Pantothenic acid, or Vitamin B5, is one of the eight vitamins of the Vitamin B complex necessary for human health. As is true of the other seven components of the Vitamin B group, Pantothenic acid helps convert carbohydrates into glucose, the form of sugar used by the human body for energy. This water soluble vitamin is found in cooked cod, cooked tuna, cooked chicken, cooked eggs, milk, yogurt, cooked broccoli, cooked lentils, cooked split peas, avocados, cooked sweet potatoes, raw mushrooms, cooked lobster, and whole wheat bread. Besides metabolizing carbohydrates, Pantothenic acid also helps convert protein and fats, and the synthesis of Coenzyme A or CoA found in numerous living cells with the assistance of Vitamins B12 or Cobalamins, Vitamin B6 or Pyridoxine, Vitamin A, folic acid or B9, and Biotin or B7. CoA is part of the process of turning the foods that contain fats, carbohydrates, and protein into energy and is believed to play a role in cell division, the replication of DNA, the metabolism of drugs, and the detoxification of alcohol. Its contribution to hormone production is in the creation of those hormones that help people stay calm during stressful situations.
Except in cases of malnutrition, Vitamin B5 deficiency is rare. The symptoms of insufficient Pantothenic acid are tingling and painful burning of feet, and numbness. In an experiment to further understand this vitamin, reported deficiency symptoms were fatigue, headaches, insomnia, and stomach discomfort in addition to foot issues. Other researchers have reported a lack of this vitamin causes nervousness, premature graying, metabolism problems, and restlessness. It is extremely rare for life-threatening complications to occur. These are hepatic encephalopathy, a serious liver condition, and adrenal problems. It is believed that large doses of Vitamin B5 are not fatal, but people taking such large amounts have reported heart burn and nausea. The RDA is 1.7 to 7 mg per day depending on age and gender.