Vitamin B5 is a component of coenzyme A (CoA) — involved in >100 metabolic reactions including fatty acid synthesis, energy production, and steroid hormone synthesis. Despite its central metabolic role, deficiency is extremely rare (it's found in virtually all foods — "pantothenic" literally means "from everywhere" in Greek). Our research shows the primary supplemental use is for acne (dexpanthenol/pantethine at high doses) with limited clinical evidence. The most compelling application is pantethine (300mg 3x/day) for cholesterol reduction — a meta-analysis found it lowered LDL by 10% and triglycerides by 14%.
Pantothenic acid is converted to coenzyme A (CoA), which is essential for the citric acid cycle (energy production), fatty acid synthesis/oxidation, cholesterol synthesis, steroid hormone synthesis, and acetylation reactions. Pantethine — the active form used in lipid studies — is the disulfide form of pantetheine (CoA precursor). It inhibits HMG-CoA reductase (same target as statins, but much milder) and inhibits fatty acid synthase, reducing hepatic cholesterol and triglyceride production. For acne, the high-dose mechanism is thought to involve enhanced CoA-dependent fatty acid metabolism in sebaceous glands, reducing sebum production.
No critical interactions identified.
Reviewed by the Scan Dose Research Team and Clinical Advisory Board | Last updated:
Not medical advice. Based on published clinical research and systematic reviews.