Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)

Pantothenic acid, also called vitamin B5, is a water-soluble vitamin. It cannot be produced by the human body and must therefore be ingested with food. This vitamin is necessary to synthesize cholesterol, produce red blood cells, maintain a healthy digestive tract and breakdown fats and carbohydrates. A lack of pantothenic acid can cause tiredness, immunodeficiency and depression.

Major sources of vitamin B5 includes:

+ Fresh meats, especially organ meat
+ Egg yolks
+ Legumes
+ Fresh vegetables like corn, kale, broccoli
+ Avocados
+ Yogurt
+ Whole unprocessed grains

The chemical structure of Pantothenic Acid

Vitamin B5 exists in foods as bound and free forms. However, the bound form is fully available as a source of Vitamin B5, because it is converted to free Vitamin B5 in the intestine by the action of phosphatase and an amylase. This molecule is optically active, but only the D isomer is biologically active and occurs in nature. Vitamin B5 is commercially available as D-pantothenic acid, as well as dexpanthenoland calcium pantothenate, which are chemicals made in the lab from D-pantothenic acid.

Methods such as microbiology, immunoassay and radioimmuno assay (RIA) consisting in the determination of Vitamin B5 without its prior separation were developed. Microbiology method based on the turbidimetric growth of Lactobacillus plantarum response has been approved by the Association of Analytical Communities (AOAC) as the official method for Vitamin B5 determination in food products. Creative Diagnostics provide a series of Vitamin B5 antibodies and conjugates for new detection method development.

A list of currently available CD Vitamin B5 products can be downloaded here.