Pantothenic Acid (Noun)
Meaning
A vitamin of the vitamin B complex that performs an important role in the oxidation of fats and carbohydrates and certain amino acids; occurs in many foods.
Classification
Nouns denoting substances.
Examples
- Pantothenic acid is found in small amounts in a wide variety of foods, making deficiencies rare in humans who eat a balanced diet.
- A lack of pantothenic acid can lead to a decrease in the production of antibodies, making the body more susceptible to infections.
- The name pantothenic acid comes from the Greek word "pantos," meaning "everywhere," and refers to the vitamin's widespread distribution in nature.
- In the 1930s, researchers were studying pantothenic acid and trying to isolate it, and in 1940 the compound was synthesized and identified.
- Because pantothenic acid is present in a wide variety of foods, dietary deficiency of the vitamin is extremely rare, except in cases of malnutrition.