Vitamin B5
Vitamin B5, which is more commonly referred to as pantothenic acid, is a member of the B-complex family. Its name derives from the Greed word pantos, which means everywhere. It is found in many types of food from both plant and animal sources including, liver, yeast, salmon, vegetables, dairy, eggs, grains and meats.
How it helps
Like the other B vitamins, the body uses vitamin B5 to produce energy from sugar, starch and fat. This vitamin also plays an important role in maintaining a healthy digestive system and is necessary for the production of hormones. It is sometimes referred to as the “anti-stress” vitamin, because it is believed to strengthen the immune system and improve the body’s ability to handle stressful situations.
What happens if you don’t get enough?
Vitamin B5 deficiency is rare, but when it occurs the symptoms may include:
■ numbness and tingling with burning and shooting pain in the feet
■ fatigue
■ headache
■ insomnia
■ lack of coordination
How much (dosage) should you take?
Males:
■ 14 years and older: 5 mg per day
■ 9 to 13 years: 4 mg per day
Females:
■ 14 years and older: 5 mg per day
■ 9 to 13 years: 4 mg per day
■ during pregnancy: 6 mg per day
■ while breastfeeding: 7 mg per day
What happens if you take too much?
When taken as a supplement in doses of 2 grams of more per day, vitamin B5 can cause diarrhea. At the recommended doses no adverse effects have been reported.
Can drugs interact with it?
None have been reported.
Sources of Vitamin B5
Vitamins and Minerals: A Self-Hep Guide
This book provides a simple overview of the common vitamins and minerals available to help you supplement your diet when appropriate.
The information within this book is basic and does not claim to provide in any way comprehensive information of the subject matter but hopefully it can point you in the right direction when you need more information. All the information has come primarily from the government and authoritative bodies recommending daily intakes and pinpointing the limits of dosages per day. Experts in the field have tried to make the information easy to follow in this book.