Vitamin B5, or Pantothenic Acid, is a necessary element in the body’s hormone and red-blood-cell production
Vitamin B5, or Pantothenic Acid, is a necessary element in the body’s hormone and red-blood-cell production. it also assists in the creation of antibodies. We need Vitamin B5 to break carbohydrates and fats down into fuel, and it has also been dubbed the “anti-stress vitamin”.
A possible endurance and hemoglobin-synthesis enhancer, Vitamin B5 contains an enzyme which, when converted to a coenzyme, helps the body detoxify by eliminating any accumulated chemicals like drugs, insecticides, or herbicides. And it also supports and maintains digestive health.
If you eat a diet high in processed foods, you may not be getting sufficient B5. Freezing, canning, and other food refining processes can rob food of its natural B5 content, so if you’re not getting much fresh, natural food, you might consider taking a B5 supplement.
How B5 Improves Health
There are numerous conditions for which Vitamin B5 may prove helpful : Allergies , heart disease, asthmas and respiratory problems, hyperactivity, autism and ADHD, hair loss and dandruff, cystitis, celiac disease, alcoholism, depression, and even diabetic neuropathy and immune system deficiency have all responded favorably to B5.
Vitamin B5 has been seen as a potential aid to sufferers of PMS, anxiety disorders, chronic fatigue syndrome, and prostatitis; shingles, mouth ulcers, and other skin disorders; slow growth, and dizziness. It may, by stimulating the adrenal glands, decrease the signs of aging and it can also help the immune system ward off infections.
B5 may also alleviate insomnia, hypoglycemia, low blood pressure, and leg cramps which result from pregnancy, obesity, neuralgia, or alcoholism. It might enhance athletic performance, and can even assist with Muscular Dystrophy and Multiple Sclerosis.
Vitamin B5 Deficiency
A B5 deficiency will exhibit some recognizable signs.
They include headaches, difficulty falling, or staying, asleep, nausea, and low adrenal gland function resulting in stomach distress.
Toxicity and Vitamin B5
Vitamin B5, because of its water solubility, is extremely unlikely to accumulate to toxic levels in our bodies. It can, however, lead to diarrhea if it is taken excessively.
If you are considering Vitamin B5, or any kind of nutritional supplementation, we strongly advise that you first consult with your physician. This is especially important if you are pregnant, nursing, have existing health conditions, or are taking prescription medications.
What’s the optimal dose to get the benefits of Vitamin B5?
Vitamin B5 has not been assigned an RSA—Recommended Daily Allowance.
But the most effective dose, for therapeutic purposes, is 30 mg to 1000 mg per day.
Our Suggestions on How to Choose a B5 Supplement
1. The U.S. does very little to regulate the production of nutritional supplements, and both public and private sector research shows that in unregulated environments, consumers have only a 20% chance of finding supplements that actually contain the advertised ingredients or have not been adulterated with contaminants.
So only settle for product from pharmaceutical GMP compliant facilities; such facilities operate under the strictest manufacturing standards.
You’ll assure yourself of getting pure Vitamin B5 in the concentration you are expecting.
2. If you can, find a Vitamin B5 supplement which contains all the other B vitamins as well; they work best as a group to improve your health.