Pantothenic acid, a member of the B vitamin clan (technically vitamin B5), is everywhere. It can be found in all living cells and, at least to some extent, in all foods. Appropriately, its name comes from the Greek word pantos, meaning "everywhere."
Although discovered more than 40 years ago, nutritionists have never gotten too excited over the vitamin because overt deficiency in humans is very rare. In fact, symptoms of pantothenic acid deficiency in people occur only after long periods of food restriction. This is a so-called "stress vitamin," and deficiency is difficult to pin down because it appears to affect all organs' ability to handle stressors, both emotional and physical.
Like other B vitamins, pantothenic acid helps the body extract energy from carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. It also helps to metabolize fats and produce red blood cells and hormones from the adrenal gland. Pantothenic acid is necessary to maintain good health.
Vitamin B5 might be useful in treating rheumatoid arthritis. It could also be used to lower blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Pantothenic acid is commonly found in "anti-stress" formulas because it works with the adrenal glad to produce stress hormones.
Vitamin B5 deficiency is extremely rare. It is not likely to occur in people who eat ordinary diets that include a variety of foods. Symptoms of deficiency have occurred only in experimental situations.
Vitamin B5 is just one of many essential nutrients that need to be a part of your diet. For more information, visit these links.
A deficiency of vitamin B1, or thiamin, results in the disease beriberi. Learn more in How Vitamin B1 Works.