Pantotensyre
Also known as: Vitamin B5, Pantotensyre, Pantothenate, Pantothenic acid
Overview
Pantothenic acid, also known as Vitamin B5, is an essential water-soluble B vitamin widely distributed in various plant and animal food sources, including whole grains, meats, and vegetables. It serves as a crucial precursor to coenzyme A (CoA), a molecule indispensable for numerous metabolic processes. These include energy production (via the Krebs cycle), the synthesis of fatty acids, and the production of vital hormones like steroid hormones. As a dietary supplement, it is primarily used to prevent or treat pantothenic acid deficiency, which is rare, and to support overall metabolic health, adrenal function, and potentially cardiovascular and neurological well-being. While its biochemical role and effects of deficiency are well-established, research on the benefits of supplementation beyond deficiency is ongoing, with moderate to emerging clinical evidence.
Benefits
Pantothenic acid offers several evidence-based benefits, particularly through its derivative, pantethine. For cardiovascular health, pantethine has been shown in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to significantly reduce total cholesterol (TC), LDL cholesterol (LDL-C), and non-HDL cholesterol. For instance, a 16-week study demonstrated an 8% decrease in TC and a 13% decrease in LDL-C compared to placebo, especially in females with low to moderate cardiovascular risk. Regarding neurological health, observational studies suggest a potential link between lower brain pantothenic acid levels and neurodegenerative conditions like Parkinson’s disease dementia and dementia with Lewy bodies, though direct supplementation benefits require further clinical validation. Animal studies indicate that vitamin B5 supplementation can enhance intestinal development, improve gut morphology, and positively modulate gut microbiota composition by increasing beneficial bacteria and short-chain fatty acids, suggesting a role in gut health. Furthermore, pantothenic acid is critical for metabolic and adrenal support due to its role in CoA synthesis, impacting energy metabolism and the production of adrenal hormones such as cortisol. Deficiency can impair adrenal cortical function and may exacerbate conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.
How it works
Pantothenic acid is metabolized in the body, first converted to pantetheine and then to coenzyme A (CoA). CoA is a fundamental coenzyme that plays a central role in numerous metabolic pathways. It acts as an acyl carrier, facilitating the transfer of acyl groups in processes such as fatty acid oxidation, the Krebs cycle (which generates energy), and the biosynthesis of essential compounds like acetylcholine and steroid hormones. By influencing lipid metabolism, energy production, and hormone synthesis, pantothenic acid exerts its effects on cardiovascular health, metabolic regulation, and adrenal function. It is absorbed in the small intestine primarily via sodium-dependent multivitamin transporters, and its bioavailability from dietary sources is generally high.
Side effects
Pantothenic acid is generally considered very safe, exhibiting low toxicity due to its water-soluble nature and efficient renal excretion. Adverse effects are rare, even at high doses. The most commonly reported side effect, though infrequent, is mild gastrointestinal discomfort, which typically occurs only with very high intakes (several grams per day). There are no significant drug interactions or contraindications that are well-documented for pantothenic acid. Special populations, including pregnant and lactating individuals, as well as the elderly, generally tolerate supplementation well. However, specific clinical data on these groups, especially concerning very high doses, remain limited. Overall, its safety profile is excellent, making it a low-risk supplement for most individuals.
Dosage
The minimum daily intake of pantothenic acid required to prevent deficiency in adults is approximately 5 mg. For specific therapeutic benefits, such as lipid lowering, the derivative pantethine has been studied at higher doses. Clinical trials investigating pantethine for cholesterol reduction typically used dosages around 600 mg per day. The optimal dosage for cardiovascular benefits appears to be in the range of 300–600 mg/day of pantethine. For general health and nutritional support, pantothenic acid itself is commonly supplemented at lower doses, typically 5–10 mg per day. There is no established upper limit or maximum safe dose for pantothenic acid, as doses up to several grams per day have been used in studies without serious adverse effects. The timing of supplementation is flexible, as its absorption is not significantly affected by food intake.
FAQs
Is pantothenic acid the same as pantethine?
No, pantethine is a derivative of pantothenic acid. While pantothenic acid is essential for general health, pantethine has shown potentially stronger and more direct effects, particularly in lipid-lowering.
Can pantothenic acid improve cholesterol levels?
Direct evidence supports pantethine supplementation for modest cholesterol reduction, especially in females. Studies have shown it can decrease total cholesterol and LDL-C.
Is pantothenic acid supplementation necessary?
Deficiency is rare due to its widespread presence in foods. Supplementation is primarily beneficial in specific conditions, such as for lipid management with pantethine, or to address potential subclinical deficiencies.
Are there neurological benefits from pantothenic acid?
Observational data suggest lower brain levels in neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's dementia. However, clinical benefits of supplementation for these conditions are currently unproven and require further research.
Research Sources
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3942300/ – This double-blind, placebo-controlled RCT involving 32 adults with low to moderate cardiovascular disease risk found that pantethine supplementation over 16 weeks significantly reduced total cholesterol by 8% and LDL-C by 13% in females compared to placebo. The study highlights sex-specific lipid-lowering effects of pantethine.
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8468190/ – This case-control metabolomics study, analyzing brain tissue samples, revealed a 40% lower concentration of pantothenic acid in specific brain regions of individuals with Parkinson’s disease dementia. This observational finding suggests a potential biochemical link between pantothenic acid levels and neurodegeneration, warranting further investigation.
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10495398.2024.2335340 – An animal RCT using piglets demonstrated that 50 mg/kg of vitamin B5 supplementation improved intestinal morphology, modulated gut microbiota composition, and increased short-chain fatty acid production. This study provides mechanistic insights into how pantothenic acid may support gut health.
- https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.3233/JPD-240075 – This observational brain study identified reductions in pantothenic acid levels in the brains of individuals with dementia with Lewy bodies. The findings suggest a potential association between altered pantothenic acid metabolism and cognitive decline in this neurodegenerative disorder, supporting biological plausibility for its role.
- https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.1031502/full – This review article synthesizes existing knowledge, emphasizing vitamin B5's critical role in energy metabolism and adrenal function through its conversion to coenzyme A. It also discusses the link between pantothenic acid deficiency and the severity of conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, summarizing both biochemical and clinical data.
