Happy 100th Anniversary to the Vitamin!

WASHINGTON, July 18, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Council for Responsible Nutrition is honoring the 100th anniversary of the vitamin.  The term was coined by Casimir Funk, a Polish-American biochemist, in 1912. In the century since then, scientists have uncovered the specific functions of vitamins and established the many benefits of adequate intakes of these critical nutrients, which by definition are essential to health, wellbeing, and life itself.

"Even the most conscientious consumers find it difficult to get all the nutrients they need from food alone," said Annette Dickinson, Ph.D., author of a new book, The Benefits of Nutritional Supplements, published by the Council for Responsible Nutrition. "We hope that the 100th anniversary commemoration will remind consumers that nutrient shortfalls can have health consequences and that supplementing the diet with vitamins can positively benefit our lives."   

CRN recently released the fourth edition of The Benefits of Nutritional Supplements which assesses the current state of the science on the health benefits associated with nutritional supplements. The report finds that consistent, rational use of vitamins contributes to overall health and wellness throughout all age groups, lifestyles, and life stages. The book can be downloaded at no charge at www.crnusa.org/benefits.

Note to Editor: The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), founded in 1973, is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing dietary supplement manufacturers and ingredient suppliers. In addition to complying with a host of federal and state regulations governing dietary supplements in the areas of manufacturing, marketing, quality control and safety, our 75+ manufacturer and supplier members also agree to adhere to additional voluntary guidelines as well as CRN's Code of Ethics. Visit www.crnusa.org.

SOURCE Council for Responsible Nutrition