• Question: Why does each vitamin has names like vitamin A?

    Asked by natrualme to Jemma, John, Lisa, Sam on 31 May 2012.
    • Photo: Lisa Fitzgerald

      Lisa Fitzgerald answered on 31 May 2012:

      Hi @naturalme, that’s an interesting question. Vitamins were first discovered around the beginning of the 20th century. One of the earliest, vitamin B, cured Beri beri disease and was named as such. As more and more vitamins were discovered they were simply named with the next available letter in the alphabet, A, C etc… One notable exception is Vitamin K which was again named because of the condition it cured.

      Thanks!

      Lisa

    • Photo: Jemma Ransom

      Jemma Ransom answered on 31 May 2012:

      Hi again @naturalme!

      I agree with Lisa 🙂

      Could I add another factoid though? One of my favourite vitamins is vitamin K because like most vitamins we can’t make it ourselves. The main source of vitamin K apart from green leafy vegetables is actually the bacteria in your colon – this is an example of something called symbiosis where two organisms benefit by living together. The bugs in our bellies get a nice warm home with lots of nutrients, and we get vitamin K.

      Jemma

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