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Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin-B5) Pantothenic acid (sometimes referred to as vitamin B5) is a water-soluble nutrient widely synthesized by plants and many bacteria, and essential in the diets of all vertebrate animals, including man. The principal active form of pantothenic acid is coenzyme A (CoA), a more complex molecule synthesized from pantothenic acid, the amino acid cysteine, and adenosine triphosphate (ATP). 95% of this coenzyme is found in mitochondria.
As a component of coenzyme A, pantothenic acid is essential for the production of energy from carbohydrates, fat, and protein. Its pivotal role in energy metabolism involves the formation of acetyl CoA, which in turn combines with oxaloacetic acid to form citrate. This reaction initiates the tricarboxylic acid cycle (Krebs cycle) which ultimately leads to the production of ATP, the cell's principal energy currency.
Because it is essential for all forms of life, pantothenic acid is widely distributed in nature. The richest food sources are organ meats, yeast, egg yolk, broccoli and milk.
No cases of oral toxicity of pantothenic acid have ever been reported in humans.
For additional information (including a list of references), please refer to the pantothenic acid technical bulletin at
http://www.usana.com/dotCom/company/science/components.
Additional Resources:
Pantothenic Acid - U.S. National Library of Medicine Pantothenic Acid - Physicians' Desktop Reference Pantothenic Acid - Linus Pauling Institute Pantothenic Acid - Wikipedia