Pantethine is an active form of Vitamin B5 and is available as a dietary supplement. There has been a large amount of scientific research conducted about the properties of pantethine and its effect upon metabolism.
History
The panthothenic acid that panthethine is derived from was first discovered in 1919 by R.J. Williams. By 1933, Williams managed to isolate acid, and its active form of pantethine was isolated in 1947. Studies about the medical benefits from pantethine began in the late 1980s with its packaging as a dietary supplement following shortly after.
Significance
A study at the Istituti Clinici di Perfezionamento in Milan, Italy, and a subsequent Italian study printed in an English medical journal both credit the use of pantethine with lowering both triglyceride and LDL cholesterol in patients given the supplement. Since these studies, the findings have been replicated by several others, including one by a renowned Japanese pharmacology clinic (see link in Resources).
Function
These studies concluded that pantethine may not only lower levels of lipids, such as LDL cholesterol and high triglycerides, but it may also be useful in treating the symptoms brought on by fat deposits surrounding the liver. A Japanese study printed in the Tohoku Journal of Experimental medicine also credited pantethine with improving brain function and aiding in the learning process.
Side Effects
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has labeled Vitamin B5 as safe for use in humans. Clinical studies have revealed the only side effects to be increased amounts of stools and occasional diarrhea.
Warnings
Before beginning any treatment with pantethine, a physician should be consulted for approval and dosage instructions. Pantethine has not been approved to supplement all types of cholesterol medication, and it can interfere with tricyclic antidepressants, according to Drugs.com (see link in Resources).
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