Vitamin B5 -pantothenic acid Micronutrient dictionary

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Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)

What is vitamin b5?

Vitamin B5 is a water-soluble vitamin and belongs to the group of B vitamins. The medical name is pantothenic acid.

What are the functions of vitamin b5?

Pantothenic acid is part of coenzyme A, which has a special position in the citrate cycle. If carbohydrate or fatty acid components are introduced into this cycle, this occurs via the binding of a component to coenzyme A. Only in this way can energy production continue up to the respiratory chain. Coenzyme A is also involved in the formation of steroid hormones and ketone bodies¹. Pantothenic acid is also important in the nervous system. Our brain consumes over 500 kcal a day in the form of energy, which must first be produced². The group of B vitamins, including pantothenic acid, contributes to this.

What makes vitamin b5 unique?

The influence on steroid hormone production is something special. Not many micronutrients have an influence here. It is also assumed that certain intestinal bacteria also produce pantothenic acid and that the intestine can absorb this vitamin B5³. However, more details have not yet been clarified.

How much vitamin B5 do you need per day?

The German Nutrition Society (DGE) gives the following estimates for an adequate intake of pantothenic acid⁶:

Age	Pantothenic acid mg/day
Infants
0 to under 4 months	2
4 to under 12 months	4
Children and teenagers
1 to under 4 years	4
4 to under 7 years	4
7 to under 10 years	4
10 to under 13 years	5
13 to under 15 years	5
15 to under 19 years	5
Adults
19 to under 25 years	5
5 to under 51 years	5
51 to under 65 years	5
65 years and older	5
Pregnant women	7
Breastfeeding	7

When do you need vitamin b5 most?

Vitamin B5 can support mental performance when learning or otherwise increasing concentration. If there are also imbalances in steroid hormones or some neurotransmitters, vitamin B5 can be helpful. Vitamin B5 can also have a positive effect on skin and hair.⁵

How does an vitamin b5 deficiency develop and how does it manifest itself?

Pantothenic acid deficiency is extremely rare. It usually occurs as a result of severe malnutrition. People with chronic intestinal inflammation, severe diabetes mellitus, alcoholics and dialysis patients can also develop such a deficiency. Typical symptoms of this deficiency are tingling feet, also known as “burning feet syndrome” due to the burning pain. Non-specific symptoms such as palpitations, headaches, tiredness and muscle weakness can also occur.⁷

What happens if there is an overdose of vitamin b5?

Pantothenic acid is classified as non-toxic. Larger amounts of this water-soluble vitamin are excreted in the urine. In studies in which participants were given high doses of 10 to 20 g per day, side effects such as diarrhea and edema were observed.⁸

Which foods are particularly high in vitamin B5?

Pantothenic acid is found in almost all foods, at least in small quantities. Liver, meat, fish and pulses, for example, contain a lot of pantothenic acid. Like many vitamins, pantothenic acid is not particularly heat-stable.

Further blog articles on the topic

What vitamins are there and what do they do in your body?

Vitamins are vital substances for your body. You need them to maintain all your bodily functions; without them, your body would not be able to perform or survive. In this article, we will start by introducing you to these vital substances and going into more detail about the functions of the vitamins. We even need two parts for 13 vitamins. Here in Part 1 you will find everything about the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and vitamin K2.

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What are the functions of water-soluble vitamins?

Having already dealt with the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K2 in Part 1, the water-soluble vitamins, which are in no way inferior to the fat-soluble vitamins, are still missing. What functions do B vitamins and of course the well-known vitamin C have? Find out more in part 2 on vitamins.

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