Vitamin B5
Other Names: pantothenic acid, Acide D-Pantothénique, Acide Pantothénique, Ácido Pantoténico, Alcool Pantothénylique, B Complex Vitamin, Calcii Pantothenas, Calcium D-Pantothenate, Calcium Pantothenate, Complexe de Vitamines B, D-Calcium Pantothenate, D-Panthenol, D-Panthénol, D-Pantothénate de Calcium, D-Pantothenic Acid, D-Pantothenyl Alcohol, Dexpanthenol, Dexpanthénol, Dexpanthenolum, Pantéthine, Panthenol, Panthénol, Pantothenate, Pantothénate, Pantothénate de Calcium, Pantothenol, Pantothenylol, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B-5, Vitamina B5, Vitamine B5. Vitamin B5 is a vitamin often referred to as pantothenic acid. Found naturally in many foods, vitamin B5 is also available in supplement form. Proponents claim that taking vitamin B5 supplements offers a variety of health benefits. Vitamin B5 deficiency is very rare. While little is known about the health effects of not getting enough pantothenic acid, deficiency is thought to lead to fatigue, insomnia, numbness and tingling in the hands and feet, and skin irritation.
Special Precautions of Vitamin B5
The recommended daily intake for vitamin B5 is 5 mg for people over age 14. The dosage for most dietary supplements containing vitamin B5 is 5 to 10 mg. According to the National Institutes of Health, taking more than 5 mg of vitamin B5 daily may increase risk of side effects like diarrhea.
The benefits of Vitamin B5 are
Vitamin B5 is touted a natural remedy for a number of health conditions, including:
- Adrenal Fatigue
- Acne
- alcoholism
- allergies
- anxiety
- asthma
- attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder
- carpal tunnel syndrome
- conjunctivitis
- dandruff
- depression
- headache
- insomnia
- multiple sclerosis
- osteoarthritis
- rheumatoid arthritis
- ulcerative colitis
- yeast infections
- In addition, vitamin B5 is purported to boost the immune system and improve athletic performance.
Research on the health benefits of vitamin B5 is fairly limited. For instance, there's currently a lack of scientific evidence to support the claims that vitamin B5 can reverse hair loss, support weight loss, and treat adrenal fatigue.Here's a look at some key findings from the available research on vitamin B5's purported health benefits (note that two of the studies are over 15 years old):
1) Vitamin B5 and Acne
Deficiency in vitamin B5 may lead to the development of acne, according to a 1995 report published in Medical Hypotheses. Although the report states that taking vitamin B5 supplements can cure acne, there is currently a lack of clinical trials testing the effectiveness of pantothenic acid supplementation in treatment of acne.
2) Vitamin B5 and Athletic Performance
Taking supplements containing vitamin B5 does not appear to improve athletic performance, according to a small study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology in 2012. For the study, eight healthy male volunteers took either a placebo or a supplement containing 1.5 grams each of vitamin B5 and l-cysteine (an amino acid) every day for a week. Study results showed that the supplements failed to improve athletic performance (as measured by an experiment involving cycling).
3) Vitamin B5 and Radiation Side Effects
Using creams containing vitamin B5 may not help treat skin reactions to radiation treatment, suggests a study published in Acta Oncologia in 1996. In tests on 86 patients undergoing radiation, researchers found that a pantothenic acid-based cream wasn't any more effective than not using topical ointment in treatment of skin reactions triggered by radiation therapy.
Food Sources of Vitamin B5
Food sources of vitamin B5
- yogurt (1.35 mg per cup)
- chicken (.98 mg per 3 ounces)
- milk (.83 mg per cup)
- lentils (.63 mg per 1/2 cup)
- eggs (.61 mg per large egg)
- broccoli (.48 mg per 1/2 cup)
- whole-wheat bread (.19 mg per slice)
- tuna (.18 mg per 3 ounces)
- cod (.15 mg per 3 ounces)
