The health benefits of vitamin B5, also known as pantothenic acid, include the alleviation of conditions like asthma, hair loss, allergies, stress and anxiety, respiratory disorders, and heart problems. It also helps boost immunity, reduce osteoarthritis and signs of aging, increase resistance to various types of infections, stimulates physical growth, and manage skin disorders.
Vitamin B5 is widely known to be beneficial in treating serious mental disorders like chronic stress and anxiety. A healthy diet should contain an appropriate amount of this vitamin to ensure good health and proper functioning of all the organ systems. It performs a wide variety of functions in our body, including the production of neurotransmitters in the brain, the fabrication of steroids, and the extraction of fats, proteins, and other vital nutrients from food.
In a nutshell, the essence of vitamin B5 affects every important aspect of your health.
Vitamin B5 Deficiency Symptoms
The most common and irritating symptom of vitamin B5 deficiency is burning foot syndrome, in which a person experiences a lack of feeling in their feet, accompanied by intense inflammatory pain. Along with this comes a constant feeling of fatigue and weakness throughout the body. Other major symptoms include insomnia, anemia, vomiting, contraction of muscles, and abnormal skin developments.
Important Sources of Vitamin B5
The most important sources of vitamin B5 include mushrooms, broccoli, cabbage, legumes, salmon, and collard greens. There are other significant sources of this water-soluble vitamin, including foods like eggs, fish, brewer’s yeast, nuts, milk, and dairy products like cheese. You can also obtain the vitamin from wheat, peanut, soybeans, molasses, and collard greens.
Health Benefits of Vitamin B5
There are many health benefits of vitamin B5, some of which include healthy heart, lower stress levels, and skin and hair care. Let’s discuss them in detail.
Stimulates Hormones
Vitamin B5 acts as a synthesizer of many important components required by the human body. For instance, it is essential for the formation of fats, proteins, carbohydrates, amino acids, and antibiotics, while also stimulating adrenal hormones.
Sources of pantothenic acid or vitamin B Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Relieves Stress
Vitamin B5 has the reputation of reducing stress and other serious mental problems like anxiety which ensures the fitness of mind. It does this by regulating the hormones responsible for causing these mental conditions.
Improves Heart Health
Vitamin B5 has an impressive record of keeping the human heart in normal working condition. It regulates the level of cholesterol and also helps in controlling blood pressure. [1]
Builds Stamina
Vitamin B5 helps in reducing body fatigue and weariness, and it sets the metabolic activities of the entire body on the right track. This means that this vitamin is capable of increasing the stamina of the human body to perform various tasks in an efficient and healthy way. This is one of its massive benefits, especially from the point of view of active individuals and athletes.
Skin & Hair Care
More than anything else, vitamin B5 helps keep the skin healthy and attractive in appearance. It also helps delay the appearance of premature aging signs on the skin like wrinkles and age spots. Studies have also shown that it plays an important role in the pigmentation of hair and prevents it from losing its color until you are well into your older years. [2]
Water-Soluble Vitamin
Since Vitamin B5 belongs to the group of water-soluble vitamins, it does not add any type of toxic substance to the human body, thereby proving to be beneficial and effective for people of every age group and gender.
Boosts Immune System
Vitamin B5 is very good at strengthening the immune system of the human body. This helps us fight against a number of infections and diseases. To decrease the chances of your body contracting something dangerous, be sure that your white blood cell count is maximized and your immune system is functioning properly by eating foods that are rich in this vitamin. [3]
Increases Hemoglobin Levels
Vitamin B5 has been shown to enhance the level of hemoglobin in our bodies. It also assists the liver in metabolizing toxic substances. Finally, it is a fuel source for cell division and DNA reproduction.
Other Benefits
Vitamin B5 helps relieve the human body of a number of detrimental problems like asthma, autism, osteoarthritis, premenstrual syndrome, and many others. It is one of the most versatile and flexible vitamins, and cannot be left out of a healthy diet!
