Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5): half-life, strengths and approval status

What is pantothenic acid?

Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) is a water-soluble B vitamin the body uses to make coenzyme A, which is needed to build and break down fats and for many other processes. Almost all foods contain some, so deficiency is rare except in severe malnutrition.

Also known as: vitamin B5, calcium pantothenate, pantethine, pantothenate.

Reference intakes

ODS lists an Adequate Intake of 5 mg a day for adults (6 mg in pregnancy, 7 mg while breastfeeding). No upper limit has been set. Supplements range from about 10 mg in multivitamins to up to 1,000 mg in B-complex or B5-only products, usually as calcium pantothenate or pantethine.

Approval status and how it is used

It is sold in the US as a dietary supplement. Under the 1994 dietary supplement law (DSHEA), FDA does not approve dietary supplements before they are marketed, and the maker, not FDA, is responsible for safety and labeling. ODS says a typical US diet provides about 6 mg a day, so most people get enough.

What studies show: most cholesterol research used pantethine, a related form, not pantothenic acid itself, which ODS says does not appear to have the same effects. A 2005 review of 28 small trials (646 adults, median 900 mg a day of pantethine) found triglycerides fell 14.2% at 1 month and 32.9% at 4 months, and LDL cholesterol 10.4% and 20.1%, on average (ODS). In a 16-week placebo-controlled trial in 32 adults, pantethine (600 mg a day, then 900 mg) lowered LDL cholesterol 11% from baseline while placebo rose 3% (Evans 2014); some authors worked for Kyowa Hakko USA and Daiichi Fine Chemical. ODS says going from 600 to 900 mg did not add to the effect, and more research is needed.

Safety, per ODS: there are no reports of toxicity at high intakes, so no upper limit was set; very large doses such as 10 g a day can cause mild diarrhea and stomach upset. Pantothenic acid has no known clinically relevant drug interactions.

Pantothenic acid half-life and time to peak

• Half-lifeNot listed
• Time to peak (Tmax)Not listed

We could not find a single published half-life or time to peak for pantothenic acid that applies to a supplement dose, so we do not list one.

How to track pantothenic acid in Dose Track

1. Add pantothenic acid as a custom compound. Start typing its name and Dose Track fills in the details from its research library for you to check, and it sits next to everything else you take.
2. Log each dose when you take it so your history shows exactly what you took and when.
3. Set reminders on your own schedule, whether that is daily, weekly or every few days.
4. Your log is stored on your phone and no account is needed. Data only leaves it for features you choose, like AI answers and lab reading.

How Dose Track handles peptides · Reconstitution calculator · Half-life calculator

Related compounds

Frequently asked questions

Sources

1. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Pantothenic acid fact sheet for health professionals (updated May 1, 2026).
2. Evans M, et al. Pantethine, a derivative of vitamin B5, favorably alters total, LDL and non-HDL cholesterol in low to moderate cardiovascular risk subjects eligible for statin therapy: a triple-blinded placebo and diet-controlled investigation. Vasc Health Risk Manag. 2014;10:89-100.
3. FDA. Questions and answers on dietary supplements.

All compound guides · Reconstitution calculator · Supported medications