What is Vitamin B5 | Causes of Vitamin B5 Deficiency | Good effects of Vitamin B5 | Side effects of Vitamin B5
In chemical structure, it is the amide between D-pantoate and beta-alanine. Its name is derived from the Greek pantothen (πάντοθεν) meaning “from everywhere” and small quantities of pantothenic acid are found in nearly every food, with high amounts in whole-grain cereals, legumes, eggs, meat, and royal jelly. It is commonly found as its alcohol analog, the provitamin panthenol, and as calcium pantothenate. Pantothenic acid is an ingredient in some hair and skin care products.
What are the Causes of Vitamin B5 Deficiency?
Vitamin B5 deficiency is extremely rare. It is not likely to occur in people who eat ordinary diets that include a variety of foods. Symptoms of deficiency have occurred only in experimental situations.
Dermatitis, fatty liver, degeneration of spinal cord, myelin degeneration of peripheral nerves, and involution of thymus occurs due to deficiency of this vitamin. Various tissues are also affected, including gastro-intestinal disturbances, alopecia, cornification of the skin and hypofunction of adrenal cortex.
Deficiency of pantothenic acid can also cause retarded growth, failure of reproduction, dermatitis, and haemorrhagic adrenal cortical necrosis.
In the human being, no definite deficiency syndrome has been proved, presumably because of the wide occurrence of this vitamin in almost all food and because small amounts of the vitamin can be synthesized in the body. This does not mean that pantothenic acid is not of value in the metabolic systems of the body; indeed perhaps it is as necessary as any other vitamin.
Deficiency may also result in symptoms like fatigue, headaches, and nausea, tingling in the hands, depression, personality changes and cardiac instability.
Frequent infection, fatigue, abdominal pains, sleeps disturbances and neurological disorders including numbness, paresthesia (abnormal sensation such as "burning feet" syndrome), muscle weakness and cramps are also possible indications, which indicates that there is deficiency of this vitamin.
Biochemical changes include increased insulin sensitivity, lowered blood cholesterol, decreased serum potassium, and failure of adrenocorticotropin to induce eosinopenia.
What are the Good (Positive) Effects of Vitamin B5?
Since this vitamin supports the function of the adrenal glands a deficiency of this vitamin can lead to adrenal exhaustion.
The brain is another organ in the body that utilizes a significant amount of pantothenic acid. The brain is the only part of the body that uses the highest form of B5, therefore individuals resulting in a decreased amount of B5can notice mood changes, such as fluctuations, and trouble with depression.
Heart patients can benefit by taking a daily dosage of B5. The recommended dosage for men and women is 15 milligrams.
For therapeutic needs doses can range from 50 – 250 milligrams to aid allergy suffers. When taking amounts up to 250 milligrams no signs of toxicity has been reported.
There have been numerous case studies of children who suffer with ADHD/ADD, during the study they where given certain nutrients. Some of these nutrients included: calcium, folic acid, vitamin C, B complex, pantothenic acid, zinc, and manganese.
Zinc was included as part of the regiment due to its ability to decrease hyperactivity. The children also were not allowed any foods, or to use any items continuing dye, or artificial flavorings. I can’t imagine how a child could would stand so many restrictions, but in some cases the children had noticeable improvement.
What are the Side Effects of Vitamin B5?
No serious side effects have been reported, even at intakes of up to 10,000 mg (10 grams) per day. Very large amounts of pantothenic acid (several grams per day) can cause diarrhea.
Pantothenic acid works together with vitamin B1, vitamin B2, and vitamin B3 to help make the fuel our bodies run on—ATP.
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