Vitamin B5
Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) Vitamin B5 is an outdated name for pantothenic acid. It is made up of the amino acid (ß-alanine) and pantothenic acid. The special thing about pantothenic acid is the fact that it can be found in almost all foods [pantos (Greek) = everywhere]. The vitamin is most abundant in liver and herring. In plant foods, pantothenic acid is mainly found in wholegrain products and various types of cabbage such as cauliflower and broccoli. Fruit is a relatively poor source of pantothenic acid. The vitamin is heat-stable, but is inactivated in alkaline and acidic solutions.
Tasks
Pantothenic acid is involved in many metabolic processes in the body:
- Citrate cycle,
- Formation of cholesterol,
- formation of ketone bodies
- Synthesis and breakdown of fatty acids and
- Promotes energy production from food as a co-enzyme.
The vitamin performs enzymatic functions in these metabolic processes. Among other things, it is a component of an enzyme complex, fatty acid synthetase.
Symptoms of deficiency
As pantothenic acid can be found in almost all foods, even an unbalanced diet hardly leads to deficiency symptoms. Pantothenic acid-related deficiencies only occur in so-called developing countries. Alcohol-related absorption disorders can also lead to pantothenic acid deficiency in alcoholics. Symptoms of deficiency are manifested by severe metabolic disorders that lead to:
- Cramps,
- reflex disorders,
- changes to the skin and mucous membranes and
- painful toes and soles of the feet.
Consequences of an overdose (hypervitaminosis)
Months of taking significantly more than 10g per day (through preparations) can lead to diarrhea and water retention, otherwise no known side effects.
Requirements
The requirement of 6mg/day is usually covered by a normal diet, an undersupply can only occur in connection with intestinal diseases or alcohol dependency.
Requirements for sport
20-200mg per day, taken several times a day with meals.