You can get Vitamin A, B (8 different types), C, D, E and K. But why the random jump from E to K? Why didn’t they just call the next classification Vitamin F?
Here’s Why
Over time some vitamins have been either; re-classified, completely discarded or renamed – as in the case of Vitamin B which became a “complex” of vitamins. When scientists described Vitamin K most of the letters from F to J were already designated, and the vitamin is involved in the koagulation of blood following wounding, so it was reasonable to give it the letter they did. However over time with vitamin classifications changing it has left a gap.
Previously Classifed Vitamins
Here is the list of vitamins which are no longer recognised. First it has the vitamin name, then the chemical name and also the reason for the name change.
- Vitamin B4 – Adenine DNA – Metabolite
- Vitamin B8 – Adenylic acid DNA – Metabolite
- Vitamin F – Essential fatty acids – Needed in large quantities
- Vitamin G – Riboflavin – Reclassified as Vitamin B2
- Vitamin H – Biotin – Reclassified as Vitamin B7
- Vitamin J – Catechol, Flavin – Protein metabolite
- Vitamin L1 – Anthranilic acid – Protein metabolite
- Vitamin L2 – Adenylthiomethylpentose – RNA metabolite
- Vitamin M – Folic acid – Reclassified as Vitamin B9
- Vitamin O – Carnitine – Protein metabolite
- Vitamin P – Flavonoids – No longer classified as a vitamin
- Vitamin PP – Niacin – Reclassified as Vitamin B3
- Vitamin U – S-Methylmethionine – Protein metabolite
Maybe in the future we will have a Vitamin Z?
Source: Wikipedia. Image: sxc
