Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5)
Two forms on the shelf, no study comparing how well either is absorbed. Assume the label is guessing.
Pantothenic acid is vitamin B5, and its job is building coenzyme A, the carrier that gets fat and carbohydrate into the energy pathway. It appears in enough foods that a genuine shortfall is rare, and food processing destroys anywhere from a fifth to nearly four fifths of what was there. Supplements come as calcium pantothenate or pantethine, and NIH ODS states plainly that no study has compared how well the two are absorbed, so a label ranking them is asserting something nobody has measured. The UK has never set a reference value; EFSA puts adequate intake at 5mg a day for adults and 7mg for those breastfeeding. There is no upper limit anywhere, because no human toxicity has been reported, though around 10g a day brings on diarrhoea. The UK guidance level for supplements is 200mg a day.
Reference values
Daily reference values from official nutrition authorities. These are population reference figures, not personal recommendations.
| RDA | Upper limit | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 5 mg | No UL set | EFSA NDA Panel AI 5 mg/day adults (2016). SACN has not set a formal DRV for pantothenic acid. No EFSA or SACN UL established. |
Forms and bioavailability
Not all forms are absorbed equally. The form on your supplement label affects how much your body can actually use.
| Form | Absorption | With food | Timing | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calcium pantothenate | Typical | With food | Either | Strong |
| Pantethine | unknown | With food | Either | Informational |
Stack Almanac records which B5 form each product uses, so if a comparison of the two ever gets run you already have your own history to read it against.
Track your Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) in Stack Almanac
Last reviewed: 2026-05-25. Reference values are adult-general RDAs from EU. Individual needs may vary. This page is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.