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Supports your body as it burns carbohydrates
Your body converts pantothenic acid, also known as vitamin B-5, into coenzyme A, which helps metabolize carbohydrates, proteins, and fat. Like other B vitamins, this nutrient is essential for a wide variety of processes. It helps with red blood cell creation, antibody production, neurotransmitter formation, and many other functions. As a water-soluble vitamin, pantothenic acid must be obtained through your diet.
Quick Facts About Pantothenic Acid
- There is no official RDA recommendation for healthy adults, but daily intake can range from 4 to 7 mg.
- Some foods rich in pantothenic acid are brewer's yeast, corn, eggs, lentils, organ meats, soybeans, and sweet potatoes.
- Some signs of deficiency are "burning foot" syndrome (rare), fatigue, and tingling and shooting pains through your toes and feet.
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You May Need More Pantothenic Acid if You Have (or Have Had)
- A history of alcohol or drug abuse
- Chronic malnutrition
- A portion of your gastrointestinal tract removed
- Recent injury or severe burns
- Recent surgery
- Vigorous or daily exercise regimen
Or if You're
- Pregnant or breastfeeding
- Over age 55
- Under excessive stress
What Works Best -- and Worst - with Pantothenic Acid
- B vitamins work together for many of your body's functions, so you should not increase one B vitamin without increasing other B vitamins in proportion. For example, if you're taking double the provisional intake of pantothenic acid, you should take double the RDA of all other B vitamins.
Forms Available
- Individual supplements as tablets or capsules
- Extended-release capsules or tablets
- Liquid solution
- Injectable forms
- A constituent of many multivitamin/mineral preparations
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Chemical Forms
- Calcium pantothenate
- Pantethine
- Panthoderm
- Dexpanthenol
- Pantothenyl alcohol (panthenol)
Comments on Pantothenic Acid
- Vitamin B-5 is available as pantothenic acid and pantethine.
- Individual supplements are found as calcium pantothenate (92% pantothenic acid and 8% calcium) and as a more active metabolite called pantethine, a very unstable, expensive supplement.
- The cholesterol-lowering effects of B-5 are only associated with the pantethine form because pantethine is not converted into coenzymes by your body.
- Large doses of calcium pantothenate may cause diarrhea.
- Pathoderm is a form of patotheneic acid used in some skin creams and lotions.
- Panthenol is often found in hair-care products. It will not cause hair to regrow or get rid of gray.
- Hemophiliacs should not use dexpathenol because it may delay blood clotting.
- Your body converts pantothenic acid into two coenzymes called coenzyme A (CoA) and acyl carrier protein (ACP).
- CoA and ACP are essential for production of energy, hormones, red blood cells, and vitamin D.
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Known Benefits of Pantothenic Acid
- Important in catabolic processes and synthesis of hormones
- Essential for proper growth and development
- Helps metabolize carbohydrates, fats, and proteins
Unproven Claims
- Reduces stress
- Improves athletic performance by a small percent
- Lowers antibody affinity
- Helps in autoimmune disorders
- Reduces cholesterol and triglyceride levels
- Alleviates symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis
- Aids in wound healing
- Accelerates the detoxification of alcohol, helping remove acetaldehyde
- Helps treat neurological disorders
Pantothenic Acid May Prevent These Signs of Deficiency
Clinical deficiency has not been recognized because pantothenic acid is so widely distributed in foods. Induced deficiency has produced these reported symptoms:
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Hypersensitive reflex reaction of hands and feet
- Burning and prickly heat sensations in hands and feet
- Weakness
- Gastrointestinal disorders
- Irritability
- Prone to infections
Recommended Dosage Range for Pantothenic Acid
- Our pharmacists suggest that healthy adults may take between 7 to 500 mg per day.
- RDA values were set as the minimum needed to offset deficiency or disease, not as an actual value needed for optimum health.
- In the United States, the average consumption of pantothenic acid is 6 mg per day.
- Consult your physician before starting any high-dose supplement regimen.
Dietary Sources
Food Tips
- Pantothenoic acid is fairly stable. The heat of cooking will not degrade it.
- Cooking in basic (with baking soda) or acidic (with vinegar) conditions will degrade pantothenoic acid.
- Cook foods in a minimal amount of water to avoid the loss of pantothenic acid.
- Processed foods can lose half of their pantothenoic acid.
- Frozen foods retain much of their pantothenic acid content, although some pantothenic acid is lost upon thawing in drip fluid.
| Foods High in Pantothenic Acid | Serving Size | Amount of Pantothenic Acid | Units |
|---|
Beef liver
Chicken leg, with skin
Chicken liver
Lentils
Mushrooms, cooked
Potato, baked with skin
Yogurt, low-fat
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3 ounces
1 medium
3 ounces
1 cup
1/2 cup
1 medium
1 cup
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3.9
1.32
4.63
1.26
1.69
1.12
1.34
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mg
mg
mg
mg
mg
mg
mg
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When and How to Take Pantothenic Acid
- Swallow tablets whole with a glass of water.
- Take with food or immediately after meals to enhance absorption.
What to Take with Pantothenic Acid
- B vitamins compete for absorption in your intestines. Therefore, each dose of pantothenic acid should be taken with a proportionate amount of the other B vitamins (i.e., if you are consuming double the RDA of one B vitamin, you should take double the RDA of the other B vitamins).
- Cobalamin helps pantothenic acid conversion to coenzyme A.
- Vitamin C may delay pantothenic acid deficiency, and pantothenic acid may be necessary for the efficient utilization of vitamin C.
- Vitamin A may be necessary for efficient utilization of pantothenic acid.
What Not to Take with Pantothenic Acid
- Chronic alcohol consumption decreases absorption of pantothenic acid.
Storage
- Keep pantothenic acid in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and air.
- Don't store pantothenic acid in your bathroom medicine cabinet since heat and moisture may make it less effective.
- Store safely out of children's reach.
Recommended Daily Allowance
| AGE/GROUP | RDA |
|---|
Infants
0 to 6 months
6 to 12 months
1 to 3 years
4 to 6 years
7 to 10 years
Males
11 to 14 years
15 to 18 years
19 to 24 years
25 to 50 years
51+ years
Females
11 to 14 years
15 to 18 years
19 to 24 years
25 to 50 years
51+ years
Pregnant
Lactating
1 to 6 months
6 to 12 months
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mg (milligrams)
2 to 3 Provisional, No RDA
3 Provisional, No RDA
3 Provisional, No RDA
3 to 4 Provisional, No RDA
4 to 5 Provisional, No RDA
4 to 7 Provisional, No RDA
4 to 7 Provisional, No RDA
4 to 7 Provisional, No RDA
4 to 7 Provisional, No RDA
4 to 7 Provisional, No RDA
4 to 7 Provisional, No RDA
4 to 7 Provisional, No RDA
4 to 7 Provisional, No RDA
4 to 7 Provisional, No RDA
4 to 7 Provisional, No RDA
4 to 7 Provisional, No RDA
4 to 7 Provisional, No RDA
4 to 7 Provisional, No RDA
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Warnings
Consult a physician before use or do not use pantothenic acid if:- You're about to start a high-dose supplement program.
Pantothenic Acid May Have Interactions with
- Alcohol and other drugs: when any of these is abused, lower the level of pantothenic acid in the body.
Side Effects
- Diarrhea
- Water retention
- Non-life-threatening side effects are likely to occur at doses greater than 10 grams per day.
- Six weeks of supplementation at 10 grams per day produced no toxic effects.
Signs of Overdose
No known toxicity from oral supplements
What to Do in Case of Overdose
If you are concerned about the side effects of pantothenic acid, consult your healthcare provider.
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