Vitamin B5: Everything You Need To Know

Why do we need vitamin B5?

Share on Pinterest

Vitamin B5 has many important functions. These include:

• converting food into glucose
• synthesizing cholesterol
• forming sex and stress-related hormones
• forming red blood cells

As with all B vitamins, pantothenic acid helps the body break down fats, carbohydrates, and proteins so that our bodies can use them for energy and rebuilding tissues, muscles, and organs.

Coenzyme A

Vitamin B5 has a role in synthesizing coenzyme A.

Coenzyme A is involved in the synthesis of fatty acids and is important for converting foods into fatty acids and cholesterol.

Coenzyme A is also needed for the creation of sphingosine, a fat-like molecule that helps deliver chemical messages inside the body’s cells.

The liver needs Coenzyme A to metabolize some drugs and toxins safely.

Digestive system

Vitamin B5 helps maintain a healthy digestive system and assists the body in using other vitamins, especially vitamin B2. Vitamin B2 helps manage stress, but there is no evidence that pantothenic acid reduces stress.

Skin care

Some studies have shown that vitamin B5 works as a moisturizer on the skin and enhances the healing process of skin wounds.

One study showed that vitamin B5 helped facial acne and reduced the number of acne-related facial blemishes when taken as a dietary supplement. Researchers noted a “significant mean reduction in total lesion count” after 12 weeks of taking a B5 dietary supplement. The authors call for more trials to confirm the results.

Cholesterol and triglycerides

Some studies suggest that vitamin B5 intake can help lower cholesterol and levels of blood triglycerides, or fats. This course of management should only be pursued under medical supervision.

Rheumatoid arthritis

Some researchers have found that people with rheumatoid arthritis have lower levels of vitamin B5. However, more evidence is needed to confirm these results.