Known as vitamin B5, pantothenic acid is one of the eight vitamins that make up the vitamin B complex. Pantothenic acid is crucial for your body to survive and is involved in many different functions. It helps to make fats, neurotransmitters, hemoglobin, hormones, and other molecules that are needed for growth and overall functioning of the body. Besides these important elements, pantothenic acid is needed to help the body absorb and use vitamin B6, B12, and C. Also, vitamin B5 is also needed to help with the production of energy from food. Although deficiencies are rare since pantothenic acid can be found in foods, in certain cases your body can be lacking it such as in malnutrition. When the body doesn’t have enough vitamin B5 or pantothenic acid then the body can literally shut down. You can have symptoms of nausea, diarrhea, intestinal problems, insomnia, fatigue, water retention and vomiting. Besides malnutrition, studies have shown that if you have depression or anxiety you also may have more of a need for pantothenic acid then you can get from foods. Many people choose to supplement their diet with pantothenic acid because it supports the nervous system. It can also help with mood changes such as what is found with depression and anxiety. It can treat skin conditions such as acne and rosacea as well as help to lower your bad cholesterol levels while raising your good cholesterol levels. If you have a poor diet that does not consist of the important foods such as fish, whole grains, mushrooms, legumes and poultry then it is important to supplement your diet with pantothenic acid to make sure that you do not become vitamin B5 deficient. It is completely natural since the body makes and uses it so it is almost impossible to overdose.