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Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: DoctorBeaver on 04/07/2007 15:08:01

Title: What is the definition of a vitamin?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 04/07/2007 15:08:01
We've all heard of them - but what exactly are they?
Title: What is the definition of a vitamin?
Post by: dentstudent on 04/07/2007 15:40:38
Wasn't it initilly a made-up name? (I realise that all words are made-up, but I seem to remember that it started as a sort of generic nonsense word, in the same way as "germs" did). I really might be out on a limb here, but I think it was States-side, and somebody wanted a word that sounded healthful but has subsequently become more closely associated.


Title: What is the definition of a vitamin?
Post by: iko on 04/07/2007 17:06:50
Vitamin etymology.

italian:  vitamina

    vita=life   amina=amine (chemical: (https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.genome.ad.jp%2FFig%2Fcompound%2FC00706.gif&hash=a1dc6b66ad1b110c04a306fcbc3ee871)http://www.genome.ad.jp/dbget-bin/www_bget?compound+C00706+-s)

amine (good for) life!


Quote
...
Back in seventeenth century, sailors discovered that eating limes prevented scurvy, a disease which we now know results from a lack of vitamin C. It was not until the 1930's that scientists discovered what the critical nutrient was in limes - vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid. The first vitamin discovered was vitamin B1, or thiamine. Because it was "vital" to life, and contained a group of atoms known as an "amine", it was called "vitamine"
...

to read more click here:   http://www.beloit.edu/~nutritio/Nfiles/N103whatsvit.htm

Isn't it just wonderful?   [;D]

ikod
Title: What is the definition of a vitamin?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 04/07/2007 17:29:46
But water is vital to life & is a chemical - but it's not classed as a vitamin.
Title: What is the definition of a vitamin?
Post by: iko on 04/07/2007 18:21:45
Quote from: DoctorBeaver on 04/07/2007 17:29:46
But water is vital to life & is a chemical - but it's not classed as a vitamin.

Yap,
but you have to imagine living in those days
when vitamins were discovered, at the begining
of the last century.
Firstly vitamin B1 was discovered in 1910 by a
researcher by the name of Umetaro Suzuki of Japan.
It's been the cure for beriberi since then.

Water, sugars, proteins and fat are essential
for human life...it had been known for a long
time before: but here they come, cofactors,
specific chemical compounds that MUST come from
the diet because we -as humans- cannot synthesize
them in our complex biochemical pathways.
Tiny molecules, vital -in small amounts- for our
cell metabolism.
Natural substances with catalytic properties.
Thanks to them, we are able to make all the rest!
Neat.

ikod 
Title: What is the definition of a vitamin?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 04/07/2007 20:31:21
(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fthinking%2F5.gif&hash=006fb41e945c7d7d662f7b7cd06255f7)
Title: What is the definition of a vitamin?
Post by: iko on 05/07/2007 17:28:18
Hmm Hmm,

Let's put it like this:
even iron, copper, calcium, zinc
and other elements are vital to
human cells and work as catalysts.
They are not classified as vitamines.
Amine is a chemical group in so called
'organic' molecules.
All vitamins are organic substances,
not simple elements, and work as cofactors:
they are not bricks to build, fuel to burn
...they are catalizzatori, yes, catalysts!

ikoded  [^]
Title: What is the definition of a vitamin?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 05/07/2007 17:31:07
Ah, ora capisco! (https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fhappy%2F7.gif&hash=2d275ef3ba29c70e28c686b88dc5660e)
Title: What is the definition of a vitamin?
Post by: iko on 05/07/2007 17:50:24
Quote from: DoctorBeaver on 05/07/2007 17:31:07
Ah, ora capisco! (https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fhappy%2F7.gif&hash=2d275ef3ba29c70e28c686b88dc5660e)

Che spavento, mamma mia!
finalmente il mio povero
inglese ha funzionato!
Arrisentirci,

iko
Title: What is the definition of a vitamin?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 05/07/2007 17:53:13
Yes, finally your poor English worked very well!  [:D]
Title: What is the definition of a vitamin?
Post by: iko on 05/07/2007 17:55:36
Quote from: DoctorBeaver on 05/07/2007 17:53:13
Yes, finally your poor English worked very well!  [:D]

Many tanks!

(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.defenseindustrydaily.com%2Fimages%2FLAND_Type-96_Tanks_lg.jpg&hash=d3f6ffb181e7dd193ab734a8fb2e1221)
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/images/LAND_Type-96_Tanks_lg.jpg
Title: What is the definition of a vitamin?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 05/07/2007 17:59:41
(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Flol%2F4.gif&hash=dc0017defb1737ae43c0ff6efcb35b2a)
Title: What is the definition of a vitamin?
Post by: iko on 05/07/2007 18:03:56
Quote from: DoctorBeaver on 05/07/2007 17:59:41
(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Flol%2F4.gif&hash=dc0017defb1737ae43c0ff6efcb35b2a)
Quote from: iko on 05/07/2007 17:50:24
Quote from: DoctorBeaver on 05/07/2007 17:31:07
Ah, ora capisco! (https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fhappy%2F7.gif&hash=2d275ef3ba29c70e28c686b88dc5660e)

Quote from: DoctorBeaver on 04/07/2007 20:31:21
(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fthinking%2F5.gif&hash=006fb41e945c7d7d662f7b7cd06255f7)

Quote from: DoctorBeaver on 05/07/2007 18:06:15
(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fhyper%2F9.gif&hash=06b3fcd0559e169f8f697978ffcf9437)    (https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fhyper%2F9.gif&hash=06b3fcd0559e169f8f697978ffcf9437)    (https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fhyper%2F9.gif&hash=06b3fcd0559e169f8f697978ffcf9437)     (https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fhyper%2F9.gif&hash=06b3fcd0559e169f8f697978ffcf9437)     (https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fhyper%2F9.gif&hash=06b3fcd0559e169f8f697978ffcf9437)


(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffaculty.nwlehighsd.org%2Flykinsj%2Fimages%2Flaughing.gif&hash=18c314df2f3f4745863f8bae097cbf0c)
http://faculty.nwlehighsd.org/lykinsj/images/laughing.gif
Title: What is the definition of a vitamin?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 05/07/2007 18:06:15
(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fhyper%2F9.gif&hash=06b3fcd0559e169f8f697978ffcf9437)