The correct answer is: A. 15th century
The story of vitamins dates back to the 15th century, when the Dutch physician and alchemist Jan Baptista van Helmont (1579-1644) discovered that plants need more than just water and soil to grow. He found that they also need something he called “gas” or “air”. This discovery was the first step in understanding the role of vitamins in human nutrition.
In the 17th century, the English physician Thomas Willis (1621-1675) observed that people who ate a lot of meat were more likely to get scurvy than people who ate a lot of fruits and vegetables. He suggested that scurvy was caused by a lack of something in the diet, but he didn’t know what that something was.
In the 18th century, the Scottish physician James Lind (1716-1794) conducted a famous experiment on sailors who were suffering from scurvy. He divided the sailors into two groups. One group was given a daily dose of lemon juice, while the other group was not. The sailors who received the lemon juice recovered from scurvy, while the sailors who did not receive the lemon juice did not. This experiment showed that scurvy could be prevented by eating foods that contain vitamin C.
In the 19th century, scientists began to isolate and identify the vitamins. In 1912, the Polish-American biochemist Casimir Funk (1884-1967) coined the term “vitamine” (from the Latin word “vita”, meaning “life”) to describe these substances. Funk believed that vitamins were essential for life, and he was right.
Vitamins are essential nutrients that the body needs to function properly. They are found in a variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and dairy products. Vitamins are divided into two groups: water-soluble vitamins and fat-soluble vitamins. Water-soluble vitamins are absorbed by the body and excreted in the urine. Fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed by the body and stored in the liver and fatty tissues.
The body needs vitamins for a variety of functions, including:
- Metabolism: Vitamins help the body convert food into energy.
- Growth and development: Vitamins are essential for the growth and development of the body.
- Immune function: Vitamins help the body fight off infection.
- Vision: Vitamins are essential for good vision.
- Blood clotting: Vitamins help the blood to clot properly.
- Nerve function: Vitamins are essential for the proper function of the nerves.
- Bone health: Vitamins are essential for strong bones and teeth.
Vitamin deficiency can cause a variety of health problems, including:
- Scurvy: Scurvy is a disease caused by a lack of vitamin C. Symptoms of scurvy include fatigue, weakness, bleeding gums, and skin problems.
- Rickets: Rickets is a disease caused by a lack of vitamin D. Symptoms of rickets include soft bones, bowed legs, and poor growth.
- Beriberi: Beriberi is a disease caused by a lack of vitamin B1. Symptoms of beriberi include fatigue, weakness, and nerve damage.
- Pellagra: Pellagra is a disease caused by a lack of vitamin B3. Symptoms of pellagra include diarrhea, dermatitis, and dementia.
- Night blindness: Night blindness is a condition caused by a lack of vitamin A. Symptoms of night blindness include difficulty seeing in dim light.
- Anemia: Anemia is a condition caused by a lack of iron. Symptoms of anemia include fatigue, shortness of breath, and pale skin.
It is important to get enough vitamins in your diet. You can do this by eating a variety of healthy foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and dairy products. You can also take a multivitamin supplement if you are not getting enough vitamins from your diet.