Do you know that the B vitamin family is a superhero nutrient for your body? It keeps your body in top shape. Vitamin B12, for example, helps with nerve and red blood cell health, while vitamins B6 and B9 produce hemoglobin to carry oxygen in your blood.
However, what about vitamin B5? That is where things get a little blurry.
Vitamin B5, or pantothenic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin, belonging to the vitamin B complex group. You can find this nutrient in living things, such as plants, animals, and bacteria.
Vitamin B5 plays many crucial roles in the well-being of our bodies. However, we have to consume it through food or supplements because our bodies cannot make this particular vitamin naturally.
Now it is clear that Vitamin B5 is good for us. However, not many people know about its precise benefits and side effects, if any.
This article aims to provide you with a comprehensive look at what you need to know about vitamin B5!
5 Ultimate Benefits of Vitamin B5
The benefits of vitamin B5 are plentiful. They help the body produce energy, break down fats and carbohydrates, maintain healthy skin, and create red blood cells. Moreover, they also let the body use other vitamins, such as vitamin B2 (riboflavin) and B3 (niacin).
Let us look at the benefits of vitamin B5 in detail.
1. Keeps Your Skin Hydrated
One of the many benefits of vitamin b5 is that it helps to keep the skin hydrated by holding moisture in the cells.
Vitamin B5 increases hydration levels by promoting the production of ceramides in the stratum corneum (the outermost layer of skin). Ceramides help keep water inside of skin cells so they can stay plump and healthy-looking. It also reduces inflammation by inhibiting leukotriene synthesis, keeping your skin supple and wrinkle-free.
Because of its hydration properties, many skincare products include vitamin B5 as their main ingredient. It works well when applied topically, as it provides moisture directly to the skin.
2. Provides Your Skin with Antioxidants
Vitamin B5 works for repairing damaged skin. Pantothenic acid can reduce low-grade inflammation as it works as an antioxidant. The antioxidant properties help repair skin damage from UV rays, pollution, and other environmental stressors.
It also means that Vitamin B5 can support the natural healing process of your skin by boosting the level of wound healing enzymes in your body. It allows the scars to heal more quickly. As a result, you will have less annoying redness or skin irritation.
3. Contains Anti-Aging Properties
Vitamin B5 supports skin cell regeneration and offers anti-aging effects. As mentioned above, the vitamin has antioxidant properties. It can help prevent the skin from free radical damage, which causes the signs of aging. The impact also includes reducing age spots, wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging skin.
Free radicals are molecules that damage healthy cells by stealing their electrons. It causes the cells to break down and become weak, speeding up the process of aging. Antioxidants like vitamin B5 give their electrons back to the damaged cells so that they can regain strength and function properly.
4. Treats Acne
Acne is a common skin problem. It occurs when your hair follicles become plugged with oil and dead skin cells. They lead to whiteheads, blackheads, or pimples that may appear on the cheeks, chin, forehead, chest, back, and shoulders.
Vitamin B5 plays an essential role in preventing acne and reducing symptoms of this skin condition. Since it has anti-inflammatory properties, it can help reduce redness and swelling associated with acne breakouts. Additionally, it regulates the production of sebum (an oily substance made by your body’s sebaceous glands) to keep your pores healthy and free of clogs.
5. Promotes Healthy Hair
Vitamin B5 has plenty of benefits for your skin. However, it can also work as a good charm for your hair.
It can help strengthen hair strands and make your hair look shiny and healthy. Many people add vitamin B5 supplements to their daily routine when they feel their hair looks dull or flat. If you are experiencing similar issues with your skin, you may want to take a closer look at your diet. Consider adding more foods rich in vitamin B5 or taking a supplement as needed.
Guide to Vitamin B5 Intake
Like all other nutrients, age affects the recommended intake of vitamin B5 also. The Institute of Medicine in the United States guides the following daily intake:
- 1.7 mg for infants of 6 months and younger
- 1.8 mg for infants 7 to 12 months
- 2 mg for children 1-3 years
- 3 mg for children 4-8 years
- 4 mg for children 9-13 years
- 5 mg for 14 years or older
- 7 mg for pregnant or breast-feeding women
It is vital to follow the recommendations to avoid unhealthy conditions.
Side Effects of Using Vitamin B5
Oral intake of pantothenic acid is safe for most people. Adults are recommended to take 5 mg per day of it. Increasing intake (up to 1 gram) is likely safe for most people. However, increasing the amounts can also increase the chance of side effects, such as diarrhea and nausea.
There are very few reported cons of vitamin B5, and they tend to be mild and tolerable.
The recommendation is to take vitamin B5 supplements with a full glass of water. They may cause an upset stomach in some people, especially if taken on an empty stomach. It is a minor problem that can be avoided by eating something light before taking the supplement.
Most of the other cons of vitamin B5 occur when the dose is too large. Some people have reported diarrhea or headaches when taking high doses of this vitamin. These side effects are usually not serious. You can avoid them by reducing the intake amount for each day or lowering the overall dose.
Few other side effects are nausea, vomiting, and heartburn. Some people may also experience giddiness and numbness. However, these side effects are also not very serious, and they normally go away on their own within a few days of starting the supplement.
All in all, people with dry skin and those experiencing the effects of aging should consider maintaining vitamin B5 intake. While you may get enough of this vitamin through your diet (particularly if you eat grains), your dermatologist may supplement your diet with a vitamin boost if you are deficient.
