Pantothenic acid, also known as vitamin B5, is an essential nutrient that plays a vital role in human metabolism. It helps synthesize coenzyme A, an enzyme required to metabolize fatty acids. It is also necessary for the metabolism of carbohydrates and proteins.
What Is Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)?
Pantothenic acid, or vitamin B5, is a water-soluble B vitamin essential for the body. It is necessary for the body's production of coenzyme A, an enzyme involved in fatty acid metabolism. The body also needs it to synthesize proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.
Vitamin B5 is partly responsible for adrenal function, producing the stress hormone cortisol. The adrenals can function more normally by supplementing the body with this vitamin. This helps them produce normal cortisol levels necessary for motivation and concentration. It is also helpful for reducing the effects of radiation exposure, aiding wound healing, delaying premature aging, and alleviating the symptoms of eczema and insect bites.
Vitamin B5 is commonly found in many common foods. It has been shown to improve heart health and lower triglycerides. It has also been shown to reduce acne-related facial blemishes. Despite its benefits, this vitamin should only be used under the supervision of a doctor.
A good source of pantothenic acid is whole grains. However, milling can remove up to 75 percent of the vitamin. Other sources include dairy products and legumes, such as lentils and split peas. Besides grains, you should also have foods high in vitamin B5, like mushrooms, spinach, broccoli, kale, and peanuts.
Health Benefits of Vitamin B5
Pantothenic acid is a water-soluble vitamin that is beneficial for many health conditions. It improves skin and eyesight, helps maintain a healthy nervous system, and promotes cardiac health. It may also help with digestive problems and improve your sleep patterns. However, getting the right amount of this vitamin through food is essential.
One of the most significant benefits of Vitamin B5 is its ability to improve energy levels. Vitamin B5 influences the production of coenzyme A and melatonin, two hormones that regulate sleep. A deficiency in either of these factors can result in daytime fatigue, sleep problems, and an inability to regulate your body's hormones.
Vitamin B5 also helps the nervous system work properly. It allows the nervous system to communicate with the muscles and organs by creating a molecule called acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is an essential component of the brain and nervous system, and a deficiency in this vitamin can impair nerve function and make it harder to move.
Side Effects
Vitamin B5 can interact with other medications. Some of these include cholinesterase inhibitors and estrogen. These drugs may increase the effects of Vitamin B5. In addition, it may decrease the effects of medications that lower cholesterol. While vitamin B5 is generally safe, overdoses can cause side effects. For example, excessive intake of the vitamin may increase the risk of diarrhea, nausea, and blood loss. In addition, it can interfere with the absorption of certain drugs, including tetracycline and cholinesterase inhibitors.
Signs of Deficiency
There are various signs and symptoms of vitamin B5 pantothenic acid deficiencies. These can include poor growth, nerve symptoms, and anemia. Fortunately, pantothenic acid deficiency is relatively rare in the Western world.
Vitamin B5 is essential for nerve function and helps to produce a crucial molecule called acetylcholine. This molecule helps the nervous system communicate with the organs and muscles. Insufficient amounts of this vitamin can affect nerve function and impair movement.
Although vitamin B5 deficiency is rare in the United States, it can occur in people suffering from severe malnutrition and specific genetic mutations. A deficiency in this vitamin can be severe and may cause severe mental and physical health problems. A proper diet will provide enough vitamin B5 to meet your daily needs.
A deficiency in pantothenic acid may cause other symptoms, such as anemia and impaired glucose metabolism. These symptoms can be challenging to identify because other nutritional deficiencies often mask the symptoms. Signs of a vitamin B5 deficiency can vary from person to person, but they are often related to other medical conditions.
Vitamin B5 deficiency can affect the nervous, gastrointestinal, and immune systems. Other signs of vitamin B5 deficiency include skin lesions and body hair loss. If these symptoms are present, you should consider taking vitamin B5 supplements. However, it is always best to consult your health care provider before taking dietary supplements.
Nutrition Source of Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)
Pantothenic acid is a water-soluble vitamin that humans cannot synthesize. For this reason, it is vital to get this vitamin from our foods. It can be found in various foods, including whole grains, fish, eggs, and dairy products. In addition, some people take vitamin B5 dietary supplements to help compensate for a deficiency.
- Beef liver, boiled, three ounces: 8.3mg - 166% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Breakfast cereals, fortified with 100% of the DV: 5mg - 100% of the DV
- Shitake mushrooms, cooked, ½ cup pieces: 2.6mg - 52% of the DV
- Sunflower seeds, ¼ cup: 2.4mg - 48% of the DV
- Chicken, breast meat, skinless, roasted, three ounces: 1.3mg - 26% of the DV
- Tuna, fresh, bluefin, cooked, three ounces: 1.2mg - 24% of the DV
- Avocados, raw, ½ avocado: 1.0mg - 20% of the DV
- Milk, 2% milkfat, 1 cup: 0.9mg - 18% of the DV
- Mushrooms, white, stir-fried, ½ cup sliced: 0.8mg - 16% of the DV
- Potatoes, russet, flesh, and skin, baked, one medium: 0.7mg - 14% of the DV
- Egg, hard-boiled, one large: 0.7mg - 14% of the DV
- Greek yogurt, vanilla, nonfat, 5.3-ounce container: 0.6mg - 12% of the DV
- Ground beef, 85% lean meat, broiled, three ounces: 0.6mg - 12% of the DV
- Peanuts, roasted in oil, ¼ cup: 0.5mg - 10% of the DV
- Broccoli, boiled, ½ cup: 0.5mg - 10% of the DV
- Whole-wheat pita, one large: 0.5mg - 10% of the DV
- Chickpeas, canned, ½ cup: 0.4mg - 8% of the DV
- Rice, brown, medium grain, cooked, ½ cup: 0.4mg - 8% of the DV
- Oats, regular and quick, cooked with water, ½ cup: 0.4mg - 8% of the DV
- Cheese, cheddar, 1.5 ounces: 0.2mg - 4% of the DV
- Carrots, chopped, raw, ½ cup: 0.2mg - 4% of the DV
- Cabbage, boiled, ½ cup: 0.1mg - 2% of the DV
- Clementine, raw, one clementine: 0.1mg - 2% of the DV
- Tomatoes, raw, chopped, or sliced, ½ cup: 0.1mg - 2% of the DV
Takeaway
Vitamin B5 is a common nutrient found in almost all foods. It is generally safe to consume in small amounts and the right proportions, though it can cause diarrhea and bleeding in large quantities. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not exceed the recommended daily allowance.
Pantothenic acid plays a role in many biological processes, including nerve function. It helps produce a vital molecule called acetylcholine, which the nervous system needs to communicate with organs and muscles. If the body is deficient in this vitamin, nerves can become damaged, and movement can be impaired.
Vitamin B5 is present in foods rich in protein. Fresh meats and vegetables contain higher levels of this vitamin than refined foods. Whole grains and legumes also contain high amounts of this vitamin. Also, it is a critical component of the immune system, generating antibodies that fight bacteria and parasites.
