Vitamin E Discovery

Vitamin E, first identified in 1922 by Evans and Bishop as an unidentified factor present in vegetable oils necessary for female rat reproduction, was initially denoted as 'factor X' and the 'antisterility factor.' Nevertheless, Evans proposed the adoption of the letter E for this factor to conform to the established naming convention used for vitamin D at that time.

In 1936, researchers successfully isolated an active vitamin E compound from wheat germ oil. This compound enabled animals to produce offspring, prompting the research group to name it alpha-tocopherol, derived from the Greek words 'tocos' (meaning childbirth) and 'ferein' (to bring forth), emphasizing its importance in rat fertility. The inclusion of the 'ol' suffix indicated the presence of an OH group in the molecule.

The correct structure of vitamin E was determined in 1938, and in the same year, P. Karrer successfully synthesized the substance.

During the 1940s, Canadian physicians discovered that vitamin E could provide protection against coronary heart disease in humans. Since then, the demand for vitamin E has rapidly increased, leading to a proliferation of product types available to the pharmaceutical, food, feed, and cosmetic industries.

In 1968, the Food and Nutrition Boards of the National Academy of Sciences officially recognized vitamin E as an essential nutrient.
Vitamin E Discovery