Side-by-Side Comparison
Essential Vitamins & Minerals
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) vs. Vitamin B9 (Folate & Folic Acid)
Comparing 2 standards across 10 specifications. 10 key differences identified.
Comparing:
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)
Vitamin B9 (Folate & Folic Acid)
Vitamin B5 is an essential water-soluble vitamin required for the synthesis of Coenzyme A (CoA) and acyl carrier protein (ACP), vital in fatty acid synthesis and beta-oxidation. Adequate Intake (AI) is 5.0 mg/day (no Upper Limit established).
Vitamin B9 comprises natural dietary folates (polyglutamates) and synthetic folic acid (monoglutamate). Adult RDA is 400 µg DFE, with a Tolerable Upper Limit of 1,000 µg/day synthetic folic acid, essential as a single-carbon donor in thymidylate DNA synthesis and neural tube closure.
Specification Comparison Table
10 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Nutrient Type
|
Water-Soluble Amide Vitamin | Water-Soluble Pteroylglutamate Vitamin |
|
Tolerable Upper Limit (UL)
|
None Established (Extremely low toxicity) | 1,000 µg / day (Synthetic folic acid only; masks B12 deficiency neuropathy) |
|
Chemical Forms
|
D-Pantothenic Acid, Calcium Pantothenate (Stable synthetic), Pantethine (Active dimer) | (6S)-5-Methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF, active circulating form), Tetrahydrofolate (THF), Folic Acid (Pteroylmonoglutamic acid, synthetic) |
|
Primary Biological Function
|
Coenzyme A (CoA) backbone (Acetyl-CoA, Succinyl-CoA), Acyl Carrier Protein in fatty acid synthase, Steroid hormone synthesis | 1-Carbon transfer reactions, dUMP -> dTMP methylation (Thymidine DNA synthesis), Methionine-Homocysteine cycle, Erythropoiesis |
|
Deficiency Condition
|
Extremely rare ('Pantothen' = everywhere in foods); 'Burning Feet' syndrome (paresthesia), fatigue | Neural Tube Defects (Spina bifida, anencephaly in fetuses), Megaloblastic Macrocytic Anemia, Elevated Homocysteine |
|
Top Whole Food Sources
|
Shiitake Mushrooms, Beef Liver, Chicken Liver, Sunflower Seeds, Egg Yolk, Hass Avocado, Whole Milk | Beef Liver, Spinach, Asparagus, Brussels Sprouts, Roman Lentils, Chickpeas, Fortified Flours |
|
Adult Adequate Intake (AI)
|
5.0 mg / day (6.0mg pregnancy, 7.0mg lactation) | — |
|
Thermal Processing Losses
|
20–50% lost during meat canning, boiling, and flour milling refining | — |
|
Adult RDA / RDI
|
— | 400 µg DFE / day (600 µg DFE pregnancy / prevents neural tube defects) |
|
MTHFR Genetic Polymorphism
|
— | Homozygous MTHFR C677T variant reduces folate reduction activity by ~70%, benefiting from direct 5-MTHF supplementation |
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