Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)
Last updated: August 9, 2026
Benefits
Needed to make coenzyme A, which your body uses to break down fats and carbohydrates for energy.
How much you need
Recommended daily amounts by life stage, per NIH and NASEM Dietary Reference Intakes. Where the evidence hasn't been enough to set a full RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance), NASEM sets an AI (Adequate Intake) instead — both are shown together below.
| Life stage | RDA / AI |
|---|---|
| Children 1–3 | 2 mg |
| Children 4–8 | 3 mg |
| Boys 9–13 | 4 mg |
| Girls 9–13 | 4 mg |
| Males 14–18 | 5 mg |
| Females 14–18 | 5 mg |
| Men 19–50 | 5 mg |
| Women 19–50 | 5 mg |
| Men 51–70 | 5 mg |
| Women 51–70 | 5 mg |
| Men 71+ | 5 mg |
| Women 71+ | 5 mg |
| Pregnancy 14–18 | 6 mg |
| Pregnancy 19–50 | 6 mg |
| Lactation 14–18 | 7 mg |
| Lactation 19–50 | 7 mg |
Upper limit
No tolerable upper limit has been established for Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid). That doesn't mean unlimited amounts are risk-free — it means the evidence NASEM has reviewed so far hasn't been enough to set a numeric ceiling.
Best food sources
| Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
| Chicken and beef liver | — | — |
| Mushrooms (shiitake) | — | — |
| Avocado | — | — |
| Eggs | — | — |
| Sunflower seeds | — | — |
Body systems & goals
Goals it supports
- Stress reduction (emerging evidence)
- Clear skin (emerging evidence)
Frequently asked questions
How much Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) do adult women need per day?
Adult women (19–50) need 5 mg of Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) per day, per NIH/NASEM Dietary Reference Intakes.
How much Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) do adult men need per day?
Adult men (19–50) need 5 mg of Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) per day, per NIH/NASEM Dietary Reference Intakes.
Does pregnancy change how much Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) you need?
Yes — during pregnancy (ages 19–50) the recommended amount rises to 6 mg per day, compared with 5 mg for non-pregnant adult women.
Is there an upper limit for Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)?
No tolerable upper limit has been established for Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid), based on current evidence reviewed by NASEM.
What foods are highest in Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)?
Good sources include Chicken and beef liver, Mushrooms (shiitake), Avocado, Eggs, and Sunflower seeds.
How Tavita handles this
Tavita logs Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) from both the food you eat and the supplements you take, adding both into one running daily total. There's no established upper limit for Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid), so Tavita tracks it against the recommended amount without implying a ceiling that doesn't exist.
Sources
Figures on this page come from the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements fact sheets and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) Dietary Reference Intake tables — the same dataset that powers the Tavita app. They were independently re-verified by blind re-derivation on August 9, 2026. See the methodology page for how this library is built and kept current.
Tavita is not a medical provider. This page is educational information, not medical advice — talk to your clinician before changing your supplement or medication routine.