Vitamin B5 is also known as Pantothenic Acid. Vitamin B5 is probably the most prolific of all vitamins and can be found in nearly every type of food. In fact, it's impossible for a person to consume less B5 vitamin than they need. In essence, a Vitamin B5 deficiency is practically unheard of. Because of this, there's no established recommended daily amount of Vitamin B5. Even though there has never been a need to establish a recommended daily amount for Vitamin B5, it still plays an important part in maintaining a healthy mind and body.
Vitamin B5 is essential for turning food, mainly fats and carbohydrates, into energy.
Some amount of Vitamin B5 can be found in nearly every food whether it is animal or vegetable. Of course some sources are better than others, but eating right will ensure you get all that you need. Vitamin B5 is not produced or stored naturally in our bodies so you have to get it either from vitamin supplements or foods such as whole grain cereals, beans, poultry, lean meat, and fish. It's worth noting that Vitamin B5 is usually lost when grains are milled into flour. Because of this, eating foods made with processed grains such as pasta, bread, rice, most breakfast cereals, and baked goods is not a very good way to get your Vitamin B5.
Vitamin B5 is the most effective when it's combined with other B vitamins like thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pyridoxine (B6), and biotin. This combination of B Vitamins plays a vital role in many bodily processes. The most important of these is the production of energy from food that is consumed. This is known as the Kreb's Cycle. By definition, the Kreb's cycle is part of a metabolic pathway involved in the chemical conversion of carbohydrates, fats and proteins into carbon dioxide and water to generate a form of usable energy. Vitamin B5 is essential to this process.
Interestingly, Vitamin B5 is also considered to be helpful in reducing stress. As a result of its effectiveness in helping relieve stress, B5 has been given the nickname "the anti-stress vitamin". The basics of how this vitamin helps with stress reduction deal with the production of stress reducing hormones by the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands produce adrenaline and cortisol, and Vitamin B5, along with Folic Acid (B9) and Vitamin C are necessary for the adrenal glands to function properly.
As a final note about this vitamin, it has been shown to help with the removal of toxins from the body.
Most everyone gets a sufficient amount of Vitamin B5 from their normal dietary intake, so supplements aren't usually necessary. However, taking a B5 supplement won't hurt you. There are no adverse effects to consuming too much Vitamin B5.
