VITAMIN b5

Vitamin B5, also known as pantothenic acid, is one of the most important vitamins for human life. It is a water-soluble vitamin very abundantly present in plants and animal tissues and endowed with antioxidant properties. Vitamin B5 is a component of coenzyme A (CoA) and is part of the vitamin B2 complex. It is also a growth factor and is essential for various metabolic functions, including the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fatty acids. This vitamin is also involved in the synthesis of cholesterol, lipids, neurotransmitters, steroid hormones and hemoglobin. (PubChem, nd)

This vitamin is used to make coenzyme A (CoA), a chemical compound that helps enzymes make and break down fatty acids as well as perform other metabolic functions, and acyl protein, which also participates in the production of fats. (Institute of Medicine (US) Standing Committee on the Scientific Evaluation of Dietary Reference Intakes and its Panel on Folate, Other B Vitamins, and Choline, 1998)

Vitamin B5 is one of eight B vitamins. All B vitamins help convert the proteins, carbohydrates and fats you eat into energy

• Healthy skin, hair and eyes
• Proper functioning of the nervous system and liver
• A healthy digestive tract
• The production of red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body
• The production of sex hormones and stress-related hormones in the adrenal glands.

Because pantothenic acid helps break down fat, it has been studied for its potential role in lowering cholesterol levels in people with dyslipidemia. This is a condition in which there is an abnormally high concentration of fats or lipids in the blood (e.g. “bad” LDL cholesterol, triglycerides), and low levels of “good” HDL cholesterol . Low levels of CoA can prevent the breakdown and removal of fats from the blood. It has also been suggested that pantothenic acid may have an antioxidant effect that reduces low-grade inflammation, which is present in the early stages of heart disease. (Jung et al., 2017)