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.