Vitamins are named ABC based on their discovery order and solubility.
The Origin of Vitamin Names
In 1913, scientists established a naming system for vitamins that categorized them by their solubility. According to Dr. Blonz from The Mercury News, vitamins were initially divided into two groups:
- Fat-soluble A: These vitamins dissolve in fat.
- Water-soluble B: These vitamins dissolve in water.
This method of classification became the basis for naming the vitamins, proceeding in the sequence of their discovery.
How the Naming Convention Progressed
The naming of vitamins continued alphabetically as new ones were identified. It was not initially intended for a single letter to represent a single vitamin, thus, after the initial grouping into A and B, further discoveries led to the addition of C, D, E, and K in that order. Within the B category, we now see B vitamins given numerical suffixes (B1, B2 etc.).
Example:
| Vitamin Category | Name Origin | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Fat-soluble | Named 'A' first, since it was the first fat-soluble vitamin discovered. | Vitamin A |
| Water-soluble | Named 'B' first, since it was the first water-soluble vitamin discovered. | Vitamin B |
| Subsequent Discoveries | The subsequent vitamins were named C, D, E, and K based on their order of discovery. | Vitamin C |
Key Takeaway
The names of vitamins A, B, and C (and beyond) were not assigned randomly. The first vitamins were distinguished by solubility, then the discovery timeline decided subsequent names, following the alphabetic order. The 'A' and 'B' designations are very important, as they refer to whether the vitamin is fat or water soluble, whilst the C, D, E and K are named alphabetically in order of discovery.
