Most of us are familiar with Vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K and their important roles in maintaining our overall health, skin, hair, and nails. But have you ever wondered what happened to Vitamins F, G, H, I, and J?
Here’s an interesting piece of vitamin history.
The first vitamins were discovered in the early 20th century and were named alphabetically in the order they were identified. The term “vitamine” was coined by biochemist Casimir Funk, and as scientific understanding improved, several “vitamins” were later reclassified or renamed.
Vitamin F
Vitamin F is not a true vitamin but refers to Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) such as Omega-3 and Omega-6, found in foods like nuts, seeds, spinach, and certain fish. Since the body requires these fats from the diet, they were eventually classified as EFAs rather than vitamins.
Vitamin G
Vitamin G was later identified as Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) and became part of the Vitamin B complex.
Vitamin H
Derived from the German word Haut (meaning “skin”), Vitamin H was eventually renamed Biotin (Vitamin B7), which is well known for supporting healthy skin, hair, and nails.
Vitamin I
There is no officially recognised Vitamin I today. Historically, the designation appeared in some early literature, but it was never established as a separate vitamin.
Vitamin J
Vitamin J was another early designation that was later abandoned as research showed it was not a distinct vitamin. Some historical references associated it with compounds related to Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), but the name is no longer used.
A Fun Fact
Vitamin K gets its name from the German word “Koagulation”, reflecting its essential role in blood clotting.
While every vitamin contributes to overall health, Vitamins A, B-complex, C, and E are particularly well known for their direct benefits to skin health, whereas Vitamin D primarily supports bone health and immunity, and Vitamin K plays a major role in blood clotting, wound healing, and may also help reduce under-eye dark circles and bruising.
