Known as "the anti-stress vitamin," pantothenic acid plays a role in the production of the adrenal hormones and the formation of antibodies, aids in vitamin utilization, and helps to convert fats, carbohydrates, and proteins into energy. It is required by all cells in the body and is concentrated in the organs. It is also involved in the production of neurotransmitters. This vitamin produces numerous enzymes and helps maintain precise communication between the central nervous system and the brain. This vitamin is an essential element of coenzyme A, a vital body chemical involved in many necessary metabolic functions. Pantothenic acid is also a stamina enhancer and prevents certain forms of anemia. It is needed for normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and may be helpful in treating depression and anxiety.

Pantothenic acid comes in two forms: calcium pantothenate and pantethine. The former is widely used for treating ailments from stress to heartburn, while pantethine is mainly recommended for lowering blood cholesterol levels in those who don't respond to other natural treatments. Many multivitamin and vitamin B complex supplements contain pantothenic acid.

A deficiency of pantothenic acid is quite rare in humans because a large number of foods contain this vitamin (in fact, the name is derived from the Greek pantos, meaning "everywhere." Even so, a supplement may be needed to get the higher doses of pantothenic acid recommended for the treatment of specific ailments. A deficiency of pantothenic acid may cause fatigue, headache, nausea, and tingling in the hands.

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Sources

The following foods contain pantothenic acid: beef, brewer's yeast, eggs, fresh vegetables, kidney, legumes, liver, mushrooms, nuts, port, royal jelly, saltwater fish, torula yeast, whole rye flour, and whole wheat.

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Specific Uses: Pantothenic Acid

Manage stress from psychological strain, migraines, chronic fatigue syndrome, and smoking and alcohol cessation. The body relies on pantothenic acid to help the adrenal glands produce stress hormones during times of both psychological and physical strain. This property makes it potentially useful for dealing with emotional upset, depression, anxiety, migraines, chronic fatigue, and withdrawal from alcohol or tobacco. It is commonly taken as part of a vitamin B complex supplement for these purposes. In addition, pantothenic acid may reduce the occurrence of migraines by participating in the production of the brain chemical serotonin; some research indicates that serotonin is present at abnormally low levels in migraine sufferers.

Combat heartburn. The discomforts of heartburn may be soothed by pantothenic acid, particularly when it's combined with two other B vitamins--choline and thiamin.

Reduce certain allergy symptoms and asthmatic reactions. Allergy sufferers may find pantothenic acid beneficial for controlling the nasal congestion that can develop during an allergic reaction. The vitamin is a smart choice during allergy season, when it can be safely taken along with more conventional remedies. An asthmatic response initiated by seasonal allergies may similarly improve with pantothenic acid.

Control cholesterol levels. The body converts pantothenic acid into a chemical called pantethine. When taken as a supplement, pantethine appears to lower the amount of lipids in the blood. A person with high cholesterol may see their level of total of cholesterol--including LDL ("bad") cholesterol--while at the same time increasing HDL ("good") cholesterol levels.

Note: Pantothenic acid has also been found to be useful for a number of other disorders. For information on these additional ailments, see the Dosage Recommendations Chart for Pantothenic Acid.

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Supplemental Forms

• tablet
• softgel
• liquid
• capsule

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Dosages & Recommended Intake

There's no formal RDA for pantothenic acid, but experts recommend getting 4 to 7 mg a day to maintain normal body function. The amount present in a multivitamin or vitamin B-complex supplement is more than adequate in most cases.

If You Get Too Little: A deficiency of pantothenic acid in adults is virtually nonexistent, largely because it is present in so many foods.

If You Get Too Much: Doses of 10 grams (10,000 mg) or more a day can result in diarrhea. No other adverse reactions to high doses have been reported.

General Dosage Information: Special tip: Many multivitamin and B-complex vitamin products contain pantothenic acid; check the label for the dose.

For psychological or physical stress: Take a daily vitamin B complex supplement that includes 100 mg of pantothenic acid. Many so-called adrenal support combinations designed to help the body cope with stress contain approximately this amount of pantothenic acid.

For chronic heartburn: Take 1,000 mg of pantothenic acid twice a day along with 500 mg thiamin once a day and 500 mg choline three times a day. If this regimen fails to improve your heartburn after a month, discontinue it.

For allergies: Take 500 mg of pantothenic acid three times a day.

For high cholesterol: Take 300 mg of pantethine three times a day.

Be sure to check out the Dosage Recommendations Chart for Pantothenic Acid, which lists therapeutic dosages for specific ailments at a glance.

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Guidelines for Use

Take pantothenic acid with meals.

General Interaction: There are no known drug or nutrient interactions associated with pantothenic acid.

Cautions: Read supplement labels carefully to avoid mistakenly purchasing a pantethine product, which is almost solely used for treating high cholesterol. It's not interchangeable with pantothenic acid products.

Ailments	Dosage
Allergies	500 mg 3 times a day
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome	500 mg twice a day
Heartburn	1,000 mg twice a day
High Cholesterol	300 mg 3 times a day
Stress	100 mg a day.

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LINKS TO ONLINE STORES

HerbsMD.com: Vitamin B-5 (Pantothenic Acid) Products

Herbal Advisor: Vitamin B-5 (Pantothenic Acid) Products

MyVitanet.com: Vitamin B-5 (Pantothenic Acid) Products

GreenCanyon.com: Vitamin B-5 (Pantothenic Acid) Products

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