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Who Was Casimir Funk?
There has been a lot of work and discoveries being done in the field of science. When we talk about vitamins and the roles that they play in our lives to keep our bodies and systems healthy, we should regard and acknowledge Casimir Funk, who introduced the concept of vital amines. In this article, we will provide you with Casimir Funk’s Biography and will highlight his services.

Casimir Funk: The Father Of Vitamins

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Though he did not become famous and widely known like others, no one can deny the contributions that he made to human health. For quite a long time, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and mineral salts were the only compounds that were considered essential for the growth; however, Funk was not convinced, and he discovered an unexplored substance in the form of tiny crystals from the rice bran when he was testing the feed by giving it to pigeons instead of hens. He found that this crystal was vital for the proper development of living things. The discovery was made in 1911 in London, and he named the newfound substance vitamine, where vita stands for life, and amine is the chemical compound that was found.
With his discovery, he left a permanent mark in the field of health sciences, biochemistry, and nutritional studies. As a brilliant scientist, medical researcher, and biochemist, he made immense contributions to these areas and was always eager to explore more. He is remembered as a man of humility, kindness, empathy, and integrity.

Early Life Of Casimir Funk

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He was born in 1884 in Warsaw, Poland, on February 23, and was the son of a dermatologist. He had a love for science rooted in his blood from his father, who was a practicing skin specialist. After passing high school, Kazimierz Funk studied chemistry in Bern and biology in Geneva, and he got his doctorate degree. By the age of twenty, he received his PhD from the University of Bern. After completing his PhD, he stepped forward by working under professor Stanisław Kostanecki’s supervision, after which he worked at different research institutes in London, including the Department of Organic Chemistry at the University of Berlin and Pasteur Institute in Paris.
He studied cancer while practicing his skills at a German hospital. It was after this that he was certain that the decrease in size or the development of this condition in the body depended on the food ingredients. In the same period, he was also studying the metabolism of uric acid, analyzed the amino acids, and examined the metabolism of proteins.

How Kazimierz Funk Discovered Vitamins

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It was the start of the 20th century and the end of the 19th century when vitamin deficiency disorders peaked. A lot of scientists were working to find what was causing these diseases.
Diseases like scurvy, pellagra, beriberi, and rickets were very common; however, the cause was still unknown.
The first step was taken by a physicist, Christiaan Eijkman when the island of Java got infected by the Beriberi plague. He indicated in his experimental discovery that those individuals who ate brown rice had less chance of getting infected with the disease. To support his study, he conducted experiments on chickens. He found that by giving different feeds, it could be determined which test animals were healthy and which got infected.
The idea was followed by Funk, who was working in London at that time. He succeeded in isolating the responsible substance. The compound was later called niacin; however, he thought of that compound as thiamine. But with this discovery, he opened a new door for the discovery of new compounds.
He was convinced that the cure for other diseases was also possible and proposed four other essential vitamins.
  • One that can prevent beriberi is a nicotinic acid or anti-beriberi compound
  • One preventing scurvy called antiscorbutic
  • One preventing pellagra called anti pellagra
  • One preventing rickets called antirachitic
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After his proposal, he published his book in 1912 named “The Vitamines,” for which he also received a Beit fellowship so he could continue his research. With his hypothesis, he proved himself to be an early investigator.
The compound that he isolated for treating beriberi was later known for treating pellagra. He did not stop his work and worked for thiamine, which is a B vitamin. He determined its molecular structure and developed a method that can be used for synthesizing it.

Conclusion

He died on November 19, 1967, at the age of 83, in Albany, New York, but he got the Nutrition Hall of Fame award after his death to recognize his work. The award was accepted by a member of his family. His efforts were also highlighted upon his death when he was acknowledged in Times, an American magazine.
Every year, a non-profit organization PIASA, called The Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences of America, also honors Polish-American scientists with the Casimir Funk Natural Sciences Award.
On February 23, his 140th birthday, a Google Doodle was commemorated.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Did Casimir Funk Discover?

Funk, who is a Polish-American biochemist, discovered vitamins when he was working on conditions that are associated with vitamin deficiency, which are often called vitamin deficiency disorders. These disorders or diseases include scurvy, rickets, beriberi, and others.

Who Is The Father Of Vitamin Therapy?

Kazimierz Funk is considered the father of vitamin therapy due to the contributions that he made to the field and because he discovered the vital component of vitamins when he discovered them as crystals in rice bran.

Who Discovered Vitamins For The First Time?

A Polish-American Biochemist, Kazimierz Funk, discovered vitamins for the first time in 1911 when he was finding a treatment for beriberi and eventually isolated vitamin B3, also called niacin (nicotinic acid), from rice.

Which Of The Following Vitamins Was Discovered By Dr Casimir Funk?

The compound, which was then termed as an anti-beriberi by Casimir Funk, was later called Vitamin B3. he did not discover any of them directly but laid the foundation by formulating the concept of these essential building blocks of the body.
He proposed nicotinic acid, antiscorbutic, anti-pellagra, and antirachitic compounds for treating the disorders associated with the deficiency of vitamins.

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