Supplement · Vitamins
Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
Also known as: Pantothenic acid
Needed to make coenzyme A; deficiency is rare and supplementing rarely does much.
- Evidence
- Silver· human data
- Sources cited
- 1
- Last reviewed
- 22 July 2026
Pantothenic acid is required to make coenzyme A, a molecule central to energy metabolism. It is widespread in food — the name means 'from everywhere' — so isolated deficiency is very rare.
Because shortfalls are so uncommon, supplementing generally offers no benefit to energy or skin despite marketing to that effect. It is safe and water-soluble, and best met from ordinary food or a B-complex.