Vitamin - wikipedia Vitamin For other uses, see Vitamin ( disambiguation ). Vitamin Drug class A bottle of B - complex vitamin pills Pronunciation UK : / ˈvɪtəmɪn, ˈvaɪ - / US : / ˈvaɪtəmɪn / In Wikidata A vitamin is an organic molecule ( or related set of molecules ) which is an essential micronutrient -- that is, a substance which an organism needs in small quantities for the proper functioning of its metabolism but can not synthesize, either at all or in sufficient quantities, and therefore must obtain through its diet. The term vitamin does not include the three other essential nutrients : essential mineral ( nutrient ) s, essential fatty acids, and essential amino acids. Some substances can be synthesized by a certain organism, but not by another : that substance is not a vitamin in the first instance, but it is in the second. Most vitamins are not single molecules, but groups of related molecules called vitamers. Vitamins are classified by their biological / chemical activity, not their structure. The thirteen vitamins required by human metabolism are : vitamin A ( retinols and carotenoids ), vitamin B ( thiamine ), vitamin B ( riboflavin ), vitamin B ( niacin ), vitamin B ( pantothenic acid ), vitamin B ( pyridoxine ), vitamin B ( biotin ), vitamin B ( folic acid or folate ), vitamin B ( cobalamins ), vitamin C ( ascorbic acid ), vitamin D ( calciferols ), vitamin E ( tocopherols and tocotrienols ), and vitamin K ( quinones ). Vitamins have diverse biochemical functions. Some forms of vitamin A function as regulators of cell and tissue growth and differentiation. The B complex vitamins function as enzyme cofactors ( coenzymes ) or the precursors for them. Vitamin D has a hormone - like function as a regulator of mineral metabolism, and is anti-proliferative. Vitamin E ( and sometimes vitamin C ), functions as an antioxidant. Both deficient and excess intake of a vitamin can potentially cause clinically significant illness ; although excess intake of a water - soluble vitamin is least likely to do so. All vitamins were discovered ( identified ) between 1913 and 1948. Before 1935, the only source of vitamins for humans was from food. Since food sources and availability inevitably fluctuated, so did the amount of vitamins ingested : sometimes with resulting vitamin deficiency. Then commercially produced tablets of yeast - extract vitamin B complex and semi-synthetic vitamin C became available. This was followed in the 1950s by the mass production, and promotion, of vitamin supplements, including multivitamins, to prevent vitamin deficiencies in the general population, but is thought to be of little value in healthy people. The addition of vitamins to staple foods ( food fortification ) has prevented folic acid and vitamin B vitamin deficiencies. The oral administration of certain vitamins during pregnancy prevents both maternal and fetal vitamin deficiencies. The term vitamin is derived from the word vitamine, coined in 1912 by biochemist Casimir Funk, who isolated a complex of micronutrients essential to life, all of which he presumed to be amines. When this presumption was later determined not to be true, the `` e '' was dropped from the name. Contents 1 List 2 Sources 3 Classification by solubility 4 Biochemical functions 5 Effects 5.1 On fetal growth and childhood development 5.2 On adult health maintenance 5.3 Of cooking 6 Deficient intake 7 Excess intake 7.1 Symptoms 7.2 Toxic levels 7.3 Incidence 8 Supplements 8.1 Commercial production 8.2 Governmental regulation 9 Naming 10 Promotion 11 Anti-vitamins 12 History 13 Etymology 14 See also 15 References 16 External links List Vitamin generic descriptor name Vitamer chemical name ( s ) ( list not complete ) Solubility United States Recommended dietary allowances ( male / female, age 19 -- 70 ) Deficiency disease Upper Intake Level ( UL / day ) Overdose syndrome / symptoms Food sources Vitamin A Retinol, retinal, and four carotenoids including beta carotene Fat 900 μg / 700 μg Night blindness, hyperkeratosis, and keratomalacia 3,000 μg Hypervitaminosis A Liver, orange, ripe yellow fruits, leafy vegetables, carrots, pumpkin, squash, spinach, fish, soy milk, milk Vitamin B Thiamine Water 1.2 mg / 1.1 mg Beriberi, Wernicke - Korsakoff syndrome N / D Drowsiness and muscle relaxation Pork, oatmeal, brown rice, vegetables, potatoes, liver, eggs Vitamin B Riboflavin Water 1.3 mg / 1.1 mg Ariboflavinosis, glossitis, angular stomatitis N / D Dairy products, bananas, popcorn, green beans, asparagus Vitamin B Niacin, niacinamide, Nicotinamide riboside Water 16 mg / 14 mg Pellagra 35 mg Liver damage ( doses > 2g / day ) and other problems Meat, fish, eggs, many vegetables, mushrooms, tree nuts Vitamin B Pantothenic acid Water 5 mg / 5 mg Paresthesia N / D Diarrhea ; possibly nausea and heartburn. Meat, broccoli, avocados Vitamin B Pyridoxine, pyridoxamine, pyridoxal Water 1.3 -- 1.7 mg / 1.2 -- 1.5 mg Anemia peripheral neuropathy 100 mg Impairment of proprioception, nerve damage ( doses > 100 mg / day ) Meat, vegetables, tree nuts, bananas Vitamin B Biotin Water AI : 30 μg / 30 μg Dermatitis, enteritis N / D Raw egg yolk, liver, peanuts, leafy green vegetables Vitamin B Folates Water 400 μg / 400 μg Megaloblastic anemia and deficiency during pregnancy is associated with birth defects, such as neural tube defects 1,000 μg May mask symptoms of vitamin B deficiency ; other effects. Leafy vegetables, pasta, bread, cereal, liver Vitamin B Cyanocobalamin, hydroxocobalamin, methylcobalamin, adenosylcobalamin Water 2.4 μg / 2.4 μg Pernicious anemia N / D None proven Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk Vitamin C Ascorbic acid Water 90 mg / 75 mg Scurvy 2,000 mg None known Many fruits and vegetables, liver Vitamin D Cholecalciferol ( D3 ), Ergocalciferol ( D2 ) Fat 15 μg / 15 μg Rickets and osteomalacia males and females 15 μg / > 70 years 20 μg Hypervitaminosis D Lichen, eggs, liver, certain fish species such as sardines, certain mushroom species such as shiitake Vitamin E Tocopherols, tocotrienols Fat 15 mg / 15 mg Deficiency is very rare ; sterility in males and miscarriage in females, mild hemolytic anemia in newborn infants 1,000 mg Possible increased incidence of congestive heart failure. Many fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds Vitamin K Phylloquinone, menaquinones Fat AI : 110 μg / 120 μg Bleeding diathesis N / D Decreased anticoagulation effect of warfarin. Leafy green vegetables such as spinach ; egg yolks ; liver Sources For the most part, vitamins are obtained from the diet, but some are acquired by other means : for example, microorganisms in the gut flora produce vitamin K and biotin ; and one form of vitamin D is synthesized in skin cells when they are exposed to a certain wavelength of ultraviolet light present in sunlight. Humans can produce some vitamins from precursors they consume : for example, vitamin A is synthesized from beta carotene ; and niacin is synthesized from the amino acid tryptophan. Classification by solubility Vitamins are classified as either water - soluble or fat - soluble. In humans there are 13 vitamins : 4 fat - soluble ( A, D, E, and K ) and 9 water - soluble ( 8 B vitamins and vitamin C ). Water - soluble vitamins dissolve easily in water and, in general, are readily excreted from the body, to the degree that urinary output is a strong predictor of vitamin consumption. Because they are not as readily stored, more consistent intake is important. Fat - soluble vitamins are absorbed through the intestinal tract with the help of lipids ( fats ). Because they are more likely to accumulate in the body, they are more likely to lead to hypervitaminosis than are water - soluble vitamins. Fat - soluble vitamin regulation is of particular significance in cystic fibrosis. Biochemical functions Each vitamin is typically used in multiple reactions, and therefore most have multiple functions. Effects On fetal growth and childhood development Vitamins are essential for the normal growth and development of a multicellular organism. Using the genetic blueprint inherited from its parents, a fetus begins to develop from the nutrients it absorbs. It requires certain vitamins and minerals to be present at certain times. These nutrients facilitate the chemical reactions that produce among other things, skin, bone, and muscle. If there is serious deficiency in one or more of these nutrients, a child may develop a deficiency disease. Even minor deficiencies may cause permanent damage. On adult health maintenance Once growth and development are completed, vitamins remain essential nutrients for the healthy maintenance of the cells, tissues, and organs that make up a multicellular organism ; they also enable a multicellular life form to efficiently use chemical energy provided by food it eats, and to help process the proteins, carbohydrates, and fats required for cellular respiration. Of cooking The USDA has conducted extensive studies on the percentage losses of various nutrients from different food types and cooking methods. Some vitamins may become more `` bio-available '' -- that is, usable by the body -- when foods are cooked. The table below shows whether various vitamins are susceptible to loss from heat -- such as heat from boiling, steaming, frying, etc. The effect of cutting vegetables can be seen from exposure to air and light. Water - soluble vitamins such as B and C dissolve into the water when a vegetable is boiled, and are then lost when the water is discarded. Vitamin Soluble in Water Stable to Air Exposure Stable to Light Exposure Stable to Heat Exposure Vitamin A no partially partially relatively stable Vitamin C very unstable yes yes yes Vitamin D no no no no Vitamin E no yes yes no Vitamin K no no yes no Thiamine ( B ) highly no ? > 100 ° C Riboflavin ( B ) slightly no in solution no Niacin ( B ) yes no no no Pantothenic Acid ( B ) quite stable ? no yes Vitamin B yes ? yes ? Biotin ( B ) somewhat ? ? no Folic Acid ( B ) yes ? when dry at high temp Vitamin B yes ? yes no Deficient intake Humans must consume vitamins periodically but with differing schedules, to avoid deficiency. The body 's stores for different vitamins vary widely ; vitamins A, D, and B are stored in significant amounts, mainly in the liver, and an adult 's diet may be deficient in vitamins A and D for many months and B in some cases for years, before developing a deficiency condition. However, vitamin B ( niacin and niacinamide ) is not stored in significant amounts, so stores may last only a couple of weeks. For vitamin C, the first symptoms of scurvy in experimental studies of complete vitamin C deprivation in humans have varied widely, from a month to more than six months, depending on previous dietary history that determined body stores. Deficiencies of vitamins are classified as either primary or secondary. A primary deficiency occurs when an organism does not get enough of the vitamin in its food. A secondary deficiency may be due to an underlying disorder that prevents or limits the absorption or use of the vitamin, due to a `` lifestyle factor '', such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, or the use of medications that interfere with the absorption or use of the vitamin. People who eat a varied diet are unlikely to develop a severe primary vitamin deficiency. In contrast, restrictive diets have the potential to cause prolonged vitamin deficits, which may result in often painful and potentially deadly diseases. Well - known human vitamin deficiencies involve thiamine ( beriberi ), niacin ( pellagra ), vitamin C ( scurvy ), and vitamin D ( rickets ). In much of the developed world, such deficiencies are rare ; this is due to ( 1 ) an adequate supply of food and ( 2 ) the addition of vitamins and minerals to common foods ( fortification ). In addition to these classical vitamin deficiency diseases, some evidence has also suggested links between vitamin deficiency and a number of different disorders. Excess intake Symptoms Some vitamins have documented side effects that tend to be more severe with a larger dosage. Acute symptoms can include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Toxic levels In the United States, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies has established Tolerable upper intake levels ( ULs ) for those vitamins which have documented side effects at high intakes. In the European Union the European Food Safety Authority has also set ULs. ULs from the two organizations do not always match. Incidence The likelihood of consuming too much of any vitamin from food is remote, but overdosing ( vitamin poisoning ) from vitamin supplementation does occur. In 2014, overdose exposure to all formulations of vitamins and multi-vitamin / mineral formulations was reported by 68,058 individuals to the American Association of Poison Control Centers with 73 % of these exposures in children under the age of five. Supplements Calcium combined with vitamin D ( as calciferol ) supplement tablets with fillers. In those who are otherwise healthy, there is little evidence that supplements have any benefits with respect to cancer or heart disease. Vitamin A and E supplements not only provide no health benefits for generally healthy individuals, but they may increase mortality, though the two large studies that support this conclusion included smokers for whom it was already known that beta - carotene supplements can be harmful. Other findings suggest that vitamin E toxicity is limited to only a specific form when taken in excess. The European Union and other countries of Europe have regulations that define limits of vitamin ( and mineral ) dosages for their safe use as dietary supplements. Most vitamins that are sold as dietary supplements are not supposed to exceed a maximum daily dosage referred to as the tolerable upper intake level ( UL ). Vitamin products above these regulatory limits are not considered supplements and should be registered as prescription or non-prescription ( over-the - counter drugs ) due to their potential side effects. The European Union, United States, Japan and some other countries each set ULs. Dietary supplements often contain vitamins, but may also include other ingredients, such as minerals, herbs, and botanicals. Scientific evidence supports the benefits of dietary supplements for persons with certain health conditions. In some cases, vitamin supplements may have unwanted effects, especially if taken before surgery, with other dietary supplements or medicines, or if the person taking them has certain health conditions. They may also contain levels of vitamins many times higher, and in different forms, than one may ingest through food. Commercial production Until the mid-1930s, when the first commercial yeast - extract vitamin B complex and semi-synthetic vitamin C supplement tablets were sold, vitamins were obtained solely through the diet. Vitamins have been produced as inexpensive supplements since the 1950s. Governmental regulation Most countries place dietary supplements in a special category under the general umbrella of foods, not drugs. As a result, the manufacturer, and not the government, has the responsibility of ensuring that its dietary supplement products are safe before they are marketed. Regulation of supplements varies widely by country. In the United States, a dietary supplement is defined under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994. There is no FDA approval process for dietary supplements, and no requirement that manufacturers prove the safety or efficacy of supplements introduced before 1994. The Food and Drug Administration must rely on its Adverse Event Reporting System to monitor adverse events that occur with supplements. In 2007, the US Code of Federal Regulations ( CFR ) Title 21, part III took effect, regulating Good Manufacturing Practices ( GMPs ) in the manufacturing, packaging, labeling, or holding operations for dietary supplements. Even though product registration is not required, these regulations mandate production and quality control standards ( including testing for identity, purity and adulterations ) for dietary supplements. In the European Union, the Food Supplements Directive requires that only those supplements that have been proven safe can be sold without a prescription. For most vitamins, pharmacopoeial standards have been established. In the United States, the United States Pharmacopeia ( USP ) sets standards for the most commonly used vitamins and preparations thereof. Likewise, monographs of the European Pharmacopoeia ( Ph. Eur. ) regulate aspects of identity and purity for vitamins on the European market. Naming Nomenclature of reclassified vitamins Previous name Chemical name Reason for name change Vitamin B Adenine DNA metabolite ; synthesized in body Vitamin B Adenylic acid DNA metabolite ; synthesized in body Vitamin B Carnitine Synthesized in body Vitamin F Essential fatty acids Needed in large quantities ( does not fit the definition of a vitamin ). Vitamin G Riboflavin Reclassified as Vitamin B Vitamin H Biotin Reclassified as Vitamin B Vitamin J Catechol, Flavin Catechol nonessential ; flavin reclassified as Vitamin B Vitamin L Anthranilic acid Non essential Vitamin L Adenylthiomethylpentose RNA metabolite ; synthesized in body Vitamin M Folic acid Reclassified as Vitamin B Vitamin P Flavonoids No longer classified as a vitamin Vitamin PP Niacin Reclassified as Vitamin B Vitamin S Salicylic acid Proposed inclusion of salicylate as an essential micronutrient Vitamin U S - Methylmethionine Protein metabolite ; synthesized in body The reason that the set of vitamins skips directly from E to K is that the vitamins corresponding to letters F -- J were either reclassified over time, discarded as false leads, or renamed because of their relationship to vitamin B, which became a complex of vitamins. The German - speaking scientists who isolated and described vitamin K ( in addition to naming it as such ) did so because the vitamin is intimately involved in the coagulation of blood following wounding ( from the German word Koagulation ). At the time, most ( but not all ) of the letters from F through to J were already designated, so the use of the letter K was considered quite reasonable. The table nomenclature of reclassified vitamins lists chemicals that had previously been classified as vitamins, as well as the earlier names of vitamins that later became part of the B - complex. There are other missing B vitamins which were reclassified or determined not to be vitamins. For example, B is folic acid and five of the folates are in the range B through B, forms of other vitamins already discovered, not required as a nutrient by the entire population ( like B, PABA for internal use ), biologically inactive, toxic, or with unclassifiable effects in humans, or not generally recognised as vitamins by science, such as the highest - numbered, which some naturopath practitioners call B and B. There are also nine lettered B complex vitamins ( e.g. B ). There are other D vitamins now recognised as other substances, which some sources of the same type number up to D. The controversial cancer treatment laetrile was at one point lettered as vitamin B. There appears to be no consensus on any vitamins Q, R, T, V, W, X, Y or Z, nor are there substances officially designated as Vitamins N or I, although the latter may have been another form of one of the other vitamins or a known and named nutrient of another type. Promotion Once discovered, vitamins were actively promoted in articles and advertisements in McCall 's, Good Housekeeping, and other media outlets. Marketers enthusiastically promoted cod - liver oil, a source of Vitamin D, as `` bottled sunshine '', and bananas as a `` natural vitality food ''. They promoted foods such as yeast cakes, a source of B vitamins, on the basis of scientifically - determined nutritional value, rather than taste or appearance. World War II researchers focused on the need to ensure adequate nutrition, especially in processed foods. Robert W. Yoder is credited with first using the term vitamania, in 1942, to describe the appeal of relying on nutritional supplements rather than on obtaining vitamins from a varied diet of foods. The continuing preoccupation with a healthy lifestyle has led to an obsessive consumption of additives the beneficial effects of which are questionable. Anti-vitamins Main article : Antinutrient Anti-vitamins are chemical compounds that inhibit the absorption or actions of vitamins. For example, avidin is a protein in raw egg whites that inhibits the absorption of biotin ; it is deactivated by cooking. Pyrithiamine, a synthetic compound, has a molecular structure similar to thiamine, vitamin B, and inhibits the enzymes that use thiamine. History The discovery dates of the vitamins and their sources Year of discovery Vitamin Food source 1913 Vitamin A ( Retinol ) Cod liver oil 1910 Vitamin B ( Thiamine ) Rice bran 1920 Vitamin C ( Ascorbic acid ) Citrus, most fresh foods 1920 Vitamin D ( Calciferol ) Cod liver oil 1920 Vitamin B ( Riboflavin ) Meat, dairy products, eggs 1922 Vitamin E ( Tocopherol ) Wheat germ oil, unrefined vegetable oils 1929 Vitamin K ( Phylloquinone ) Leaf vegetables 1931 Vitamin B ( Pantothenic acid ) Meat, whole grains, in many foods 1931 Vitamin B ( Biotin ) Meat, dairy products, Eggs 1934 Vitamin B ( Pyridoxine ) Meat, dairy products 1936 Vitamin B ( Niacin ) Meat, grains 1941 Vitamin B ( Folic acid ) Leaf vegetables 1948 Vitamin B ( Cobalamins ) Meat, organs ( Liver ), Eggs The value of eating certain foods to maintain health was recognized long before vitamins were identified. The ancient Egyptians knew that feeding liver to a person may help with night blindness, an illness now known to be caused by a vitamin A deficiency. The advancement of ocean voyages during the Renaissance resulted in prolonged periods without access to fresh fruits and vegetables, and made illnesses from vitamin deficiency common among ships ' crews. In 1747, the Scottish surgeon James Lind discovered that citrus foods helped prevent scurvy, a particularly deadly disease in which collagen is not properly formed, causing poor wound healing, bleeding of the gums, severe pain, and death. In 1753, Lind published his Treatise on the Scurvy, which recommended using lemons and limes to avoid scurvy, which was adopted by the British Royal Navy. This led to the nickname limey for British sailors. Lind 's discovery, however, was not widely accepted by individuals in the Royal Navy 's Arctic expeditions in the 19th century, where it was widely believed that scurvy could be prevented by practicing good hygiene, regular exercise, and maintaining the morale of the crew while on board, rather than by a diet of fresh food. As a result, Arctic expeditions continued to be plagued by scurvy and other deficiency diseases. In the early 20th century, when Robert Falcon Scott made his two expeditions to the Antarctic, the prevailing medical theory at the time was that scurvy was caused by `` tainted '' canned food. During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the use of deprivation studies allowed scientists to isolate and identify a number of vitamins. Lipid from fish oil was used to cure rickets in rats, and the fat - soluble nutrient was called `` antirachitic A ''. Thus, the first `` vitamin '' bioactivity ever isolated, which cured rickets, was initially called `` vitamin A '' ; however, the bioactivity of this compound is now called vitamin D. In 1881, Russian medical doctor Nikolai I. Lunin ( ru ) studied the effects of scurvy at the University of Tartu. He fed mice an artificial mixture of all the separate constituents of milk known at that time, namely the proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and salts. The mice that received only the individual constituents died, while the mice fed by milk itself developed normally. He made a conclusion that `` a natural food such as milk must therefore contain, besides these known principal ingredients, small quantities of unknown substances essential to life. '' However, his conclusions were rejected by his advisor, Gustav von Bunge, even after other students reproduced his results. A similar result by Cornelius Pekelharing appeared in a Dutch medical journal in 1905, but it was not widely reported. In East Asia, where polished white rice was the common staple food of the middle class, beriberi resulting from lack of vitamin B was endemic. In 1884, Takaki Kanehiro, a British - trained medical doctor of the Imperial Japanese Navy, observed that beriberi was endemic among low - ranking crew who often ate nothing but rice, but not among officers who consumed a Western - style diet. With the support of the Japanese navy, he experimented using crews of two battleships ; one crew was fed only white rice, while the other was fed a diet of meat, fish, barley, rice, and beans. The group that ate only white rice documented 161 crew members with beriberi and 25 deaths, while the latter group had only 14 cases of beriberi and no deaths. This convinced Takaki and the Japanese Navy that diet was the cause of beriberi, but they mistakenly believed that sufficient amounts of protein prevented it. That diseases could result from some dietary deficiencies was further investigated by Christiaan Eijkman, who in 1897 discovered that feeding unpolished rice instead of the polished variety to chickens helped to prevent beriberi in the chickens. The following year, Frederick Hopkins postulated that some foods contained `` accessory factors '' -- in addition to proteins, carbohydrates, fats etc. -- that are necessary for the functions of the human body. Hopkins and Eijkman were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1929 for their discoveries. Jack Drummond 's single paragraph paper in 1920 which provided structure and nomenclature used today for vitamins In 1910, the first vitamin complex was isolated by Japanese scientist Umetaro Suzuki, who succeeded in extracting a water - soluble complex of micronutrients from rice bran and named it aberic acid ( later Orizanin ). He published this discovery in a Japanese scientific journal. When the article was translated into German, the translation failed to state that it was a newly discovered nutrient, a claim made in the original Japanese article, and hence his discovery failed to gain publicity. In 1912 Polish - born biochemist Casimir Funk, working in London, isolated the same complex of micronutrients and proposed the complex be named `` vitamine ''. It was later to be known as vitamin B ( niacin ), though he described it as `` anti-beri - beri - factor '' ( which would today be called thiamine or vitamin B ). Funk proposed the hypothesis that other diseases, such as rickets, pellagra, coeliac disease, and scurvy could also be cured by vitamins. Max Nierenstein a friend and reader of Biochemistry at Bristol University reportedly suggested the `` vitamine '' name ( from `` vital amine '' ). The name soon became synonymous with Hopkins ' `` accessory factors '', and, by the time it was shown that not all vitamins are amines, the word was already ubiquitous. In 1920, Jack Cecil Drummond proposed that the final `` e '' be dropped to deemphasize the `` amine '' reference, after researchers began to suspect that not all `` vitamines '' ( in particular, vitamin A ) have an amine component. In 1930, Paul Karrer elucidated the correct structure for beta - carotene, the main precursor of vitamin A, and identified other carotenoids. Karrer and Norman Haworth confirmed Albert Szent - Györgyi 's discovery of ascorbic acid and made significant contributions to the chemistry of flavins, which led to the identification of lactoflavin. For their investigations on carotenoids, flavins and vitamins A and B, they both received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1937. In 1931, Albert Szent - Györgyi and a fellow researcher Joseph Svirbely suspected that `` hexuronic acid '' was actually vitamin C, and gave a sample to Charles Glen King, who proved its anti-scorbutic activity in his long - established guinea pig scorbutic assay. In 1937, Szent - Györgyi was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery. In 1943, Edward Adelbert Doisy and Henrik Dam were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery of vitamin K and its chemical structure. In 1967, George Wald was awarded the Nobel Prize ( along with Ragnar Granit and Haldan Keffer Hartline ) for his discovery that vitamin A could participate directly in a physiological process. In 1938, Richard Kuhn was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on carotenoids and vitamins, specifically B and B. Etymology The term vitamin was derived from `` vitamine '', a compound word coined in 1912 by the Polish biochemist Casimir Funk when working at the Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine. The name is from vital and amine, meaning amine of life, because it was suggested in 1912 that the organic micronutrient food factors that prevent beriberi and perhaps other similar dietary - deficiency diseases might be chemical amines. This was true of thiamine, but after it was found that other such micronutrients were not amines the word was shortened to vitamin in English. See also Food portal Provitamin References Jump up ^ Jones, Daniel ( 2011 ). Roach, Peter ; Setter, Jane ; Esling, John, eds. Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary ( 18th ed. ). Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978 - 052 - 115255 - 6. Jump up ^ Maton, Anthea ; Jean Hopkins ; Charles William McLaughlin ; Susan Johnson ; Maryanna Quon Warner ; David LaHart ; Jill D. Wright ( 1993 ). Human Biology and Health. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, USA : Prentice Hall. ISBN 0 - 13 - 981176 - 1. OCLC 32308337. ^ Jump up to : Bender, David A. ( 2003 ). Nutritional biochemistry of the vitamins. Cambridge, U.K. : Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978 - 0 - 521 - 80388 - 5. ^ Jump up to : Fortmann, SP ; Burda, BU ; Senger, CA ; Lin, JS ; Whitlock, EP ( 12 Nov 2013 ). `` Vitamin and Mineral Supplements in the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer : An Updated Systematic Evidence Review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force ''. Annals of Internal Medicine. 159 ( 12 ) : 824 -- 34. doi : 10.7326 / 0003 - 4819 - 159 - 12 - 201312170 - 00729. PMID 24217421. Jump up ^ Jr, Gerald F. Combs ( 2007 - 10 - 30 ). The Vitamins. Elsevier. ISBN 9780080561301. ^ Jump up to : Dietary Reference Intakes : Vitamins. The National Academies, 2001. ^ Jump up to : `` Vitamin A : Fact Sheet for Health Professionals ''. National Institute of Health : Office of Dietary Supplements. 5 June 2013. Retrieved 2013 - 08 - 03. Jump up ^ `` Dietary Reference Intakes : Vitamins ''. The National Academies. 2001. Archived from the original on 17 August 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2013. Amount not determinable due to lack of data of adverse effects. Source of intake should be from food only to prevent high levels of intake. Jump up ^ `` Thiamin, vitamin B1 : MedlinePlus Supplements ''. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. Jump up ^ Hardman, J.G. ; et al., eds. ( 2001 ). Goodman and Gilman 's Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics ( 10th ed. ). p. 992. ISBN 0071354697. Jump up ^ Plain type indicates Adequate Intakes ( A / I ). `` The AI is believed to cover the needs of all individuals, but a lack of data prevent being able to specify with confidence the percentage of individuals covered by this intake '' ( see Dietary Reference Intakes : Vitamins Archived 17 August 2013 at WebCite. The National Academies, 2001 ). Jump up ^ `` Pantothenic acid, dexpanthenol : MedlinePlus Supplements ''. MedlinePlus. Retrieved 5 October 2009. Jump up ^ Vitamin and Mineral Supplement Fact Sheets Vitamin B6. Dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov ( 15 September 2011 ). Retrieved on 2013 - 08 - 03. Jump up ^ Vitamin and Mineral Supplement Fact Sheets Vitamin B12. Dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov ( 24 June 2011 ). Retrieved on 2013 - 08 - 03. Jump up ^ Value represents suggested intake without adequate sunlight exposure ( see Dietary Reference Intakes : Vitamins Archived 17 August 2013 at WebCite. The National Academies, 2001 ). ^ Jump up to : The Merck Manual : Nutritional Disorders : Vitamin Introduction Please select specific vitamins from the list at the top of the page. Jump up ^ Gaby, Alan R. ( 2005 ). `` Does vitamin E cause congestive heart failure ? ( Literature Review & Commentary ) ''. Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients. Jump up ^ Rohde LE ; de Assis MC ; Rabelo ER ( 2007 ). `` Dietary vitamin K intake and anticoagulation in elderly patients ''. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 10 ( 1 ) : 1 -- 5. doi : 10.1097 / MCO. 0b013e328011c46c. PMID 17143047. Jump up ^ Fukuwatari T ; Shibata K ( 2008 ). `` Urinary water - soluble vitamins and their metabolite contents as nutritional markers for evaluating vitamin intakes among young Japanese women ''. J. Nutr. Sci. Vitaminol. 54 ( 3 ) : 223 -- 9. doi : 10.3177 / jnsv. 54.223. PMID 18635909. Jump up ^ Bellows, L. & Moore, R. `` Water - Soluble Vitamins ''. Colorado State University. Retrieved 7 December 2008. Jump up ^ Maqbool A ; Stallings VA ( 2008 ). `` Update on fat - soluble vitamins in cystic fibrosis ''. Curr Opin Pulm Med. 14 ( 6 ) : 574 -- 81. doi : 10.1097 / MCP. 0b013e3283136787. PMID 18812835. Jump up ^ Kutsky, R.J. ( 1973 ). Handbook of Vitamins and Hormones. New York : Van Nostrand Reinhold, ISBN 0 - 442 - 24549 - 1 Jump up ^ Gavrilov, Leonid A. ( 10 February 2003 ) Pieces of the Puzzle : Aging Research Today and Tomorrow. fightaging.org Jump up ^ `` USDA Table of Nutrient Retention Factors, Release 6 '' ( PDF ). USDA. USDA. Dec 2007. Jump up ^ Comparison of Vitamin Levels in Raw Foods vs. Cooked Foods. Beyondveg.com. Retrieved on 3 August 2013. Jump up ^ Effects of Cooking on Vitamins ( Table ). Beyondveg.com. Retrieved on 3 August 2013. Jump up ^ Pemberton, J. ( 2006 ). `` Medical experiments carried out in Sheffield on conscientious objectors to military service during the 1939 -- 45 war ''. International Journal of Epidemiology. 35 ( 3 ) : 556 -- 8. doi : 10.1093 / ije / dyl020. PMID 16510534. ^ Jump up to : Wendt, Diane ( 2015 ). `` Packed full of questions : Who benefits from dietary supplements ? ''. Distillations Magazine. 1 ( 3 ) : 41 -- 45. Retrieved 22 March 2018. ^ Jump up to : Price, Catherine ( 2015 ). Vitamania : Our obsessive quest for nutritional perfection. Penguin Press. ISBN 978 - 1594205040. Jump up ^ Lakhan, SE ; Vieira, KF ( 2008 ). `` Nutritional therapies for mental disorders ''. Nutrition journal. 7 : 2. doi : 10.1186 / 1475 - 2891 - 7 - 2. PMC 2248201. PMID 18208598. Jump up ^ Boy, E. ; Mannar, V. ; Pandav, C. ; de Benoist, B. ; Viteri, F. ; Fontaine, O. ; Hotz, C. ( 2009 ). `` Achievements, challenges, and promising new approaches in vitamin and mineral deficiency control ''. Nutr Rev. 67 ( Suppl 1 ) : S24 -- 30. doi : 10.1111 / j. 1753 - 4887.2009. 00155. x. PMID 19453674. Jump up ^ Institute of Medicine. Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc. National Academy Press, Washington, DC, 2001. Jump up ^ Tolerable Upper Intake Levels For Vitamins And Minerals ( PDF ), European Food Safety Authority, 2006 Jump up ^ 2014 Annual Report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers ' National Poison Data System ( NPDS ) : 32nd Annual Report ( PDF ) ^ Jump up to : Moyer, VA ( 25 Feb 2014 ). `` Vitamin, Mineral, and Multivitamin Supplements for the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer : U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement ''. Annals of Internal Medicine. 160 ( 8 ) : 558 -- 64. doi : 10.7326 / M14 - 0198. PMID 24566474. Jump up ^ Bjelakovic, Goran ; Nikolova, D ; Gluud, LL ; Simonetti, RG ; Gluud, C ( 2007 ). `` Mortality in Randomized Trials of Antioxidant Supplements for Primary and Secondary Prevention : Systematic Review and Meta - analysis ''. JAMA. 297 ( 8 ) : 842 -- 57. doi : 10.1001 / jama. 297.8. 842. PMID 17327526. 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Retrieved 20 March 2018. Jump up ^ Roth KS ( 1981 ). `` Biotin in clinical medicine -- a review ''. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 34 ( 9 ) : 1967 -- 74. PMID 6116428. Jump up ^ Rindi G ; Perri V ( 1961 ). `` Uptake of pyrithiamine by tissue of rats ''. Biochem. J. 80 ( 1 ) : 214 -- 6. PMC 1243973. PMID 13741739. Jump up ^ McDowell, Lee Russell ( 2012 ). Vitamins in Animal Nutrition : Comparative Aspects to Human Nutrition. Elsevier. p. 398. ISBN 9780323139045. ^ Jump up to : Jack Challem ( 1997 ). `` The Past, Present and Future of Vitamins '' Jump up ^ Jacob, RA ( 1996 ). `` Three eras of vitamin C discovery ''. Subcell Biochem. Subcellular Biochemistry. 25 : 1 -- 16. doi : 10.1007 / 978 - 1 - 4613 - 0325 - 1_1. ISBN 978 - 1 - 4613 - 7998 - 0. PMID 8821966. Jump up ^ Bellis, Mary. Production Methods The History of the Vitamins. Retrieved 1 February 2005. ^ Jump up to : 1929 Nobel lecture. Nobelprize.org. Retrieved on 3 August 2013. ^ Jump up to : Gratzer, Walter ( 2006 ). `` 9. The quarry run to earth ''. Terrors of the table : the curious history of nutrition. Oxford : Oxford University Press. ISBN 978 - 0199205639. Retrieved 5 November 2015. ^ Jump up to : Rosenfeld, L. ( 1997 ). `` Vitamine -- vitamin. The early years of discovery ''. Clin Chem. 43 ( 4 ) : 680 -- 5. PMID 9105273. ^ Jump up to : Carpenter, Kenneth ( 22 June 2004 ). `` The Nobel Prize and the Discovery of Vitamins ''. Nobelprize.org. Retrieved 5 October 2009. Jump up ^ Suzuki, U. ; Shimamura, T. ( 1911 ). `` Active constituent of rice grits preventing bird polyneuritis ''. Tokyo Kagaku Kaishi. 32 : 4 -- 7 ; 144 -- 146 ; 335 -- 358. Jump up ^ Combs, Gerald ( 2008 ). The vitamins : fundamental aspects in nutrition and health. ISBN 9780121834937. Jump up ^ Funk, C. and Dubin, H.E. ( 1922 ). The Vitamines. Baltimore : Williams and Wilkins Company. Jump up ^ `` Paul Karrer - Biographical ''. Nobelprize.org. Retrieved 8 January 2013. Jump up ^ `` The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1938 ''. Nobelprize.org. Retrieved 5 July 2018. Jump up ^ Iłowiecki, Maciej ( 1981 ). Dzieje nauki polskiej. Warszawa : Wydawnictwo Interpress. p. 177. ISBN 83 - 223 - 1876 - 6. External links Wikisource has the text of the 1922 Encyclopædia Britannica article Vitamine. USDA RDA chart in PDF format Health Canada Dietary Reference Intakes Reference Chart for Vitamins NIH Office of Dietary Supplements : Fact Sheets Vitamins ( A11 ) Fat soluble α - Carotene β - Carotene Retinol Tretinoin Ergosterol Ergocalciferol 7 - Dehydrocholesterol Previtamin D Cholecalciferol 25 - hydroxycholecalciferol Calcitriol ( 1, 25 - dihydroxycholecalciferol ) Calcitroic acid Dihydroergocalciferol D analogues Alfacalcidol Dihydrotachysterol Calcipotriol Tacalcitol Paricalcitol Tocopherol Alpha Beta Gamma Delta Tocotrienol Alpha Beta Gamma Delta Tocofersolan Naphthoquinone Phylloquinone ( K ) Menaquinones ( K ) Menadione ( K ) ‡ Menadiol ( K ) Water soluble Thiamine B analogues Acefurtiamine Allithiamine Fursultiamine Octotiamine Prosultiamine Sulbutiamine Riboflavin Niacin Nicotinamide Pantothenic acid Dexpanthenol Pantethine Pyridoxine, Pyridoxal phosphate Pyridoxamine Pyritinol Biotin Folic acid Dihydrofolic acid Folinic acid Levomefolic acid Adenosylcobalamin Cyanocobalamin Hydroxocobalamin Methylcobalamin Choline Ascorbic acid Dehydroascorbic acid Combinations Multivitamins WHO - EM Withdrawn from market Clinical trials : Phase III Never to phase III Food chemistry Additives Carbohydrates Coloring Enzymes Essential fatty acids Flavors Fortification Lipids `` Minerals '' ( Chemical elements ) Proteins Vitamins Water Malnutrition or nutrition disorders ( E40 -- E68, 260 -- 269 ) Malnutrition Protein - energy malnutrition Kwashiorkor Marasmus Catabolysis Vitamin deficiency B vitamins B : Beriberi / Wernicke -- Korsakoff syndrome ( Wernicke 's encephalopathy Korsakoff 's syndrome ) B : Riboflavin deficiency B : Pellagra ( Niacin deficiency ) B : Pyridoxine deficiency B : Biotin deficiency B : Folate deficiency B : Vitamin B deficiency Other vitamins A : Vitamin A deficiency / Bitot 's spots C : Scurvy D: Vitamin D deficiency / Rickets / Osteomalacia E : Vitamin E deficiency K : Vitamin K deficiency Mineral deficiency Sodium Potassium Magnesium Calcium Iron Zinc Manganese Copper Iodine Chromium Molybdenum Selenium ( Keshan disease ) Overnutrition Overweight Obesity Childhood obesity Obesity hypoventilation syndrome Abdominal obesity Vitamin poisoning Hypervitaminosis A Hypervitaminosis D Hypervitaminosis E Mineral overload see inborn errors of metal metabolism, toxicity Dietary supplements Types Amino acids Bodybuilding supplement Energy drink Energy bar Fatty acids Herbal supplements Minerals Prebiotics Probiotics ( Lactobacillus Bifidobacterium ) Protein bar Vitamins Vitamins and chemical elements ( `` minerals '' ) Retinol ( Vitamin A ) B vitamins : Thiamine ( B ) Riboflavin ( B ) Niacin ( B ) Pantothenic acid ( B ) Pyridoxine ( B ) Biotin ( B ) Folic acid ( B ) Cyanocobalamin ( B ) Ascorbic acid ( Vitamin C ) Ergocalciferol and Cholecalciferol ( Vitamin D ) Tocopherol ( Vitamin E ) Naphthoquinone ( Vitamin K ) Calcium Choline Chromium Cobalt Copper Fluorine Iodine Iron Magnesium Manganese Molybdenum Phosphorus Potassium Selenium Sodium Sulfur Zinc Other common ingredients AAKG β - hydroxy β - methylbutyrate Carnitine Chondroitin sulfate Cod liver oil Copper gluconate Creatine / Creatine supplements Dietary fiber Echinacea Elemental calcium Ephedra Fish oil Folic acid Ginseng Glucosamine Glutamine Grape seed extract Guarana Iron supplements Japanese Honeysuckle Krill oil Lingzhi Linseed oil Lipoic acid Milk thistle Melatonin Red yeast rice Royal jelly Saw palmetto Spirulina St John 's wort Taurine Wheatgrass Wolfberry Yohimbine Zinc gluconate Related articles Codex Alimentarius Enzyte Hadacol Herbal tea Nutraceutical Multivitamin Nutrition GND : 4063635 - 5 LCCN : sh85144006 NDL : 00560693 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vitamin&oldid=854593473 '' Categories : Essential nutrients Nutrition Vitamins Hidden categories : Webarchive template webcite links All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from July 2018 Articles with permanently dead external links Use dmy dates from November 2014 Interlanguage link template link number Good articles Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with NDL identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Afrikaans অসমীয়া Asturianu Azərbaycanca বাংলা Bân - 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Question: what is the scientific name of vitamin b3
Answer: niacin