Vitamin B5 is also known as pantothenic acid. Vitamin B5 is the most prolific of all the vitamins and is found in every type of food. In fact, it is impossible for a person to consume less vitamin B5 than they need. That means that there is no possibility that a person could have a Vitamin B5 deficiency.
For this reason, there is actually a recommended daily amount that health professionals can state as everyone obtains more than enough from their normal food consumption.
However, even though there is no need to calculate a recommended daily allowance, it does not mean that Vitamin B5 is not vital for a healthy body and mind. In fact, vitamin B5 is essential for turning food into energy, amongst other functions. Vitamin B5 is responsible for taking fats and carbohydrates into energy.
Some vitamin B5 can be found in almost every food, whether it is animal or vegetable. Obviously, there are some sources of Vitamin B5 that are better than others, but a balanced diet will provide more than enough. The foods with the highest Vitamin B5 content are organ meats, salmon, eggs, beans, milk, and whole grains. It is worth noting that vitamin B5 is lost when grains are milled into flour and tends not to be beaded back in. Therefore, processed grain foods such as bread, pasta, rice, breakfast cereal, and baked goods are not good sources of vitamin B5.
Vitamin B5 is the most effective when it is combined with other B-vitamins, especially thiamin or B1, riboflavin or B2, niacin or B3, pyridoxine or B6, and biotin. Along with these other B vitamins, the B5 vitamin is an integral part in a number of processes. The most important of these is the production of energy from food that is consumed. This is known as the Kreb’s cycle. Vitamin B5 is also required for the release of energy from fats.
Interestingly, vitamin B5 is also considered to be helpful in reducing stress. This is chiefly due to the fact that during periods of stress, the body produces more of certain hormones such as adrenalin, and these require Vitamin B5. There are many theories as to the benefits of Vitamin B5, but there is no need for the majority of people to actively seek out foods that are high in Vitamin B5, as they are likely to be consuming far more than is needed already. Consuming too much vitamin B5 has no negative consequences.
