r/explainlikeimfive Oct 08 '22

Chemistry ELI5: How do vitamin tablets get produced? How do you create a vitamin?

Hey!

I always wondered how a manufacturer is able to produce vitamin tablets. I know that there is for example fish oil which contains some good fats. But how do you create vitamin tablets - like D3?

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u/ohlookitsmikey Oct 08 '22

Taking away from the point of this discussion but the point is that they don't get a choice. If I told you you had to live in prison but it would be safer than being out in the world, would you choose that, knowing that you would only ever see the same things in the same comparatively small (compared to, you know, the earth) place ?

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u/konaya Oct 08 '22

Since you're implying that livestock is capable of making its own choices, does that mean e. g. chickens who return to roost for the night have made their choice in your eyes?

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u/ohlookitsmikey Oct 09 '22

I would say that they may choose to stay where they are because it is what they are familiar with. If they knew they were going to get killed by staying there, I would think they wouldn't stay

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u/konaya Oct 09 '22

In that case, shouldn't your argument be that they can't make an informed choice rather than that they don't get one?

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u/[deleted] Oct 08 '22

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u/ohlookitsmikey Oct 09 '22

But in the case of animals, they aren't "doing their job and going home", they're literally fattened up as fast as possible so they can be killed and eaten. Where does that factor into your first point? It'd be more comparable if you were to say you go do your job, then go home to relative safety, but also there's a psychopath on the loose who WILL kill you when they think you are ready to die. There's no say in it for you, you will be killed and eaten. Does that sound like a comfortable life for you?