
What Are The Benefits Of Vitamin B5?
Vitamin B5, also known as pantothenic acid, is a vital nutrient that supports energy production, hormone synthesis, and overall well-being. By incorporating a variety of whole foods into your diet, you can ensure you're getting enough pantothenic acid to thrive.
- Energy production: B5 is a key component of Coenzyme A (CoA), which is essential for converting food into energy.
- Hormone synthesis: it's involved in the production of adrenal hormones, including cortisol, which helps manage stress.
- Red blood cell production: it plays a role in the formation of red blood cells.
- Nervous system function: B5 supports the healthy functioning of the nervous system.
- Skin and hair health: B5 contributes to healthy skin and hair by supporting cell growth and repair.
NIH (National Institutes of Health) recommends the daily intake of vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid):
- Children 4-8 years: 3 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Children 9-13 years: 4 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Teens and Adults: 5 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Pregnant women: 6 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Breastfeeding women: 7 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
Where Can You Find Vitamin B5?
It's important to note that pantothenic acid is widely available in many foods, so deficiencies are relatively rare. Pantothenic acid is found in a wide variety of foods, according to the USDA database, a 3.5-ounce (100-gram) raw portion provides the following nutritional information:
Animal Food, Best Sources
- Chicken giblets: 3.62 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Caviar: 3.5 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- 1 Goose egg (144g): 2.53 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Fish, trout: 1.94 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Pork: 1.74 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Fish, wild salmon: 1.66 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Duck: 1.6 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Fish, farmed salmon: 1.55 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- 1 Turkey egg (79g): 1.49 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Lobster: 1.45 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- 1 Duck egg (70g): 1.3 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Goose: 1.29 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Chicken: 1.09 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Fish, pink salmon: 1.03 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Turkey: 0.993 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- 1 Chicken egg, jumbo (63g): 0.964 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- 1 Chicken egg, extra large (56g): 0.857 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Fish, mackerel: 0.839 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- 1 Chicken egg, large (50g): 0.766 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- 1 Chicken egg, medium (44g): 0.675 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- 1 Chicken egg, small (38g): 0.583 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Beef: 0.576 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- 1 Chicken egg, yolk (17g): 0.508 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Fish, haddock: 0.403 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Scallop: 0.215 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- 1 Quail egg (9g): 0.158 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
Plant-Based Food, Best Sources
- Dried spirulina seaweed: 3.48 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Dried agar seaweed: 3.02 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Sesame flour: 2.74 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Peanut flour: 2.74 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Lentil: 2.14 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Mung bean: 1.91 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Peanut: 1.77 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Hickory nut: 1.75 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Black walnut: 1.66 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Soy flour: 1.59 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Rice flour: 1.59 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Chickpea: 1.59 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Sweet potato chip: 1.55 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Catjang cowpea: 1.51 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Mushroom, white: 1.5 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Brown rice: 1.49 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Oat bran: 1.49 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Adzuki bean: 1.47 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Avocado: 1.39 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Lima bean: 1.36 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Oat: 1.35 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Mushroom, enoki: 1.35 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- White rice: 1.34 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Ginkgo nut: 1.34 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Mushrooms, oyster: 1.29 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Cashew nut, dry roasted: 1.22 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Peanut butter: 1.12 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Peanut, dry-roasted: 1.01 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Cauliflower: 0.667 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Raspberry: 0.329 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Navel orange: 0.261 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Watermelon: 0.221 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Plum: 0.135 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Lettuce, green leaf: 0.134 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Strawberry: 0.125 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Cantaloupe: 0.105 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
Diary Food, Best Sources
- Whole milk, 1 quart (976g): 3.64 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Milk, 1 quart (976g): 3.52 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Cheese, gjetost: 3.35 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Cheese, roquefort: 1.73 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Cheese, camembert: 1.36 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Whole milk, 1 cup (244g): 0.91 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Milk, 1 cup (244g): 0.881 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Greek yogurt: 0.47 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Yogurt: 0.389 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)