Vitamin B5

Vitamin B5

DEFINITION
Vitamin B5 or Pantothenic Acid is a water-soluble vitamin
belonging to the B group vitamins.
DESCRIPTION
Vitamin B5 is essential for human growth, reproduction and
many normal bodily processes. These processes include the
metabolism of carbohydrates and proteins, the production of glucose
in the body, the breakdown of fats and the production of
cholesterol and certain hormones. Vitamin B5 is also important for
the production of haemoglobin, which is the special substance
inside red blood cells that transports oxygen to all the tissues in
the body. Vitamin B5 is easily absorbed from the intestines and is
distributed to all tissues in the body. The body does not break
down Vitamin B5 and excretes large amounts of this vitamin in the
urine. There are no medical uses for Vitamin B5, although it is
included in multivitamin supplements and in many nutritional
replacement supplements. Very large doses of Vitamin B5 do not
usually cause any toxic effects, although some people may
experience diarrhoea.
DEFICIENCY
Vitamin B5 deficiency is very rare in humans that consume a
normal diet because Vitamin B5 is available from a very large range
of food sources. Vitamin B5 deficiency causes depression,
personality changes, heart problems, increased risk of infections,
fatigue, abdominal pains, sleep disturbances, numbness and altered
sensation in the arms and legs, muscle weakness, cramps, increased
sensitivity to insulin (the hormone that lowers blood glucose
levels), decreased blood cholesterol levels and decreased potassium
levels in the body.
SOURCES
Vitamin B5 is found in a very wide variety of foods. Foods
that have high levels of Vitamin B5 include organ meats (e.g. liver
and kidney), eggs, fish and shellfish, lobsters, poultry, soybeans,
lentils, split peas, milk, yoghurt, avocado, mushrooms and sweet
potatoes.
DOSAGE
The recommended daily intake (RDI) for Vitamin B5 is 4 to 6 mg
per day for adults.