What is Vitamin B5?

Vitamin B5, also known as pantothenic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin that is essential for the body. It is involved in many important bodily functions, including:

  • Energy production
  • Protein synthesis
  • Fat metabolism
  • Carbohydrate metabolism
  • Steroid hormone production
  • Red blood cell production
  • Immune function
  • Skin health

Vitamin B5 is found in many foods, including:

  • Meat
  • Fish
  • Poultry
  • Eggs
  • Dairy products
  • Whole grains
  • Beans
  • Nuts
  • Seeds
  • Avocados
  • Mushrooms
  • Yeast

A deficiency in vitamin B5 is rare, but it can occur in people who have certain medical conditions, such as malabsorption disorders or alcoholism.

How Much Vitamin B5 Do You Need?

Below are the values of Vitamin B5 recommended by NIH based on life stage.

Life StageRecommended Amount
Birth to 6 months1.7 mg
Infants 7–12 months1.8 mg
Children 1–3 years2 mg
Children 4–8 years3 mg
Children 9–13 years4 mg
Teens 14–18 years5 mg
Adults 19 years and older5 mg
Pregnant teens and women6 mg
Breastfeeding teens and women7 mg

Can You Take Too Much Vitamin B5?

Yes, it is possible to take too much vitamin B5. However, it is very rare and would require taking very high doses over a long period of time.

The tolerable upper intake level (UL) for vitamin B5 is 100 milligrams (mg) per day for adults.

It is important to note that taking too much vitamin B5 can also interfere with the absorption of other vitamins, such as vitamin B12.

Vitamin B5 in Microgreens by Variety

These values are based on 100 grams of microgreens. Much more than you would eat of any one variety per meal. Be sure to remember the purpose of this course and the values presented.

Microgreens VarietyDaily Value by % per 100-grams
NR =No data from reliable source
Amaranth13%
Arugula6%
Basil13%
Beet5%
Bok Choy3%
Borage1%
Broccoli12%
Brussel Sprouts6%
Buckwheat9%
Cabbage5%
Carrot6%
Cauliflower13%
Celery5%
ChervilNR
Chives, Garlic7%
Cilantro11%
Cress, Upland6%
Dill*8%
Endive18%
Fennel5%
FenugreekNR
Kale7%
Kohlrabi13%
Leek3%
Lettuce3%
LovageReported to have.
Mustard4%
Nasturtium*6%
Onions2%
Parsley8%
Pea6%
Radish7%
Shungiku*1%
Sorrel1%
SpinachNR
SunflowerNR
Swiss Chard3%
Tat Soi4%
Tokyo Bekana2%
Turnip*7%

Calculate the %DV based on Your Serving Size

You can use the calculator below to estimate the %DV of Vitamin B5 based on your average serving size. If you weighed your microgreens in ounces, you can use the first row to calculate the weight in grams and then enter that value into the lower calculator.

Vit B5 (#18)
oz
gr
grams
%

The amount of microgreens you added to your meal contains the following %DV of Vitamin B5.

%
mg

For More Information on Vitamin B5

Click here for more information on Vitamin B5 from the National Institute of Health.