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Pantothenic acid (also known as vitamin B5) is an essential nutrient that is naturally present in some foods, added to others, and available as a dietary supplement. The main function of this water-soluble B vitamin is in the synthesis of coenzyme A (CoA) and acyl carrier protein. CoA is essential for fatty acid synthesis and degradation, transfer of acetyl and acyl groups, and a multitude of other anabolic and catabolic processes. Acyl carrier protein’s main role is in fatty acid synthesis.
A wide variety of plant and animal foods contain pantothenic acid. About 85% of dietary pantothenic acid is in the form of CoA or phosphopantetheine. These forms are converted to pantothenic acid by digestive enzymes (nucleosidases, peptidases, and phosphorylases) in the intestinal lumen and intestinal cells. Pantothenic acid is absorbed in the intestine and delivered directly into the bloodstream by active transport (and possibly simple diffusion at higher doses). Pantetheine, the dephosphorylated form of phosphopantetheine, however, is first taken up by intestinal cells and converted to pantothenic acid before being delivered into the bloodstream. The intestinal flora also produces pantothenic acid, but its contribution to the total amount of pantothenic acid that the body absorbs is not known. Red blood cells carry pantothenic acid throughout the body. Most pantothenic acid in tissues is in the form of CoA, but smaller amounts are present as acyl carrier protein or free pantothenic acid.
Pantothenic acid status is not routinely measured in healthy people. Microbiologic growth assays, animal bioassays, and radioimmunoassays can be used to measure pantothenic concentrations in blood, urine, and tissue, but urinary concentrations are the most reliable indicators because of their close relationship with dietary intake. With a typical American diet, the urinary excretion rate for pantothenic acid is about 2.6 mg/day. Excretion of less than 1 mg pantothenic acid per day suggests deficiency. Like urinary concentrations, whole-blood concentrations of pantothenic acid correlate with pantothenic acid intake, but measuring pantothenic acid in whole blood requires enzyme pretreatment to release free pantothenic acid from CoA. Normal blood concentrations of pantothenic acid range from 1.6 to 2.7 mcmol/L, and blood concentrations below 1 mcmol/L are considered low and suggest deficiency. Unlike whole-blood concentrations, plasma levels of pantothenic acid do not correlate well with changes in intake or status.
Recommended Intakes
Intake recommendations for pantothenic acid and other nutrients are provided in the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) developed by the Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. DRI is the general term for a set of reference values used for planning and assessing nutrient intakes of healthy people. These values, which vary by age and sex, include:
- Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA): Average daily level of intake sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97%–98%) healthy individuals; often used to plan nutritionally adequate diets for individuals.
- Adequate Intake (AI): Intake at this level is assumed to ensure nutritional adequacy; established when evidence is insufficient to develop an RDA.
- Estimated Average Requirement (EAR): Average daily level of intake estimated to meet the requirements of 50% of healthy individuals; usually used to assess the nutrient intakes of groups of people and to plan nutritionally adequate diets for them; can also be used to assess the nutrient intakes of individuals.
- Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL): Maximum daily intake unlikely to cause adverse health effects.
When the FNB evaluated the available data, it found the data insufficient to derive an EAR for pantothenic acid. Consequently, the FNB established AIs for all ages based on usual pantothenic acid intakes in healthy populations. Table 1 lists the current AIs for pantothenic acid.
Table 1: Adequate Intakes (AIs) for Pantothenic Acid
Age |
Male |
Female |
Pregnancy |
Lactation |
Birth to 6 months |
1.7 mg |
1.7 mg |
|
|
7–12 months |
1.8 mg |
1.8 mg |
|
|
1–3 years |
2 mg |
2 mg |
|
|
4–8 years |
3 mg |
3 mg |
|
|
9–13 years |
4 mg |
4 mg |
|
|
14–18 years |
5 mg |
5 mg |
6 mg |
7 mg |
19+ years |
5 mg |
5 mg |
6 mg |
7 mg |
Sources of Pantothenic Acid
Food
Almost all plant- and animal-based foods contain pantothenic acid in varying amounts. Some of the richest dietary sources are beef, chicken, organ meats, whole grains, and some vegetables. Pantothenic acid is added to various foods, including some breakfast cereals and beverages (such as energy drinks). Limited data indicate that the body absorbs 40%–61% (or half, on average) of pantothenic acid from foods.
Edible animal and plant tissues contain relatively high concentrations of pantothenic acid. Food processing, however, can cause significant losses of this compound (20% to almost 80%).
Dietary supplements
Pantothenic acid is available in dietary supplements containing only pantothenic acid, in combination with other B-complex vitamins, and in some multivitamin/multimineral products. Some supplements contain pantethine (a dimeric form of pantetheine) or more commonly, calcium pantothenate. No studies have compared the relative bioavailability of pantothenic acid from these different forms. The amount of pantothenic acid in dietary supplements typically ranges from about 10 mg in multivitamin/multimineral products to up to 1,000 mg in supplements of B-complex vitamins or pantothenic acid alone.
Pantothenic Acid Intakes and Status
Few data on pantothenic acid intakes in the United States are available. However, a typical mixed diet in the United States provides an estimated daily intake of about 6 mg, suggesting that most people in the United States consume adequate amounts. Some intake information is available from other Western populations. For example, a 1996–1997 study in New Brunswick, Canada, found average daily pantothenic acid intakes of 4.0 mg in women and 5.5 mg in men.
Pantothenic Acid Deficiency
Because some pantothenic acid is present in almost all foods, deficiency is rare except in people with severe malnutrition. When someone has a pantothenic acid deficiency, it is usually accompanied by deficiencies in other nutrients, making it difficult to identify the effects that are specific to pantothenic acid deficiency. The only individuals known to have developed pantothenic acid deficiency were fed diets containing virtually no pantothenic acid or were taking a pantothenic acid metabolic antagonist.
On the basis of the experiences of prisoners of war in World War II and studies of diets lacking pantothenic acid in conjunction with administration of an antagonist of pantothenic acid metabolism, a deficiency is associated with numbness and burning of the hands and feet, headache, fatigue, irritability, restlessness, disturbed sleep, and gastrointestinal disturbances with anorexia.
Groups at Risk of Pantothenic Acid Inadequacy
The following group is most likely to have inadequate pantothenic acid status.
People with a pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration 2 mutation
Pantothenic acid kinase is an enzyme that is essential for CoA and phosphopantetheine production. It is the principle enzyme associated with the metabolic pathway that is responsible for CoA synthesis. Mutations in the pantothenate kinase 2 (PANK2) gene cause a rare, inherited disorder, pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (PKAN). PKAN is a type of neurodegeneration associated with brain iron accumulation. A large number of PANK2 mutations reduce the activity of pantothenate kinase 2, potentially decreasing the conversion of pantothenic acid to CoA and thus reducing CoA levels.
The manifestations of PKAN can include dystonia (contractions of opposing groups of muscles), spasticity, and pigmentary retinopathy. Its progression is rapid and leads to significant disability and loss of function. Treatment focuses primarily on reducing symptoms. Whether pantothenate supplementation is beneficial in PKAN is not known, but some anecdotal reports indicate that supplements can reduce symptoms in some patients with atypical PKAN.
Pantothenic Acid and Health
Hyperlipidemia
Because of pantothenic acid’s role in triglyceride synthesis and lipoprotein metabolism, experts have hypothesized that pantothenic acid supplementation might reduce lipid levels in patients with hyperlipidemia.
Several clinical trials have shown that the form of pantothenic acid known as pantethine reduces lipid levels when taken in large amounts, but pantothenic acid itself does not appear to have the same effects. A 2005 review included 28 small clinical trials (average sample size of 22 participants) that examined the effect of pantethine supplements (median daily dose of 900 mg for an average of 12.7 weeks) on serum lipid levels in a total of 646 adults with hyperlipidemia. On average, the supplements were associated with triglyceride declines of 14.2% at 1 month and 32.9% at 4 months. The corresponding declines in total cholesterol were 8.7% and 15.1%, and for low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol were 10.4% and 20.1%. The corresponding increases in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol were 6.1% and 8.4%.
A few additional clinical trials have assessed pantethine’s effects on lipid levels since the publication of the 2005 review. A double-blind trial in China randomly assigned 216 adults with hypertriglyceridemia (204–576 mg/dl) to supplementation with 400 U/day CoA or 600 mg/day pantethine. All participants also received dietary counseling. Triglyceride levels dropped by a significant 16.5% with pantethine compared with baseline after 8 weeks. Concentrations of total cholesterol and non–HDL cholesterol also declined modestly but significantly from baseline. However, these declines might have been due, at least in part, to the dietary counseling that the participants received.
Two randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled studies by the same research group in a total of 152 adults with low to moderate cardiovascular disease risk found that 600 mg/day pantethine for 8 weeks followed by 900 mg/day for 8 weeks plus a therapeutic lifestyle change diet resulted in small but significant reductions in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and non-HDL cholesterol compared with placebo after 16 weeks. Increasing the amount of pantethine from 600 to 900 mg/day did not increase the magnitude of reduction in the lipid measures.
Additional studies are needed to determine whether pantethine supplementation has a beneficial effect on hyperlipidemia independently of, and together with, eating a heart-healthy diet. Research is also needed to determine the mechanisms of pantethine’s effects on lipid levels.
Health Risks from Excessive Pantothenic Acid
The FNB was unable to establish ULs for pantothenic acid because there are no reports of pantothenic acid toxicity in humans at high intakes. Some individuals taking large doses of pantothenic acid supplements (e.g., 10 g/day) develop mild diarrhea and gastrointestinal distress, but the mechanism for this effect is not known.
Interactions with Medications
Pantothenic acid is not known to have any clinically relevant interactions with medications.
Pantothenic Acid and Healthful Diets
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans describes a healthy eating pattern as one that:
- Includes a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, and oils.
- Many vegetables, whole grains, and dairy products contain pantothenic acid.
- Includes a variety of protein foods, including seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, legumes (beans and peas), nuts, seeds, and soy products.
- Fish, beef, poultry, eggs, beans, and nuts contain pantothenic acid.
- Limits saturated and trans fats, added sugars, and sodium.
- Stays within your daily calorie needs.
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Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) is one of 8 B-vitamins. B5 is water-soluble and found in every single cell in your body. Vitamin B5 is essential for the synthesis of acetylcholine (ACh). Adequate levels of ACh can boost focus, memory, learning, and reduce brain fog. Vitamin B5 is critical for converting nutrients from food into energy, balancing blood sugar, reducing LDL-(bad) cholesterol, lowering blood pressure, preventing nerve damage and pain, and preventing heart failure.
Vitamin B5 plays a part in the synthesis and metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Turning them into energy that your brain uses to fire neurotransmitters in your brain. Vitamin B5 is required for the manufacture of red blood cells, and the stress and sex hormones produced in your adrenal glands.
As a nootropic, Vitamin B5 is crucial for converting the choline in your nootropic stack into acetylcholine (ACh). Without adequate levels of B5 you will not experience the benefits of using precursors to ACh like Alpha GPC and CDP-Choline.
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) helps:
- Brain Optimization: Pantothenic acid is at the heart of the KREBs cycle and electron transport chain which helps convert nutrients from food into energy which is used to make adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is the fuel source within each of your cells. More energy increases mental clarity, alertness, memory and mood.
- Neurotransmitters: Pantothenic acid as part of Coenzyme-A (CoA) is involved in the synthesis of the neurotransmitters acetylcholine, epinephrine, and serotonin. Affecting alertness, cognition, memory and mood.
- Mood: Pantothenic acid is often referred to as the “anti-stress vitamin”. Your adrenal glands use CoA (made partly from pantothenic acid) along with cholesterol and Vitamin C to manufacture cortisol and epinephrine. Vitamin B5 has a reputation for reducing stress, anxiety and depression.
Overview
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) is one of 8 water-soluble B-vitamins that are absolutely vital to the highly optimized brain. And is essential to all forms of life.
Vitamin B5 is found in every cell in your body including your brain. The name Pantothenic is derived from the Greek word pantothen, meaning “from everywhere”. Reflecting the idea that small amounts of pantothenic acid can be found in nearly every food.
Foods rich in pantothenic acid include animal organs (liver and kidney), fish, shellfish, milk products, eggs, avocados, legumes, mushrooms, and sweet potatoes. Avocados contain the highest amount of pantothenic acid among commonly consumed foods, with one avocado containing about 2 mg.
Pantothenic Acid is a precursor in the biosynthesis of Coenzyme-A (CoA). CoA is an essential enzyme in a variety of chemical reactions that sustain life.
CoA as Acetyl-CoA is required for generating energy from fat, carbohydrates and proteins. This energy in the form of glucose is the fuel source for each cell.
Acetyl-CoA is also involved in the citric acid cycle (KREBs), in the synthesis of essential fats, cholesterol, steroid hormones, vitamins A and D, and the neurotransmitters acetylcholine (ACh) and serotonin.
Coenzyme A derivatives are also required for the synthesis of melatonin which controls your circadian rhythm and sleep/awake cycle. And for the metabolism of drugs and toxins in your liver.
How does Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) work in the Brain?
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) boosts brain health and function in several ways. But two in particular stand out.
Vitamin B5 increases energy. Pantothenic acid is an essential coenzyme involved in mitochondrial aerobic respiration. Vitamin B5’s role in the citric acid cycle (KREBs) and electron transport chain helps convert nutrients from food into energy which is used to make adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is the fuel source within each of your cells.
Pantothenic acid takes part in the synthesis of Acetyl-CoA which is at the heart of the KREBs cycle. Acetyl-CoA in your brain is also involved in the synthesis of cholesterol, amino acids, phospholipids, and fatty acids.
CoA is also involved in the synthesis of the neurotransmitters acetylcholine and serotonin, and steroid hormones. User reviews of those supplementing with pantothenic acid claim to having more energy. This boost in energy comes from this long series of events stemming from pantothenic acid.
Vitamin B5 helps reduces stress. Pantothenic acid is often referred to as the “anti-stress vitamin”. Your adrenal glands use CoA (made partly from pantothenic acid) along with cholesterol and Vitamin C to manufacture cortisol and epinephrine.
When cortisol levels are low, your ability to cope and respond to stress is compromised. And if your cortisol levels are abnormally high (a common problem), your body’s reserve of pantethine (the active form of pantothenic acid) needs to be replenished in order to sustain good adrenal function.
Vitamin B5 has a reputation for reducing stress, anxiety and depression.
How things go bad
Chronic stress, anxiety and lower acetylcholine levels can damage your brain. This damage can manifest in several ways including memory loss, brain fog, anxiety, depression, and even neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
↓ Acetylcholine synthesis declines
↓ Concentration, memory, learning, and recall decline
↑ LDL-cholesterol (bad) and triglycerides increase
↓ HDL-cholesterol (good) levels decline
↓ Wound healing takes longer
↓ Energy levels decline
↑ Numbness, tingling, burning sensations, shooting pain in the feet increase
Vitamin B5 supplementation can help increase acetylcholine, epinephrine and serotonin levels in your brain. And help modulate cortisol levels produced in your adrenal glands. Helping you to cope with stress and lessen depression.
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) to the rescue
When you take Vitamin B5 as a supplement, it is converted to pantethine>. Pantethine is a more stable disulfide (double bonded) form of pantothenic acid.
It is this active form of pantothenic acid that is converted into the enzyme Coenzyme-A (CoA). CoA plays a critical role in the metabolism and breakdown of the three essential micronutrients: proteins, carbohydrates and fats.
CoA is a cofactor in more than 70 enzymatic pathways including:
- • Amino acid catabolism
- • Acetylcholine synthesis
- • Carbohydrate metabolism
- • Fatty acid oxidation
- • Heme synthesis
- • Pyruvate degradation
- • Phase II detox acetylation
CoA is also involved in the initial steps of cholesterol synthesis and all the downstream metabolites of cholesterol including steroid, Vitamin D and bile acids.
CoA helps break down the carbon skeleton of amino acids which are metabolized to pyruvate and enter the KREBs cycle. This cycle is crucial to ATP synthesis which fuels your mitochondria.
CoA directs acetyl groups to form ubiquinone (CoQ10), squalene and cholesterol. You also need CoA for the transport of long chain fatty acids into mitochondria where fats are converted into energy.
The bottom-line is CoA is behind the production of hemoglobin, bile, sex and adrenal hormones (steroids), cholesterol and the neurotransmitters acetylcholine and serotonin in your brain.
How does Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) feel?
Vitamin B5 is water-soluble, and has been shown to improve mood, energy and cognition. Neurohackers who supplement with pantothenic acid report being wonderfully optimistic, energetic and mentally sharp.
People report Vitamin B5 helps them focus better, they feel a profound increase in energy and concentration improves.
Many people dealing with acne find their skin looks great. Acne is cleared within a few days to a few weeks of supplementing with pantothenic acid.
Men and women find that supplementing with Vitamin B5 helps prevent hair loss. And if taken early enough may even help avoid hair turning prematurely gray.
Some neurohackers report that pantothenic acid helps improve vision and hearing.
The Research
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) reduces Acne
100 people of Chinese descent (45 males and 55 females) aged 10 – 30 years with severe acne were treated with high-dose pantothenic acid. A total of 10 grams per day were given in 4 divided doses.
Participants were also asked to apply a cream to affected areas 4 – 6 times per day. The cream contained 20% pantothenic acid.
Their face became noticeably less oily within 3 days of starting therapy. Within 2 weeks, facial pore size became smaller and acne lesions began to heal. And the rate of new acne eruptions had slowed.
By 8 weeks, acne was usually controlled. Most acne lesions were gone and new eruptions occurred only occasionally. The participants with severe acne required 6 months of treatment to control acne.
The author of the study noted that in some of the severe cases, daily doses of 15 – 20 grams of pantothenic acid would produce a faster response. 35 patients were monitored for 18 months; the maintenance dose needed to control acne ranged from 1 – 5 grams per day of pantothenic acid.
Vitamin B5 (Pantethine) to decrease LDL-Cholesterol
User reviews consistently show success with lowering LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides, and raising HDL-cholesterol by supplementing with Vitamin B5 (Pantethine).
The National University of Health Sciences in Illinois conducted an evaluation of clinical trials from 1966 to 2002 for studies using the pantethine version of Vitamin B5 to improve cholesterol.
28 clinical trials with a pooled population of 646 ‘hyperlipidemic’ subjects were evaluated. Mean age of participants were 52.8 years. Average study length was 12.7 weeks with an average dosage of 900 mg per day of pantethine.
The mean decrease of LDL-cholesterol (bad cholesterol) was 10 – 20%. The mean decrease of triglycerides was 14 – 33%. And the mean increase of HDL-cholesterol (good cholesterol) was 4 – 11%.
The researchers concluded that “pantothenic acid was an effective therapeutic option in treating patient populations with total serum cholesterol levels greater than 200 mg/dL, and/or serum triacylglycerol levels greater than 150 mg/dL.”
The team noted that the "full benefit of pantethine may not be attained until at least 4 months from beginning supplementation". And that pantethine is a well-tolerated therapeutic agent that deserves much more attention than it has recently received.
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) increases Longevity
Vitamin B5 is believed to extend life span. But research in humans for obvious reasons has been difficult. Humans live longer than most mammals. And tracking human subjects for life would be prohibitively expensive.
So animal research is the next best thing. A team in Austin gave 33 young male and female mice 300 μg of calcium pantothenate daily in drinking water. Forty-one control mice did not receive the vitamin supplement.
The mean life span for mice who received calcium pantothenate was 653.1 days. And for the control mice life span was 549.8 days. The mice using Vitamin B5 lived 19% longer.
Royal jelly has long been used as a longevity supplement. And some of the science backs this up. Pantothenic acid is the primary anti-aging factor isolated from royal jelly.
The combination of pyridoxine, biotin and sodium yeast nucleate extended the lifespan of the common fruit fly. And the addition of pantothenic acid further increased life span.
Seems that supplementing with pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5) will help you live longer.
Dosage Notes
If you are using an acetylcholine (ACh) precursor like Alpha GPC or CDP-Choline in your nootropic stack, you should be using Vitamin B5. Because B5 is needed to make Coenzyme-A (CoA). CoA and choline are needed to synthesize acetylcholine.
The recommended dosage of Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) is a one-to-two ratio with a choline supplement. For example, 250 mg of Vitamin B5 with 500 mg of CDP-Choline.
If you don’t get enough Vitamin B5, you may not notice significant improvements when supplementing with your preferred choline source. If you’ve added choline to your racetam stack and still get a “choline headache” it’s likely because you don’t have adequate Vitamin B5 in your system.
Pantothenic Acid or Pantethine is generally well tolerated in doses up to 1,200 mg/day. Some neurohackers report doses above 1,000 mg can induce gastrointestinal side effects like nausea or heartburn.
Oral contraceptives (birth control pills) containing estrogen and progestin may increase the requirement for additional pantothenic acid.
Use of Pantothenic Acid in combination with cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins) or with Vitamin B3 (niacin or nicotinic acid) may produce additive effects on blood lipids. So be careful because you could lower LDL-cholesterol to unhealthy levels.
Side Effects
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) is non-toxic. So is considered well-tolerated and safe.
Side effects are rare but very high doses can include stomach upset, nausea or diarrhea.
If you are taking the antibiotic tetracycline, you should avoid using extra Vitamin B5 because it could negate the effects of tetracycline.
If you are on cholinesterase inhibitors used for treating Alzheimer’s, you should not be using Vitamin B5.
Available Forms
When choosing a Vitamin B5 supplement, your basic choice is between Pantethine or Pantothenic Acid.
Pantethine is by far the more active choice when it comes to producing CoA. And this is backed up by many clinical trials. Researchers have pointed out that Pantethine creates twice as much CoA compared to Pantothenic Acid.
However, Pantothenic acid does have its benefits. It enhances adrenal function and modulates inflammation. If you can, find a supplement that combines both.
Vitamin B5 supplement labels will show pantothenic acid as “Calcium” or “sodium D-pantothenate” which is used for treating stress, migraines and allergies.
Pantethine is mainly recommended for lowering blood cholesterol levels. And pantethine is better for stacking with a choline supplement because it creates more CoA than other forms of pantothenic acid.
Pantothenol (panthenol) is a stable alcohol analog of Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), which can be rapidly converted to pantothenic acid by humans.
Most multivitamins also include some form of Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) in their formula. But many of these multis don’t contain enough for optimum health. And many have an inferior isolated or synthetic version of the nutrient. 📌