Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)
What is it: Pantothenic Acid or B5 is another essential vitamin of the B vitamin family. Along with the others it helps convert food into energy, is water-soluble and it's name
Functions/Benefits: Like other B vitamins, B5 is critical to aid in converting the food we eat into energy. More specifically, this vitamin assists out bodies in synthesizing acyl carrier protein and coenzyme A (CoA) which are responsible for metabolizing fatty acids.
Food Sources: This vitamin get it's name from the Greek word for meaning 'from everywhere', pantos, because B5 is found in nearly all foods at least in small quantities. Some plant based sources include mushrooms (especially shiitakes), broccoli, nuts, beans, peas, lentils, sweet potatoes, avocados and much more. Animal sources include meats, poultry, dairy products and eggs.
Deficiency/Toxicity: It's very rare to be deficient in B5 given it's found in so many food sources, but someone not getting a healthy and varied diet could suffer from a lack of B5 and most likely would also be suffering from a lack of other essential vitamins as well. Signs of a deficiency could be fatigue, irritability, headache, lack of muscle coordination and gastrointestinal problems.
There is no risk of toxicity in taking too much B5 as your body can easily dispose of any excess. However, if you do ingest too much through supplementation, some side effects could be an upset stomach and diarrhea.
Fun Factoid: Vitamin B5 is abundant in lots of foods and oddly enough found in Royal Bee Jelly made by worker honey bees to feed the queen bee larvae. Queen Bees need their B vitamins too!
| Life Stage | Recommended Amount |
|---|---|
| Birth to 6 months | 1.7 mg |
| Infants 7–12 months | 1.8 mg |
| Children 1–3 years | 2 mg |
| Children 4–8 years | 3 mg |
| Children 9–13 years | 4 mg |
| Teens 14–18 years (boys) | 5 mg |
| Teens 14–18 years (girls) | 5 mg |
| Adults (men) | 5 mg |
| Adults (women) | 5 mg |
| Pregnant teens | 6 mg |
| Pregnant women | 6 mg |
| Breastfeeding teens | 7 mg |
| Breastfeeding women | 7 mg |
Below are sources and further studies to review on vitamin B5.
Pantothenic Acid Fact Sheet for Health Professionals