Pantothenic acid
A B vitamin, also called vitamin B5, that the body uses to make coenzyme A, essential for building and breaking down fats. Almost every food contains some.
How much you need
The official Adequate Intake for adults, per day:
| Age | Men | Women | Pregnancy | Breastfeeding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19–50 years | 5 mg | 5 mg | 6 mg | 7 mg |
| 51–70 years | 5 mg | 5 mg | — | — |
| Over 70 | 5 mg | 5 mg | — | — |
These are Adequate Intakes, not Recommended Dietary Allowances — there was not enough evidence to set a requirement, so they are based on usual intakes in healthy people.
People aged 18 fall in the official 14–18 group, which has the same values — 5 mg a day, 6 mg in pregnancy and 7 mg when breastfeeding. There is no upper limit at any age. Pregnancy and breastfeeding change what you need — confirm yours with your midwife, obstetrician or doctor.
Upper limit
No upper limit has been set for pantothenic acid, because there are no reports of toxicity in humans at high intakes. Some people taking very large doses, such as 10 g a day, develop mild diarrhea and digestive upset.
What it does
Pantothenic acid, also called vitamin B5, is mainly used to make coenzyme A and acyl carrier protein [1]. Coenzyme A is essential for building and breaking down fatty acids and for many other processes that build up or break down molecules in the body; acyl carrier protein's main role is making fatty acids [1].
Forms
About 85% of the pantothenic acid in food is in the form of coenzyme A or phosphopantetheine, which digestion converts to pantothenic acid [1]. Supplements usually contain calcium pantothenate, sometimes pantethine, in amounts from about 10 mg in multivitamins to as much as 1,000 mg in B-complex or single-nutrient products; no studies have compared how well the forms are absorbed [1].
Where it comes from
- Beef liver, boiled3 ounces8.3 mg
- Breakfast cereals, fortified with 100% of the Daily Valuefortified1 serving5 mg
- Shiitake mushrooms, cooked, pieces½ cup2.6 mg
- Sunflower seeds¼ cup2.4 mg
- Chicken, breast meat, skinless, roasted3 ounces1.3 mg
How these five were chosen: The five foods with the most pantothenic acid per serving in the NIH fact sheet's food table. Fortified foods are marked.
| Item | Percent of the adult daily amount (5 mg) |
|---|---|
| Beef liver | 166% |
| Breakfast cereal | 100% |
| Shiitake mushrooms | 52% |
| Sunflower seeds | 48% |
| Chicken breast | 26% |
Getting the most from it
Limited data suggest the body absorbs 40% to 61% of the pantothenic acid in food — about half, on average [1]. Food processing can destroy from 20% to almost 80% of it [1].
In the United States
Few U.S. data exist, but a typical mixed American diet provides an estimated 6 mg a day, suggesting most people get enough [1]. A 1996–1997 study in New Brunswick, Canada, found average intakes of 4.0 mg a day in women and 5.5 mg in men [1]. Pantothenic acid is added to some breakfast cereals and drinks, such as energy drinks [1].
Who is most likely to run low
- People with a mutation in the PANK2 gene, which causes a rare inherited brain disorder (PKAN) by reducing the conversion of pantothenic acid to coenzyme A; whether supplements help is not known [1]
What deficiency looks like
Because almost all foods contain some pantothenic acid, deficiency is rare except in severe malnutrition, and it usually comes with other deficiencies [1]. The only people known to have developed it ate diets with virtually none or took a drug that blocks it [1]. From the experience of prisoners of war in World War II and such studies, deficiency is associated with numbness and burning of the hands and feet, headache, fatigue, irritability, restlessness, disturbed sleep, and digestive upset with loss of appetite [1].
What the evidence supports, and what it doesn't
Established. Pantothenic acid is essential for making coenzyme A, which fat metabolism and many other processes depend on [1]. Deficiency is rare because almost all foods contain it [1].
Not supported by trials. Pantothenic acid itself does not appear to lower blood lipids; the effects described below are for pantethine, a related form [1].
Mixed. Blood lipids: a 2005 review of 28 small trials in 646 adults with high blood lipids, who took a median of 900 mg of pantethine a day for an average of 12.7 weeks, found triglycerides down 32.9% and LDL cholesterol down 20.1% at 4 months [1]. Later trials found smaller but significant reductions, partly confounded by dietary advice given at the same time, and the fact sheet calls for more studies [1].
Too much
There are no reports of pantothenic acid toxicity in humans at high intakes [1]. Some people taking large doses of supplements, such as 10 g a day, develop mild diarrhea and digestive upset [1].
Medicines that interact
Pantothenic acid is not known to have any clinically relevant interactions with medicines [1]. If you take medicines regularly, your doctor or pharmacist can still tell you whether any supplement suits you.
References
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Pantothenic Acid — Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Updated 1 May 2026. ods.od.nih.gov
How we reviewed this page
Every value on this page comes from the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements — Pantothenic Acid, Health Professional Fact Sheet, which presents the official U.S. intake recommendations set by the National Academies. The source was last updated on May 1, 2026, and this page was checked against it on October 18, 2026. Numbered markers link to the source for each claim, so you can check the original rather than take our word for it.
Drafted with AI assistance, then edited and fact-checked by a human. No value is published on the strength of a model's recall.
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General information only. This is not medical advice.