The history of the discovery of vitamins and their study

Over a hundred years have passed since the moment when vitamins entered the life of almost every inhabitant of the planet. However, few know that only 13 combinations of substances are relevant. The rest are considered only their likeness. What is dangerous for the body synthesized vitamins? What is the history of the discovery of vitamins and their significance?

What are vitamins?

So, what are vitamins? Where does the history of the discovery of vitamins originate? Why are they necessary for a full life support?

Unlike carbohydrates, amino acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins do not carry energy value for the body, but they contribute to the normalization of metabolism. The method of getting them into the body is eating food, supplements and sunbathing. They are used to neutralize imbalances or lack of useful trace elements. Their main functions are: help with coliforms, complicity in the regulation of metabolism, preventing the formation of unstable radicals.

The history of the discovery of vitamins demonstrated that these substances are different in their chemical composition. But, unfortunately, they are not able to be produced by the body independently in the right amount.

What is the role of vitamins?

Every vitamin is unique in its own way, and it can not find a substitute. Everything is explained by a specific set of functions that are inherent in only one single substance taken. Therefore, if the body feels a shortage of some vitamin, there are obvious consequences: vitamin deficiency, metabolic disorders, disease.

Therefore, it is important to eat correctly, diversely, and richly, including at least a minimum of foods enriched with useful microelements in your diet.

For example, vitamins belonging to group B affect the proper functioning of the nervous system, support the functioning of the immune system, help the body to replace and renew cells in a timely manner.

But do not get scared if you notice that your food is not saturated enough with vitamins. Most of today's people are experiencing a deficit. To make up for the right balance, one should not only eat properly, but also use complex vitamin preparations.

How people came to the vitamins

Imagine, before the end of the 19th century, many people did not even know about such a concept as vitamins. They not only suffered from a lack of useful substances, but also fell ill, and often died. How did the discovery of vitamins? Briefly try to talk about the doctors' work, their observations and discoveries in this area.

The most common diseases of "pre-vitamin" epochs were:

• "Beri Beri" - an affliction that struck the inhabitants of South-East, South Asia, where the main source of food was polished, processed rice.
• Scurvy is a disease that has taken the lives of thousands of seafarers.
• Rickets, which had previously been hurt not only by children, but also by adults.

People died whole families, ships did not return from the voyage because of the death of all crew members.

This continued until 1880. Until the moment when NI Lunin came to the conclusion that many foodstuffs contain substances that are vital for a person. And these substances are irreplaceable.

Qing - a disease of the ancient sailors

The history of the discovery of vitamins contains numerous facts pointing to millions of losses. The cause of death was scurvy. At that time, this disease was one of the most terrible and deadly. No one even thought that it was all due to a wrong diet and a lack of vitamin C.

According to the approximate calculations of historians, scurvy, during the time of geographical discoveries, claimed more than a million sailors. A typical example is an expedition to India, under the supervision of Vasco de Gama: out of 160 members of the team, most of them fell ill and died.

J. Cook was the first traveler who returned in the same command structure, and departed from the pier. Why did his crew members not suffer the fate of many? J. Cook introduced into their daily diet cabbage. He followed the example of James Lind.

Since 1795, vegetable products, lemons, oranges and other citrus fruits (a source of vitamin C), have become an indispensable component of the "food basket" of seafarers.

To the truth came by experience

Few people know what secret stores in itself the history of the discovery of vitamins. Briefly we can say this: trying to find a way to salvation, the scientists made experiments on people. One thing is gratifying: they were quite harmless, but far from humane in terms of modern morality and morality.

Experiences over people became famous in 1747 Scottish physician J. Lind.

But he did not come to this by his own will. He was forced by circumstances: on the ship on which he was serving, an outbreak of scurvy broke out. Trying to find a way out of this situation, Lind chose two dozen sick sailors, dividing them into several groups. Based on the performed division, treatment was performed. The first group along with the usual food served cider, the second - sea water, the third - vinegar, the fourth - citrus. The last group - the only ones who survived from all 20 people.

However, human sacrifices were not in vain. Thanks to the published results of the experiment (the treatise "Treatment of scurvy"), the value of citrus was shown to neutralize scurvy.

The emergence of the term

The history of the discovery of vitamins briefly narrates about the origins of the term "Vitamin" itself.

It is believed that the progenitor is K. Funk, who isolated vitamin B1 in a crystalline form. After all, it was he who gave his drug the name vitamine.

Further, the relay baton of transformations in the field of the concept of "vitamin" was taken by D. Drummond, who suggested that it is inappropriate to call all microelements a word containing the letter "e". Explaining this by saying that not all of them contain amine acid.

This is how vitamins have acquired the familiar name "vitamins". It consists of two Latin words: "vita" and "amines." The first means "life," the second includes the name of the nitrogenous compounds of the amino group.

In the constant use of the word "vitamin" entered only in 1912. Literally it means "the substance necessary for life".

The history of the discovery of vitamins: origins

Nikolai Lunin was one of the first to think about the role of substances derived from food. The scientific community of the time accepted the hypothesis of the Russian doctor in hostility, it was not taken seriously.

However, the fact of the need for a certain kind of mineral compounds was first clarified by none other than Lunin. The discovery of vitamins, their indispensability by other substances, he revealed by experimental means (at that time the vitamins still did not carry their modern name). Subjects were mice. The diet of some consisted of natural milk, and others - from artificial (dairy components: fat, sugar, salts, casein). Animals belonging to the second group became ill and died suddenly.

Based on this N.I. Lunin concluded that "... milk, in addition to casein, fat, milk sugar and salts, contains other substances that are indispensable for nutrition."

The topic raised by the biochemist of the University of Tartu, interested in K.A. Sosin. He conducted experiments and came to an identical conclusion with Nikolai Ivanovich.

Subsequently, Lunin's theories were reflected, confirmed and further developed in the works of foreign and domestic scientific figures.

Disclosure of the causes of the "beriberi" disease

Further, the history of the doctrine of vitamins will continue with the work of the Japanese physician Takaki. In 1884, he spoke about the "beriberi" illness that had overcome the Japanese inhabitants. The origins of the disease were found after many years. In 1897, the Irish physician Christian Eikman came to the conclusion that when grinding rice, people deprive themselves of the necessary nutrients that are part of the upper layers of unrefined grains.

After a long 40 years (in 1936) thiamine was synthesized, the lack of which became the cause of "beriberi". To what "thiamine" is, scientists also did not come immediately. The history of the discovery of B vitamins began with the isolation of rice grains from the "amine life" (otherwise vitamine or vitamine). It happened in 1911-1912. In the period from 1920 to 1934 scientists deduced its chemical formula and called "aneine".

Opening of vitamins A, H

If we consider such a topic as the history of the discovery of vitamins, It can be seen that the study was slow but continuous.

For example, avitaminosis A has only been studied in detail since the 19th century. Stepp (Stepp) revealed a growth motivator, which is part of fat. It happened in 1909. And already in 1913 McColler and Denis identified "factor A", after years (1916) it was renamed "vitamin A".

The beginning of the study of vitamin H was laid back in 1901, when Wheilders revealed a substance that promotes the growth of yeast. He suggested giving him the name "bios". In 1927, ovidin was identified, called "factor X", or "vitamin H". This vitamin inhibited the action of the substance contained in some products. In 1935, biotin was crystallized from egg yolk by Kegl (Kegl).

Vitamins C, E

After Lind's experiments on seamen for a century, no one thought about why a person falls ill with scurvy. The history of the emergence of vitamins, or rather the history of the study of their role, was further developed only in the late 19th century. V.V. Pashutin found out that the disease of sailors arose because of the lack of a certain substance in food. In 1912, thanks to the food experiments carried out on guinea pigs, Holst and Frelich found out that the substance that, after 7 years, became known as vitamin C, prevented the appearance of scurvy. In 1928, it was marked by the withdrawal of its chemical formula, as a result, ascorbic acid was synthesized.

The role and importance of vitamin E began to be studied later by everyone. Although it plays a decisive role in reproductive processes. The study of this fact began only in 1922. Experienced it was revealed that if from the diet of the experimental rats fat was excluded, the embryo died in the womb. This discovery was made by Evans. The first known preparations, belonging to the group of vitamins E, were extracted from the oil of the germs of grains. The drug was called alpha and beta-tocopherol, this event occurred in 1936. Two years later Carrer conducted his biosynthesis.

Discovery of B vitamins

In 1913, the study of riboflavin and nicotinic acid was initiated. This year was marked by the discovery of Osborne and Mendel, who proved that milk contains a substance that promotes the growth of animals. In 1938 the formula of this substance was revealed, on the basis of which its synthesis was made. So, lactoflavin was discovered and synthesized, now riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2.

The nicotinic acid was isolated by a funnel of rice grains. However, on this his study also stopped. Only in 1926 the antipelagic factor was discovered, which later became known as nicotinic acid (vitamin B3).

Vitamin B9 was isolated as a fraction of spinach leaves in the 30s by Mitchell and Snel. The Second World War hampered the discovery of vitamins. In brief, further study of vitamin B9 (folic acid) can be described as rapidly developing. Immediately after the war (in 1945), it was synthesized. There was it through allocation from yeast and a liver of pteroylglutamic acid.

In 1933 the chemical composition of pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) was deciphered . And in 1935 Goldberg's findings on the causes of pellagra in rats were refuted. It turns out that the disease was caused by the absence of pyrodoxin, or vitamin B6.

The most recent isolated vitamin from group B is cobalamin, or B12. Extraction of the anti-anemic factor from the liver occurred only in 1948.

Trial and error method: the discovery of vitamin D

The history of the discovery of vitamin D is marked by the destruction of pre-existing scientific discoveries. Elmer McCollum tried to clarify his own works on vitamin A. Trying to refute the conclusions made by veterinarian Edward Mellanbi, conducted an experiment on the dogs. He gave the fish oil with a sick animal rickets , from which vitamin A was removed. His absence did not affect the recovery of the animals - they were still cured.

Vitamin D can be obtained not only from food, but also thanks to the sun's rays. This was proved by A.F. Hess in 1923.

In the same year, the artificial enrichment of fatty foods with calciferol was initiated. Irradiation with ultraviolet is practiced in the US to this day.

The importance of Casimir Funk in the study of vitamins

Following the disclosure of factors hindering the occurrence of the "beriberi" disease, studies of vitamins followed. Not the least role in this played Kazimir Funk. The history of the study of vitamins says that he created a drug consisting of a mixture of water-soluble substances, different in chemical nature, but similar in the presence of nitrogen in them.

Thanks to Funk, the light saw such a scientific term as avitaminosis. He not only brought him out, but also revealed ways of overcoming it and preventing it. He came to the conclusion that vitamins are part of some enzymes, which contributes to their easier assimilation. Funk among the first developed a system of correct, balanced nutrition, indicating the daily rate of vitamins needed.

Kazimir Funk created some chemical analogues of vitamins contained in natural products. However, now the fascination of people with these analogs is frightening. Over the past half century, the number of oncological, allergic, cardiovascular and other diseases has increased. Some scientists see the reason for the rapid spread of these diseases in the use of synthesized vitamins.