If you often feel warmth and numbness in both feet, in addition to the possibility of vasomotor dysfunction, do not ignore another cause of disease, that is, the lack of B vitamins in the most abundant and the most extensive substance – pantothenic acid.

GB 28050 “National Standard for Food Safety General Principles for Nutrition Labeling of Prepackaged Foods” has established a Nutrient Reference Value (NRV) of 5mg of pantothenic acid per day for adults. Pantothenic acid is one of the essential B vitamins. As the most widely present B vitamin in the human body, pantothenic acid participates in the physiological activities of fats, proteins, carbohydrates, etc., and plays an important role in human health.

Main food sources and physiological functions of pantothenic acid

Source: Pantothenic acid is commonly found in daily food, such as: duck liver, wheat bran, avocado, purple cabbage, tomato, etc.

Function: Pantothenic acid derivatives are the active substances of coenzyme A and acyl carrier proteins, which are involved in the biosynthesis of fats, membrane phospholipids, the production of cholesterol and bile salts, the synthesis of vitamins A and D, the production of porphyrin and ghrelin rings, the production of acetyl coenzyme A to participate in the acetylation of ethanol, ammonia, sugars and amino acids, the production of neurotransmitters, liver detoxification substances, the constituents of glycoproteins and glycolipids, and are beneficial to the stability of DNA and reduce the number of cellular damage caused by oxygen free radicals. As the active substance of acetyl carrier protein, it is involved in the physiological activities of binding and transferring acyl groups.

Hazards of deficiency and excess intake

Deficiency: Since pantothenic acid is commonly found in plant and animal foods, dietary deficiency disorders of this nutrient are quite rare in people, except in cases such as prolonged consumption of semi-synthetic diets lacking pantothenic acid or the use of pantothenic acid anti-caking agents. Severe deficiencies can result in symptoms such as fatigue, gastrointestinal upset, mood disorders, warmth and numbness in the hands and feet, decreased insulin sensitivity, and decreased antibody production.

OVERDOSAGE: People tolerate pantothenic acid well with occasional mild diarrhea.