 (thiamine) was the first to be isolated from a natural source in 1910, a pivotal step that launched modern nutritional science. While Vitamin B1 was isolated first, Vitamin C was the first to be chemically synthesized in 1933, marking another significant achievement in vitamin history.

Frequently Asked Questions

To discover a vitamin is to identify and isolate a naturally existing compound from a food source, while to invent it would imply creating it from scratch. Since vitamins are natural compounds, they are discovered, not invented.

The first vitamin, B1 (thiamine), was first isolated by Japanese scientist Umetaro Suzuki in 1910 and later by Polish biochemist Casimir Funk in 1912.

The deficiency disease that led to the discovery of Vitamin B1 (thiamine) was beriberi, which affected populations whose diet consisted mainly of polished white rice.

The term 'vitamine' was coined by biochemist Casimir Funk in 1912. He later dropped the final 'e' after it was discovered that not all such compounds were amines.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) was the first vitamin to be chemically synthesized in a laboratory in 1933.

The Reichstein process, developed in the 1930s, is the first large-scale industrial method for producing Vitamin C synthetically from glucose.

The discovery of vitamins had a revolutionary impact on public health by enabling the prevention and treatment of once-widespread deficiency diseases like beriberi and scurvy through improved diet and food fortification.