Pantethine is a derived form of vitamin B5, also called pantothenic acid. Vitamin B5 is an essential coenzyme in numerous reactions needed to sustain life. This vitamin is available in an array of foods from fish to dairy products to vegetables to grains, so it is extremely unlikely that you would experience a B5 deficiency, notes the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. Pantethine supplements may be useful for treating some health conditions. Always consult a health care provider before trying a new supplement.
High Cholesterol
Pantethine may have a cholesterol-lowering effect. The dose studied for this purpose is 300 mg three times a day, reports the Linus Pauling Institute. Coenzyme A, which pantothenic acid is a component of, is essential for cholesterol metabolism in your body. Pantethine is closer to coenzyme A in your body's synthetic pathway than is pantothenic acid. This is meaningful because while pantethine exerts cholesterol-lowering action, pantothenic acid does not, according to "The Pill Book Guide to Natural Medicines," by Michael Murray. You should not use pantethine to treat high cholesterol without consulting a doctor, recommend the experts at the Linus Pauling Institute.
High Triglycerides
Pantethine may be effective against high triglycerides at the same dose used to treat high cholesterol, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. That's because coenzyme A also is essential for metabolism of fatty acids, reports Drugs.com. The supplement's combined effect on cholesterol and triglycerides may make it a good aid for treating atherosclerosis, notes a 1986 study published in the "International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, Therapy and Toxicology." Always treat a health condition under a doctor's supervision.
Diabetic Factor
You are most likely to respond to pantethine therapy for high triglycerides or cholesterol if you are either diabetic or on hemodialysis, according to Murray. In fact, you may see triglycerides reduced by as much as 32 percent, total cholesterol down as much as 19 percent and "bad" low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol decreased by up to 21 percent.
Considerations
In doses of up to 1,200 mg per day, pantethine is generally well tolerated. However, you may experience gastrointestinal side effects like heartburn and nausea. This supplement has not been well studied for use in pregnant or nursing women, so do not use it at these times without consulting a doctor, Murray recommends. Same goes for using pantethine along with statins, or HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, as it may lead to additive effects on blood fats.
References
- Oregon State University Linus Pauling Institute: Pantothenic Acid
- "The Pill Book Guide to Natural Medicines"; Micheael Murray; 2002
- "International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, Therapy and Toxicology"; Lipoprotein Changes Induced by Pantethine in Hyperlipoproteinemic Patients: Adults and Children; S. Bertolini, et al.; 1986
- "Journal of Lipid Research"; Pantethine Inhibits Cholesterol and Fatty Acid Syntheses and Stimulates Carbon Dioxide Formation in Isolated Rat Hepatocytes; G. Cighetti, et al.; 1987
- Drugs.com: Pantothenic Acid
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