Pantothenic Acid deficiency
Symptoms, at-risk groups, and clinical context for pantothenic acid deficiency. Sourced from NIH Office of Dietary Supplements and StatPearls.
Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) deficiency is essentially unheard of in healthy people because B5 is found in virtually all foods (the name comes from the Greek 'pantos,' meaning 'everywhere'). Isolated deficiency has only been observed in experimental conditions or in severe malnutrition combined with other B-vitamin deficiencies.
Common symptoms
- Fatigue, irritability, restlessness
- Sleep disturbances
- Headache
- Numbness or tingling in hands and feet
- Muscle cramps
- Burning sensation in feet ('burning feet syndrome' described in WWII POWs)
- GI symptoms — nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain
- Most cases occur alongside multiple B-vitamin deficiencies, making isolated symptoms rare
At-risk groups
- People with severe malnutrition (typically alongside other B-vitamin deficiencies)
- People with rare genetic disorders affecting pantothenate metabolism (PKAN)
- People on long-term parenteral nutrition without adequate supplementation
- Note: Routine B5 supplementation is generally unnecessary for healthy people on a varied diet
When to see a doctor: Isolated B5 deficiency is so rare that suspected deficiency symptoms (numbness, burning feet, fatigue) almost always indicate a different cause — often deficiencies of other B vitamins, neuropathy from diabetes, or another underlying condition. A doctor can identify the actual cause.
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Related deficiencies
Nutrients with overlapping symptoms — useful when investigating an unclear clinical picture.