by Dr. Marli Botha
Most people take a multivitamin daily, and it’s possible to get virtually every vitamin the human body needs in supplement form. Vitamins are included in our daily routines in the pursuit of making our immune systems and other bodily functions stronger. Vitamin supplements are meant to supplement our food, which is where we’re meant to get the vast majority of our vitamins. There’s a lot about vitamins you may not know!
- When you’re taking your daily vitamin, you may have the handiwork of a female scientist in your hands. Marguerite Davis co-discovered the existence of vitamin A in 1913, Katherine Bishop was part of the team that discovered vitamin E in 1922, and Lucy Wills was the sole discoverer of folic acid.
- We all know that we get vitamin D through absorbing it through our skin — but a study in 2017 found that it might also be helpful when taken in supplement form shortly after experiencing a sunburn. It created some anti-inflammatory action and helped reduce swelling and pain, so if you’ve been burned, reach for both the Aloe Vera and vitamin D.
- A 2010 study found that where you keep your vitamins is important: storing them in humid places like the bathroom or kitchen, where a lot of steam is a regular occurrence, can degrade their efficiency and ingredients. Keep them in a dry, cool place.
- Most Vitamin D3 supplements are made from Lanolin, which is the wax found on sheep wool.
- The only mammals that can’t make vitamin C in their bodies are primates, guinea pigs, fruit bats, and humans. Somehow, during evolution, we lost one of four vital enzymes needed to produce it. This means we have to get vitamin C from elsewhere.
