Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)

Your intake

What each level of vitamin b5 (pantothenic acid) does

Approximate dose-response bands. Individual response varies — these are starting points, not prescriptions.

1. Severely lowYOU ARE HERE

   0 mg – 1.65 mg

   Well below target. Risk of deficiency symptoms tied to coenzyme a.

2. Insufficient

   1.65 mg – 5 mg

   Below the recommended daily target. Long-term adequacy not assured.

3. Adequate

   5 mg – 7.5 mg

   Daily target met. Standard nutritional support for coenzyme a.

4. Therapeutic

   7.5 mg – 10 mg

   Common for specific health goals. Check the evidence for your situation before sustaining this level.

5. Diminishing returns

   10 mg – +

   Past the point where extra intake typically helps. Evidence for further benefit is thin.

Overview

Pantothenic acid ('from everywhere') is the backbone of coenzyme A and acyl carrier protein — required for fatty acid synthesis, acetyl-CoA formation, and steroid/cholesterol synthesis. Deficiency is essentially unknown in unrestricted diets because it's so broadly distributed.

Functions

• ●Forms coenzyme A — the universal acyl carrier
• ●Required for fatty acid synthesis (via ACP)
• ●Required for acetylcholine, heme, and cholesterol biosynthesis
• ●Modulates acetylation of histones and signalling proteins

Mechanism

Pantothenate combines with cysteine and ATP to form CoA. CoA's terminal thiol forms thioester bonds with acyl groups (acetyl-CoA, malonyl-CoA, etc.), making them metabolically active for the TCA cycle, fatty acid synthesis, and ketone metabolism.

Benefits

• ●Topical dexpanthenol (D-pantothenol alcohol) accelerates minor wound and skin barrier healing
• ●Pantethine (active disulfide form) modestly lowers LDL at 600–900 mg/day in small trials
• ●Routine oral supplementation has no documented benefit in healthy adults

Deficiency

Spontaneous deficiency is essentially unreported. Induced deficiency (1950s 'burning feet' research with pantothenate antagonists) caused neurological symptoms.

Excess

No established UL. Doses up to 10 g/day are tolerated with occasional mild GI upset.

Forms

• Calcium pantothenate
  Standard supplement form, stable, well-absorbed
• Pantothenic acid
  Free acid, less stable
• Pantethine
  Active disulfide; the lipid-active form in cholesterol studies
• Dexpanthenol
  Provitamin alcohol; topical formulations for skin and mucous membranes

Food sources

• Beef liver (cooked) · 3 oz8 mg
• Sunflower seeds · 1 oz2 mg
• Avocado · 1 medium2 mg
• Cooked salmon · 3 oz1.5 mg
• Mushrooms (cooked) · 1 cup3 mg
• Cooked chicken breast · 3 oz1 mg

Supplement forms

Calcium pantothenate at 5–10 mg/day in a B-complex covers AI. Pantethine 600 mg/day in three divided doses is the lipid-active form. Targeted standalone supplementation is rarely warranted.

Bioavailability

About 50% of dietary pantothenic acid is bioavailable. Heat processing and freezing destroy a meaningful fraction (35–75% loss). Absorbed in jejunum via sodium-dependent multivitamin transporter (SMVT), shared with biotin and lipoate.

Longevity relevance

Adequate baseline matters (CoA is required for nearly all energy metabolism), but supplementation is not associated with longevity outcomes. The pantethine LDL effect is interesting but small.

Relationships

References

• NIH ODS — Pantothenic Acidguideline
• Linus Pauling Institute — Pantothenic Acidreview

About Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)

Coenzyme A synthesis; fatty acid and energy metabolism.

Role

Coenzyme A

Daily target

5 mg (DV)

Also called

pantothenic acid, vitamin b5, vitamin b-5, pantothenate, calcium pantothenate, d-pantothenic acid