Pantethine is a powerful B vitamin that stands out as an integral part of many vital functions. Its variety of effects in health and physiology make it an essential nutrient for stress management, adrenal function, mitochondria and energy production, mental clarity, and cholesterol health, and more.
Pantethine is the metabolically active form of pantothenic acid or vitamin B5. Pantethine stays in the blood stream longer and is better absorbed into cells than pantothenic acid. Check your multivitamin or stress formula to see what you have!
Energy Production
As pantethine is metabolized, it is directly converted into an enzyme called coenzyme A (CoA). Coenzyme A is crucial for your body as it helps revitalize mitochondrial activity. With the help of magnesium, vitamins B1, B2, and B3, lipoic acid, and amino acids, coenzyme A supplies the Kreb’s or citric acid cycle within mitochondria to make and release energy into cells.
Metabolism
CoA is an extremely important cofactor involved in the metabolism of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. It is directly involved with over 70 metabolic pathways that affect the burning of fat for fuel, carbohydrate metabolism, detoxification of aldehydes, production of cholesterol and bile, and numerous other functions.
Cognitive Function
CoA is also required to make choline into acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter involved with memory and cognitive function. Pantethine’s contributions in making coenzyme A have given it a nickname as the “clear head” supplement, as it metabolically supports memory and cognitive function and detoxification of formaldehyde.
Adrenal Support
Coenzyme A is also involved with the natural formation of adrenal steroid hormones. Pantethine and coenzyme A are used by the adrenal glands to produce anti-stress hormones.
Gut Lining and Body Tissues
Coenzyme A is also involved in the formation of N-acetyl-glucosamine (NAG) and other compounds. NAG helps repair gut mucosal lining and is related to hyaluronic acid needed for skin, cartilage, and collagen integrity.
Cholesterol and Lipid Metabolism
One of the most important roles that pantethine and coenzyme A metabolically support is the synthesis, breakdown, and transport of lipids and fats. This affects fatty acids burned for energy production in mitochondria, as well as cholesterol and lipid metabolism for heart health. Coenzyme A inhibits the HMG-CoA reductase and acetyl CoA carboxylase enzymes, supporting healthy cholesterol metabolism.
A triple-blinded placebo and diet-controlled study in healthy adults showed that because pantethine increased CoA in cells, it supported healthy cholesterol metabolism. Results occurred with the participants who consumed 900 mg per day of pantethine for four months.
Several other small studies with adults and children have shown the use of pantethine supports lipid health. Supplemental intake was 900-1200 mg/day for 3-6 months. Other side benefits observed with pantethine supplementation included increased levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the blood stream and decreased arachidonic acid levels.
Pantethine and the Gut-Brain Connection
Further benefits of pantethine’s effect on lipids in the gut-brain axis are revealed in new research. This animal study showed that pantethine provided a regulatory effect on the composition of beneficial flora in the digestive tract. This led to functional changes in the gut flora, which supports healthy cholesterol production and transport pathways and APOE gene expression in the gut-brain axis. Benefits were also observed with memory, spatial learning, and mood.
Stress and the Western diet contribute to increased demands for pantethine. Vitamin B5 is necessary for function in all your organs because it is necessary for mitochondrial function. It is needed by your heart, adrenal and thyroid glands, digestive tract and microbiome, skin, immune system, reproductive system, formation of blood, brain and nerves, myelin sheath or insulation layer around nerves, and much more.
Wellness Resources supplements Pantethine and Stress Helper respectively provide 300 mg and 150 mg per capsule. Smaller amounts of pantethine are also found in Daily Energy Multiple Vitamin, Super Coenzyme B Complex, Super Mini Multi, and Daily Prenatal Multiple Vitamin.
Pantethine is an extraordinary nutrient necessary for numerous functions. Like other B vitamins, pantethine is readily used up in response to stress and high demands. Its best known functions are balancing lipids, mitochondria and metabolic energy, and adrenal support. It’s one of my favorite go-to nutrients. Is it one of yours?
