Vitamin B5
Pantothenic acid, vitamin P
Description
Vitamin B5 plays an important role in helping the body extract energy from fatty acids, amino acids and carbohydrates. It is also involved in making acetylcholine which is used to transmit nerve impulses and in building healthy cell membranes.
Sources
Vitamin B5 is found in countless food sources: offals, whole grains, legumes, egg yolk, meat, fish, chicken, mushrooms, milk, etc.
Approximate Vitamin B5 Content | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Vitamin B5 remains stable when cooked.
Adequate intake (AI)
AI is the recommended average daily nutrient intake based on estimates of nutrient intake by groups of healthy people.
Vitamin B5 Requirements | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The average Canadian diet consists of 6.1 mg of vitamin B5 per day.
Deficiency
Vitamin B5 deficiency is extremely rare and is only seen is cases of severe malnutrition.
Symptoms include leg cramps, weakness, fatigue, insomnia, gastrointestinal discomfort, headache, hand and foot sensitivity and vomiting.
Toxicity
No cases of toxicity have been reported.
Supplements
Since vitamin B5 is readily available in food, supplements are not necessary.
Vitamin B5 has been used to prevent allergies, hair loss, arthritis, the appearance of grey hair, Addison's disease, diabetic neuropathy and to treat skin problems. The efficacy of vitamin B5 however, has not been proven for any of these indications.
Watch what you eat. Nutrition has a significant impact on health!
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The patient information leaflets are provided by Vigilance Santé Inc. This content is for information purposes only and does not in any manner whatsoever replace the opinion or advice of your health care professional. Always consult a health care professional before making a decision about your medication or treatment.