Vitamin C for a cold – a comforting thought, isn’t it? Carrots promising laser-like vision, courtesy of vitamin A? And the well-worn advice: chase the sunlight, eat the oily fish for that bone-strengthening vitamin D. We all nod along to the vital role of these invisible compounds. But have you ever stopped to truly consider the journey of these names, these simple letters that underpin our very well-being? When, precisely, did we stumble upon these fundamental keys to life itself? It sounds elementary, this A, B, C of health. But peel back the layers, and you’ll find a story of scientific tenacity and of a world slowly awakening to the profound power of what was missing from our plates.
Danish biochemist and physiologist Henrik Dam, PhD, was born Dam was awarded half of the 1943 Nobel Prize in Medicine for his discovery of vitamin K and its essential role in blood clotting.
Early 1900s, science revealed that diseases like scurvy and rickets weren’t just illnesses, but signs of missing nutrients. In 1912, Polish chemist Casimir Funk’s ‘vitamine‘ discovery changed everything – it wasn’t just about what we ate, but what we lacked.
For centuries, the food-health link was vague. Then, around 1838, protein was highlighted, but in the 1880s, the work of Japanese doctor Kanehiro Takaki and Dutch doctor Christian Eijkman pointed to a problem with white rice – a missing element, not just lack of protein.
Around 1912, Funk isolated this vital substance in rice bran, naming it ‘vitamine‘ (essential for life), showing that deficiencies caused disease. This led to the discovery of Vitamins A, B, C… and in 1929, Vitamin K by Danish scientist Carl Peter Henrik Dam.
The main vitamin discoveries peaked around 1948 with B12. Now? Research focuses on the detailed roles of tiny food components in our health.
So Vitamin A: not just carrots and night vision, though there’s a flicker of truth there. Think skin, immunity, even how your cells multiply. It’s fundamental.
Then Vitamin B: not a solo act, but a whole complex – B1, B2, B6, B12. Energy, brainpower, healthy skin – feeling tired? Maybe it’s your B levels. Find them in the basics: grains, greens, eggs, meat.
Vitamin C: citrus. Crucial for those sailors and scurvy. Your immune system’s backbone, the glue for skin and joints, helps you absorb iron. A daily must-have, especially when you’re vulnerable.
Vitamin D: the sun’s gift, yes, but also in oily fish and fortified foods. Bones strong, mood steady, immune system in check.
Vitamin E: antioxidant powerhouse. Nuts, seeds, oils – it’s your cells’ bodyguard against damage, and it keeps your skin healthy. Your body’s own defence system.
And Vitamin K.: named for blood clotting, the German connection. Stops the bleeding. Leafy greens – kale, spinach – your go-to.
A, B, C, D, E, K. Simple letters, seismic impact. Energy, immunity, clear thinking, healthy skin, even your mood – all touched by these basics in a balanced diet. So, that salad, that salmon? More than just fuel. It’s a direct line to scientific discovery, the essential building blocks for staying well.
