Vitamin B9

The history of Vitamin B9 is fascinating and involves the identification of a nutrient crucial for preventing neural tube defects in newborns. In the 1930s, Lucy Wills, a British hematologist, conducted groundbreaking research in India. She observed a higher incidence of anemia in pregnant women, which led to adverse outcomes such as stillbirths and neural tube defects in their offspring.

Wills conducted experiments with yeast extract and discovered that it had a preventive effect on anemia in pregnant women. She identified a substance in the yeast that was later recognized as folate. This groundbreaking work laid the foundation for understanding the importance of folate in pregnancy and preventing neural tube defects.

In the 1940s, American researcher Robert Stokstad isolated folic acid from spinach and identified it as the active component of the anti-anemic factor in yeast. Folate was later recognized as a B-vitamin, and folic acid, a synthetic form of folate, became the common supplement to prevent deficiency-related conditions, especially during pregnancy.