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Vitamin B5 is also known as Pantothenic Acid. It is one of the 8 known members of the vitamin B family and is water soluble (as are all of the members of this vitamin family).
Discovered in 1919 by Roger J Williams, this is considered to be an essential nutrient since the body is not able to produce it naturally or store it. Animals require this vitamin to synthesize coenzyme-A along with the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.
Anyone who is taking a nootropic stack with Cholinergic supplements should be getting additional Vitamin B5 in their diets as this vitamin is necessary for the synthesis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.
Vitamin B5 is the amide between pantoic acid and B-alanine. The name of this supplement comes from the Greek language and means ‘from everywhere.’ This is a reflection of the fact that small quantities of this nutrient are found in nearly every type of food.
Highest concentrations are found in whole-grain cereals, legumes, eggs, meat, royal jelly, avocado, and yogurt. It is also used in several different forms including the alcohol analog of panthenol and as calcium pantothenate. Much of the Vitamin B5 found naturally in certain foods is removed due to high levels of processing in the Western food market.
Energy
Nervous System
Well-Being- Helps to detoxify blood & the gut
- May support healthy blood lipid levels
- May help reduce gas and bloating
Top Vitamin B5 Products* ❯Vitamin B5 Effects:
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If you do not have enough Vitamin B5 in your system, it can result in the impairment of a process needed to synthesize acetylcholine.
Vitamin B5 is necessary for the metabolism of choline in order to make the acetylcholine neurotransmitter.
This brain chemical is used to send signals between neurons related to memory encoding and retrieval as well as intellectual processing and abstraction.
Higher levels of acetylcholine are linked to increased neuroplasticity, heightened concentration, improved fluid intelligence as well as greater clarity of thought and comprehension.
When taking any sort of Choline supplement, it is recommended to use a multivitamin with B5 in it to ensure that you have enough of this nutrient to reap full benefits from your nootropic stack. Without sufficient levels of Vitamin B5, you may not notice any changes when using acetylcholine precursors like Alpha GPC, Citicoline, Centrophenoxine or Acetyl L-Carnitine.
This is particularly true if you are stacking with a Racetam (like Piracetam) in addition to a source of choline. In fact, insufficient levels of Vitamin B5 may exacerbate the “Piracetam headache” that can occur when you do not have enough acetylcholine to keep up with the demands of your neurons.
The effects of Vitamin B5 extend beyond the production of acetylcholine. When it is found in its CoA form, vitamin B5 is known to play a critical role in helping to release energy from sugars, starches, and even fats. Much of this process occurs in the mitochondria, which is where energy is produced for your cells.
It has even been noticed that marathon runners, for example, have an increased level of this vitamin in their blood, probably due to the higher need for sustained energy release.
This supplement is also important in the creation of fat. Fatty acids, cholesterol, and sphingosine (a fat-like molecule which is constantly involved in the delivery of chemical messages) all require vitamin B5 for their synthesis. During these numerous and complicated chemical processes, vitamin B5 ultimately helps to provide fat with the appropriate chemical structure.
It is actively involved in the transportation of fats into the mitochondria, where it is actually produced. In certain situations this supplement is also used to help change (or modify) the shape and function of proteins. This can be useful is defending against break down or even in terms of helping to fight against some type of outside toxin or other ‘invader.’
Vitamin B5 Benefits:
Adding Vitamin B5 to your nootropic stack can contribute a lot of positive benefits. Most importantly, this supplement will potentiate other Cholinergic compounds, whether they may be sources of Choline or receptor modulators like the Racetams.
Using B5 can improve your memory and learning capacity, boost focus, reduce feelings of brain fog and make basic mental tasks seem much easier. Higher levels of acetylcholine can also contribute to a more plastic brain in which new connections are generated and adapted constantly.
Vitamin B5 may be particularly important for elderly individuals who are starting to see signs of memory loss due to declining acetylcholine synthesis. It is possible that this vitamin may slow down the aging process in the brain and even prevent some of the damage associated with Alzheimer’s and dementia.
There have been several studies that suggest Vitamin B5 may be helpful in the reduction of triglycerides and cholesterol levels. Triglycerides are just fats located in the blood. They are present in greater amounts when we have high LDL (bad) cholesterol levels in our system. In some of these studies, the supplement was also able to lower the LDL levels while simultaneously increasing the HDL (good) levels within the bloodstream.
Wound healing is another potential benefit of this Vitamin B5. There have been a few studies conducted which support this, especially in terms of the supplement speeding the overall healing process following surgery. In order to maximize this effect, one should combine B5 with Vitamin C.
Although it is not very common today, there are some cases of Vitamin B5 deficiency. In this case this obvious treatment is B5 supplementation. Some conditions which might tend to indicate such a deficiency would be low-energy related symptoms. For example, fatigue, listlessness, sensations of weakness.
A rare symptom is known as ‘burning foot syndrome,’ which is characterized by numbness, tingling, and burning, shooting pain in the feet. In this case, you would also do well to take it in combination with other B vitamins (especially B1 and B3).
Vitamin B5 Dosage:
The typical recommended daily dosage for Vitamin B5 is 5 mg. This is the FDA guideline, although doses significantly higher have been determined to be safe. Pregnant women and those who are breast feeding are advised to take more (6 to 7 mg per day).
The best way to take this supplement is in combination with other B vitamins (as a B complex, for example). Take with water, ideally after eating. If you are looking for help treating a specific condition, then talk with a qualified medical professional first.
If you are using B5 with a source of choline like Alpha GPC or Citicoline, it has been suggested that you maintain a one-to-two ratio in your dosages. In other words, if you are taking 250 mg of Citicoline (CDP Choline), you will want to use 125 mg of Vitamin B5. While this is significantly higher than what the FDA recommends, there is no concern of toxicity at even this high dose level.
Vitamin B5 Side Effects:
There are no dangers associated with taking this B vitamin, but there are some considerations to keep in mind. Although most people will not experience any side effects at all, very high doses may cause diarrhea and increase the risk of bleeding. If these signs occur, you should discontinue use and seek medical attention/advice.
There are also some possible drug and medication interactions. Never take any B Vitamin at the same time as Tetracycline. You also should talk to you doctor if you are currently using other antibiotics or any of the popular Alzheimer’s treatment drugs, especially those known as cholinesterase inhibitors.
Vitamin B5 Review:
Many of the B Vitamins have positive impacts on brain function, but Pantothenic Acid might just be one of the most important for users of nootropics. Vitamin B5 has been described as “brain fuel”, important for the metabolic function of your neurons.
As a key component in the synthesis of acetylcholine, this nutrient should be taken by anyone who is using Cholinergics like Piracetam or sources of Choline like Alpha GPC. It can contribute to better memory retention, increased synaptic plasticity, heightened attention and concentration and boost the health of your brain.
This supplement also offers anti-aging benefits and may be able to counteract some signs of cognitive decline. You can find Vitamin B5 in some multivitamin products or you may prefer to look for it in a single-ingredient supplement format.
Article last updated on: June 6th, 2018 by Nootriment