Vitamin B5

Figure 1. The chemical structure of Vitamin B5 (or Pantothenic Acid).

Vitamin B5 or Pantothenic Acid is a micronutrient and one of eight essential B vitamins. Vitamin B5 is a water soluble vitamin, and it is required to synthesise coenzyme A (which is essential for fatty acid metabolism) in all animals as well as to synthesise and metabolise proteins, carbohydrates, and fats in general. In the human body, bacteria in the gut can produce some Vitamin B5 but not enough to meet dietary needs.

Food Sources

Vitamin B5 is found in almost all plant and animal foods. Examples include:

• Fortified cereals
• Organ meats (liver, kidney)
• Beef
• Chicken breast
• Mushrooms
• Avocado
• Nuts, seeds
• Dairy milk
• Yogurt
• Potatoes
• Eggs
• Brown rice
• Oats
• Broccoli

Taken as a Dietary Supplement

As a dietary supplement, Vitamin B5 is used to treat Vitamin B5 deficiency. While rare, Vitamin B5 deficiency may occur in people with sever malnutrition or in people with genetic mutations which result in a failure to metabolise pantothenic acid in the body. Symptoms of Vitamin B5 deficiency include:

• Headache
• Fatigue
• Irritability, restlessness
• Disturbed sleep
• Nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps
• Numbness or burning sensation in hands or feet
• Muscle cramps

The Recommended Dietary Allowance for men and women ages 19+ years is 5mg daily. For pregnancy and lactation, the amount increases to 6mg and 7mg daily, respectively. Being a water soluble vitamin, Vitamin B5 is well tolerated in the human body thus unlikely to cause adverse side effects from high Vitamin B5 intake.