Vitamin B5 — What Does It Do For the Body?
Pantothenic acid is an essential nutrient. It’s part of coenzyme A, and it helps regulate cellular metabolism. There’s also a specific organ that relies on vitamin, and that’s the adrenal cortex (the “fight or flight” gland). So as you can imagine, the more stress you are under, the more pantothenic acid you need.
What About Pantothenate Deficiency…And Who’s at Risk?
(Yes I am switching the B5 names around on you). There really isn’t a set of symptoms that go along with a pantothenate deficiency, partly because a deficiency is so rare! The only risk factor known is alcoholism, and even then a deficiency is rare.
B5 in the Diet – Where to Get It
There are several good sources of panthethine you can include in your diet:
- Egg yolks
- Peanuts
- Organ meats
- Whole grains, including wheat germ
- Cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage
One other excellent natural source of vitamin B5 is royal jelly, which you usually have to get at a health-food store. (For the uninitiated, royal jelly is what worker bees feed the queen bee.)
How Much Vitamin B5 Do I Need?
The RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) for pantothenic acid hasn’t really been set, since a deficiency is so rare. Vitamin B5 isn’t toxic even in large amounts, so rest easy if you are taking a B-complex supplement. Oh, very high doses can cause diarrhea, but you have to really really work hard to get that kind of amount in your body!
