Vitamin B5 is a true superhero among vitamins. Also known as pantothenic acid, it is essential for your energy metabolism, neurotransmitter synthesis, fatigue reduction, and mental performance.
In this article, we'll explain exactly what vitamin B5 is, where you can get it, and why it's involved in so many processes in your body.
Table of contents
Vitamin B5 , also called pantothenic acid , is involved in a wide variety of functions in your body. For example, it helps you break down proteins and fat and convert food into energy .
The word "pantothenic" comes from the Greek word pantothen, meaning "from everywhere." Vitamin B5 is found in almost all foods and is involved in many different metabolic processes.
Its minimal side effects are responsible for its frequent use as a therapeutic agent. Vitamin B5 is also known as dexpanthenol, zinc pantothenate , and calcium pantothenate . We'll explain what this universal vitamin is all about, where you can get it, and what benefits it offers.
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1. What is vitamin B5?
Vitamin B5 is a water-soluble vitamin from the B group of vitamins . The vitamin eventually passes through the bloodstream and is excreted in the urine. Your body doesn't store it, so it must be reabsorbed and used up daily .
Humans and animals need vitamin B5 to synthesize and metabolize fats , proteins and carbohydrates , that is, to produce or consume substances.
Vitamin B5 is also a precursor of coenzyme A (CoA). CoA is an important molecule in cellular metabolism that is involved in numerous enzymatic reactions within the cell.
It plays a central role , especially in fatty acid metabolism . As confirmed by a publication from Oregon State University, which summarizes all the important facts about vitamin B5, the precursor B5 is therefore essential for your health and helps your body keep all important processes running. The special importance of CoA is also confirmed here [1].
CoA can even help increase your resilience to stress . Your body needs to produce more energy when exposed to high levels of stress. For example, it needs to metabolize fats and sugars more quickly and use them to generate energy, or it needs to activate nervous metabolism and supply it with energy during stress.
Because CoA is involved in all of these metabolic processes, these processes can occur faster and more efficiently when your body is supplied with enough CoA.
Take-Home Message #1: Vitamin B5 is also known as pantothenic acid, dexpanthenol, zinc pantothenate, and calcium pantothenate. It belongs to the B vitamin group and is the precursor to coenzyme A. Therefore, vitamin B5 is responsible not only for the production of neurotransmitters but also for fatty acid metabolism.
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2. Vitamin B5 and its effects on your brain
Vitamin B5 also contributes to normal mental performance . As a publication from the 1990s described, if your body doesn't have enough vitamin B5, it cannot adequately synthesize acetylcholine [2].
Vitamin B5 is therefore necessary for the metabolism of choline , which in turn is responsible for the production of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.
In addition, a low vitamin B5 level can also cause headaches , which is why it is important to ensure an adequate supply in order not to lose performance.
3. Other positive effects of vitamin B5 on body and mind
In addition to vitamin B5's effect on mental performance, pantothenic acid has several other effects on your body. For example, the vitamin B5 precursor CoA helps your body release energy from sugar and fat .
A large part of this process takes place in the mitochondria , where energy is produced for the cells. Vitamin B5 helps provide the necessary fatty acids and transport them to the mitochondria , where cellular energy is ultimately generated.
Vitamin B5 has also been proven to help reduce tiredness and fatigue. A true hero among vitamins!
Take-home message #2: Vitamin B5 contributes to normal energy metabolism and can reduce fatigue. A true superhero among vitamins!
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4. Signs of a vitamin B5 deficiency
Good news! Vitamin B5 deficiency is actually quite rare these days, as it is present in many of our everyday foods. This is also confirmed by GS Kelly's 2011 publication, which provides a general overview of pantothenic acid [3].
Vitamin B5 is found in meat , nuts , dairy products , eggs , avocados, and sweet potatoes, for example. Breast milk already contains pantothenic acid. However, if deficiency symptoms occur due to an unbalanced diet, direct vitamin B5 supplementation can help. The following symptoms may indicate a pantothenic acid deficiency:
- fatigue
- Lack of motivation
- Headache
- insomnia
- Muscle contraction
If these symptoms are unusually severe over a long period of time, you should consult a doctor rather than self-treatment.
5. Intake and side effects of vitamin B5
The typical recommended daily intake of vitamin B5 is 5 mg , although significantly higher doses have been determined to be safe. As the University of Maryland also notes, pregnant and breastfeeding women are advised to take larger amounts (6 to 7 mg per day).
The best way to take vitamin B5 is in combination with other B vitamins , in the form of a so-called B complex . When it comes to mental performance, as already mentioned, taking vitamin B5 together with the active ingredient citicoline is beneficial . The ratio of the two should be one to two .
So, for example, if you take 250 mg of citicoline (CDP Choline), you should consume 125 mg of vitamin B5 . While these amounts are significantly higher than the recommended daily intake , they do not have any side effects . However, this should be the exception, as it is rarely prepared on its own and is usually taken in combination with other vitamins.
Take-Home Message #4: It is recommended to take vitamin B5 in combination with other B vitamins. The daily dose is 5 mg, but higher doses are also safe.
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6. Conclusion
Vitamin B5, or pantothenic acid, is a highly versatile vitamin that's almost impossible to overdose on. It has a positive effect on your mental performance and is involved in energy production from fats, carbohydrates, and proteins.
It is also the precursor of coenzyme A, which has a positive effect on stress resistance. The vitamin is particularly well absorbed in combination with citicoline.
7. Sources
[1] http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/pantothenic-acid
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK114311/
[3] http://www.altmedrev.com/publications/16/3/263.pdf
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