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Pantothenic Acid

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Introduction

Pantothenic acid is vitamin B5. The body needs these compounds to break down carbs and fats. Pantothenic acid has been used to promote heart and liver health. It has also been used to lower cholesterol and ease swelling in the joints. Pantothenic acid can be taken as a pill or powder. It can also be applied to the skin.

Dosages

5 milligrams a day

What Research Shows

May Be Effective

Acute rhinitis treated with decongestant sprays —may increase effectiveness and reduce duration of illness D1
Childhood atopic dermatitis—may provide benefit when used as maintenance treatment B1
Post-tonsillectomy pain and wound healing —may quicken wound healing process and decrease pain in children D1

May Not Be Effective

Denture sores —may not help with healing C1

Editorial process and description of evidence categories can be found at EBSCO NAT Editorial Process.

Safety Notes

It is likely safe to take pantothenic acid in recommended daily doses for a short time. Not enough studies have been done to say whether larger doses are safe to take for a long period. It is also not known whether it is safe to take by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.E1

Interactions

Talk to your doctor about any supplements or therapy you would like to use. Some can interfere with treatment or make conditions worse.

References►

A. Acute Rhinitis Treated with Decongestant Sprays

A1. Mösges R, Shah-Hosseini K, et al. Dexpanthenol: An Overview of its Contribution to Symptom Relief in Acute Rhinitis Treated with Decongestant Nasal Sprays. Adv Ther. 2017 Aug;34(8):1850-1858.

B. Childhood Atopic Dermatitis

B1. Stettler H, Kurka P, et al. A new topical panthenol-containing emollient for maintenance treatment of childhood atopic dermatitis: results from a multicenter prospective study. J Dermatolog Treat. 2017 Dec;28(8):774-779.

C. Denture Sores

C1. Bural C, Güven MÇ, et al. Effect of Over-the-Counter Topical Agents on Denture-Induced Traumatic Lesions: A Clinical Study. Int J Prosthodont. 2018 Sep/Oct;31(5):481-484.

D. Post-Tonsillectomy Pain and Wound Healing

D1. Celebi S, Tepe C, et al. Efficacy of dexpanthenol for pediatric post-tonsillectomy pain and wound healing. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 2013 Jul;122(7):464-467.

E. Safety

E1. Pantothenic acid. Office of Dietary Supplements—National Institutes of Health website. Available at: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/PantothenicAcid-HealthProfessional. Updated July 9, 2019. Accessed October 7, 2019.

Last reviewed February 2020 by EBSCO NAT Review Board Eric Hurwitz, DC
Last Updated: 6/17/2020

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