Sources, p5p vs pantothenic acid, definitions and relevant data

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...The synthesis of essential fats, cholesterol, and steroid hormones requires CoA, as does the synthesis of the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, and the hormone, melatonin. Heme, a component of hemoglobin, requires a CoA-containing compound for its synthesis. Metabolism of a number of drugs and toxins by the liver requires CoA (3).

The synthesis of essential fats, cholesterol, and steroid hormones requires CoA, as does the synthesis of the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, and the hormone, melatonin. Heme, a component of hemoglobin, requires a CoA-containing compound for its synthesis. Metabolism of a number of drugs and toxins by the liver requires CoA (3).

... Pantothenic acid deficiency in humans has been induced experimentally by co-administering a pantothenic acid antagonist and a pantothenic acid-deficient diet. Participants in this experiment complained of headache, fatigue, insomnia, intestinal disturbances, and numbness and tingling of their hands and feet (6). In a more recent study, participants fed only a pantothenic acid free diet did not develop clinical signs of deficiency, although some appeared listless and complained of fatigue (7).

...A rare side effect was the development of hepatic encephalopathy, a condition of abnormal brain function resulting from the failure of the liver to eliminate toxins. The encephalopathy was reversed by pantothenic acid supplementation, suggesting but not proving it was due to pantothenic acid deficiency caused by the antagonist (5).

http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/pantothenic-acid


Defenitions -
Pantothenic Acid - Vitamin B5 as found in foods. Rich sources of pantothenic acid include liver and kidney, yeast, egg yolk, and broccoli. Fish, shellfish, chicken, milk, yogurt, legumes, mushrooms, avocado, and sweet potatoes are also good sources. (above article cited, and google results)

Pantethine - (bis-pantethine or co-enzyme pantethine) is a dimeric form of pantothenic acid (vitamin B5). It is composed of two molecules of pantothenic acid linked by cysteamine bridging groups. The monomer of this compound is known as pantetheine and is an intermediate in the production of Coenzyme A by the body. Pantethine is considered the more biologically active form of vitamin B5, but it is less stable, decomposing over time if it is not kept refrigerated[citation needed]. Most vitamin B5 supplements are therefore in the form of calcium pantothenate, a salt of pantothenic acid. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantethine )


Cysteine - is a sulfur-containing amino acid and an important structural and functional component of proteins and enzymes. The antioxidant activity of Glutathione (GSH) is attributed specifically to the presence and availability of this amino acid. ( http://www.immunehealthscience.com/cysteine.html )

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Notes- B5 in its food form requires several steps by the body to conjugate it into pantethine. There are several steps along the path that can intefere with the production of the needed form, such as a low availability of the amino acid cysteine, the presence of mucuoid plaques (fodmaps / biofilms / parasitic colonies of digestive flora gone wrong (candidiasis)), liver congestion (fatty liver and lowered ability to produce enzymes to begin with), and a lowered ability to break down homocysteine into the freeform cysteine to be recycled.


To read more about the pathways by which cysteine is used in the body and it's food sources, click the link above where I got the definition. Tweet