KIN 343 - 11.16 Vitamin B5 Overview, DRIs and Sources

Vitamin B5 Overview

  • Also known as: Pantothenate or Pantothenic Acid

  • Role: Component of Coenzyme A, essential for various cellular reactions

  • Etymology: From Greek "pantos" meaning "everywhere", indicating its widespread presence in nature

  • Significance in Biochemistry: Acts as a high energy carrier, involved in numerous metabolic pathways

Discovery and Essentiality

  • Isolated: First identified in 1931

  • Essentiality recognized: 1954

  • Biological Importance: Found in all cells due to involvement in metabolism

Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI)

  • Current Recommendation: Adequate Intake (AI) instead of Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)

    • Reason: Human colon synthesizes some pantothenate; estimating exact needs is complex

  • AI for different demographics:

    • Males and females: Same intake recommended across different ages

    • Increased needs:

      • Pregnancy: Supports fetal growth and placenta formation, increases metabolic demands.

      • Lactation: Even higher intake needed for breast milk quality.

  • Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL): Not established for pantothenic acid; generally regarded as non-toxic.

Sources of Pantothenic Acid

  • General Availability: Found in virtually all plant and animal foods due to its presence everywhere.

  • Bacterial Synthesis: Produced by gut bacteria, further complicating the need assessment as the synthesis can vary greatly among individuals.

  • 70% of pantothenic acid in foods is bound form as Coenzyme A; requires digestion for absorption.

Rich Dietary Sources

  • Common sources include:

    • Animal Foods: Meats, organ meats, egg yolk

    • Plant Foods: Legumes, whole grain cereals, potatoes, mushrooms, broccoli, avocados

    • Other: Royal jelly (historically popular)

  • Typical Intake: Most adults in the US consume approximately 4 to 7 mg/day, aligning with the AI recommendation.