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Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)

Overview


Pantothenic acid is vitamin B5. It is widely found in both plants and animals including meat, vegetables, cereal grains, legumes, eggs, and milk.

Pantothenic acid helps the body utilize carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids. It is also important for maintaining healthy skin. Vitamin B5 is available as D-pantothenic acid, as well as dexpanthenol and calcium pantothenate, which are chemicals made in the lab from D-pantothenic acid.

People most commonly use pantothenic acid for pantothenic acid deficiency. Dexpanthenol, a chemical similar to pantothenic acid, is used for skin irritation, nasal swelling, wound healing, and other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.



Symptoms of deficiency may include:


1.Headache.

2.Fatigue.

3.Irritability, restlessness.

4.Disturbed sleep.

5.Nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps.

6.Numbness or burning sensation in hands or feet.

7.Muscle cramps.



What does pantothenic acid treat?

Pantothenic acid helps the body utilize carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids. It is also important for maintaining healthy skin. Vitamin B5 is available as D-pantothenic acid, as well as dexpanthenol and calcium pantothenate, which are chemicals made in the lab from D-pantothenic acid.



What is vitamin B5?

Vitamin B5, also called pantothenic acid, is one of the most important vitamins for human life. It’s necessary for making blood cells, and it helps you convert the food you eat into energy.

Vitamin B5 is one of eight B vitamins. All B vitamins help you convert the protein, carbohydrates, and fats you eat into energy. B vitamins are also needed for:

1.healthy skin, hair, and eyes

2.proper functioning of the nervous system and liver

3.healthy digestive tract

4.making red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body

5.making sex and stress-related hormones in the adrenal glands



Sources of vitamin B5

The best way to make sure you’re getting enough vitamin B5 is to eat a healthy, balanced diet every day.

Vitamin B5 is an easy vitamin to incorporate into a good diet. It’s found in most vegetables, including:

1.broccoli

2.members of the cabbage family

3.white and sweet potatoes

4.whole-grain cereals


Other healthy sources of B5 include:

1.mushrooms

2.nuts

3.beans

4.peas

5.lentils

6.meats

7.poultry

8.dairy products

9.eggs



Why do we need vitamin B5?

Vitamin B5 has many important functions. These include:

1.converting food into glucose

2.synthesizing cholesterol

3.forming sex and stress-related hormones

4.forming red blood cells

As with all B vitamins, pantothenic acid helps the body break down fats, carbohydrates, and proteins so that our bodies can use them for energy and rebuilding tissues, muscles, and organs.


Coenzyme A

Vitamin B5 has a role in synthesizing coenzyme A.

Coenzyme A is involved in the synthesis of fatty acids and is important for converting foods into fatty acids and cholesterol.

Coenzyme A is also needed for the creation of sphingosine, a fat-like molecule that helps deliver chemical messages inside the body’s cells.

The liver needs Coenzyme A to metabolize some drugs and toxins safely.


Digestive system

Vitamin B5 helps maintain a healthy digestive system and assists the body in using other vitamins, especially vitamin B2. Vitamin B2 helps manage stress, but there is no evidence that pantothenic acid reduces stress.


Skin care

Some studies have shown that vitamin B5 works as a moisturizer on the skin and enhances the healing process of skin wounds.


Deficiency

Vitamin B5 deficiency is extremely rare in people as pantothenic acid is found in nearly all foods. A healthy and varied diet should provide a person with enough.


Clinical trials have shown, however, that a deficiency may lead to:

1.tiredness

2.apathy

3.depression

4.irritability

5.sleep disorders

6.stomach pains

7.nausea

8.vomiting

9.numbness

10.muscle cramps

11.hypoglycemia

12.burning feet

13.upper respiratory infections



How do I know if I have B5 deficiency?

Vitamin B5 deficiency is rare, but may include symptoms such as fatigue, insomnia, depression, irritability, vomiting, stomach pains, burning feet, and upper respiratory infections.



What are the causes of vitamin B5?

Usually, vitamin B5 deficiency is caused by a genetic mutation where pantothenic acid cannot be metabolised. The disorder is known as pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (PKAN). Apart from this, malnourishment also results in vitamin B5 deficiency.












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