在英语中,维生素(vitamin)这个单词是由两个部分构成的——Vita意思是生命,而胺(amine)包含在化学结构中。单词Vitamin如此构词,是因为原来人们认为所有的维生素对生命都极为重要(正确认识),另外那是胺类化合物(错误认识)。维生素是天然存在的有机分子,是机体生长及保持健康的生理机能所必需的一类物质。尽管维生素天然存在,然而直接从自然界提取出来极为昂贵,因此除了V_E外,市场上大部分维生素都是通过石油化工合成出来的。 In English, the word vitamin is made up of two parts - Vita means life, and the amine is contained in the chemical structure. The word Vitamin is so constructed because people think that all vitamins are vital to life (correct understanding) and that the other is amines (misperceptions). Vitamins are naturally occurring organic molecules that are necessary for the body to grow and maintain a healthy physiological function. Although vitamins are naturally occurring and are therefore extremely expensive to extract directly from nature, most of the vitamins on the market are synthesized by the petrochemical industry in addition to V_E.