Sunshine Vitamin (Vitamin D nickname)

Vitamin D can be acquired through exposure to sunlight. The vitamin D nickname of the “sunshine vitamin” has been cited in print since at least 1927, when the nickname was used in newspaper advertisements for products such as cod liver oil and beer.
 
Other vitamin nicknames include “Anti-Infective Vitamin” (Vitamin A), “Anti-Sterility Vitamin” (Vitamin E), “Anti-Stress Vitamin” (Vitamin B5), “Forgotten Vitamin” (Vitamin K), “Memory Vitamin” (Choline), “Morale Vitamin” (Vitamin B1), “Vitamin of Memory” (Vitamin B1) and “Woman’s Vitamin” (Vitamin B6).
     
 
Wikipedia: Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble secosteroids. In humans, vitamin D is unique because it can be ingested as cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) or ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) and because the body can also synthesize it (from cholesterol) when sun exposure is adequate (hence its nickname, the “sunshine vitamin”).
 
Although vitamin D is commonly called a vitamin, it is not actually an essential dietary vitamin in the strict sense, as it can be synthesized in adequate amounts by all mammals from sunlight. An organic chemical compound (or related set of compounds) is only scientifically called a vitamin when it cannot be synthesized in sufficient quantities by an organism, and must be obtained from their diet. However, as with other compounds commonly called vitamins, vitamin D was discovered in an effort to find the dietary substance that was lacking in a disease, namely, rickets, the childhood form of osteomalacia. Additionally, like other compounds called vitamins, in the developed world vitamin D is added to staple foods, such as milk, to avoid disease due to deficiency.
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History
American researchers Elmer McCollum and Marguerite Davis in 1913 discovered a substance in cod liver oil which later was called “vitamin A”. British doctor Edward Mellanby noticed dogs that were fed cod liver oil did not develop rickets and concluded vitamin A, or a closely associated factor, could prevent the disease. In 1921, Elmer McCollum tested modified cod liver oil in which the vitamin A had been destroyed. The modified oil cured the sick dogs, so McCollum concluded the factor in cod liver oil which cured rickets was distinct from vitamin A. He called it vitamin D because it was the fourth vitamin to be named. It was not initially realized that, unlike other vitamins, vitamin D can be synthesised by humans through exposure to UV light.
 
In 1923, it was established that when 7-dehydrocholesterol is irradiated with light, a form of a fat-soluble vitamin is produced (now known as D3). Alfred Fabian Hess showed “light equals vitamin D.”
 
6 April 1927, Newark Advocate and American Tribune (Newark, OH), pg. 13, col. 7 ad:
The cod-liver oil supplies the sunshine vitamin (“D”) that prevents leg weakness and reduces mortality.
(Ubiko buttermilk starting mash with cod-liver oil—ed.)
 
20 August 1927, Reno (NV) Evening Gazette, pg. 15, col. 5 ad:
SCHLITZ is always good and good for you. Each bottle and can contains Sunshine Vitamin D.
(Schlitz Beer—ed.)
 
10 February 1928, The Evening Tribune (San Diego, CA), “Vitamins Help to Health, Claim,” pg. 9, col. 5:
Vitamin C is found mainly in oranges, tomatoes, cabbages and lettuce, while vitamin D, known as the sunshine vitamin, is found mostly in butter.
 
2 October 1928, Cleveland (OH) Plain Dealer, pg. 12, col. 3 ad:
In Vitamin D, the “sunshine vitamin” which is necessary to build strong bones and strong teeth, and in Vitamin A which promotes growth and increases resistance to infections.
(Squibb’s Cod-Liver Oil—ed.)
 
19 February 1929, The Evening News (San Jose, CA), “Cereal Treated with Violet Rays Is Like Eating Sunshine,” pg. 8, col. 3:
These ultra-violet rays help us to store In our skins, for use In our bodies, the sunshine Vitamin D that helps keep us strong and well.
   
OCLC WorldCat record
Capturing the sunshine vitamin (vitamin-D) in 88 new Bond Bread recipes.
Author: General Baking Company.
Publisher: [New York] : General Baking Co., ©1932.
Edition/Format:   Book : English
 
OCLC WorldCat record
Find Way to Measure Amount of Sunshine Vitamin in Milk
Edition/Format:   Article : English
Publication: The Science News-Letter, Jun. 8, 1935, vol. 27, no. 739, p. 366-367
Database: JSTOR
 
OCLC WorldCat record
Vitamin D: The sunshine vitamin - but can you get enough without running the risk of skin cancer?
Edition/Format:   Article
Publication: WHICH WAY TO HEALTH, (April 1993): 52
Database: British Library Serials
 
OCLC WorldCat record
The sunshine vitamin: Recent advice to avoid the sun could be putting some people at risk of Vitamin D deficiency
Author: A Walker
Edition/Format:   Article : English
Publication: CHEMIST AND DRUGGIST, 262, no. 6467, (October 23, 2004): 21-29
Database: British Library Serials
 
OCLC WorldCat record
The ABCs of D. Almost everyone needs more of the sunshine vitamin.
Author: D Kotz
Edition/Format:   Article : English
Publication: U.S. news & world report, 2006 Dec 18; 141(23): 65-6
Database: From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
 
OCLC WorldCat record
Vitamin D : the sunshine vitamin
Author: Zoltan P Rona
Publisher: Summertown, Tenn. : Books Alive, ©2010.
Edition/Format:   Book : English