
Vitamin B12 Deficiency: Symptoms, Risk Factors and What to Do
Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms — tingling, fatigue, memory issues and more. Who's at risk in India and how to fix it. Prakash Hospital Noida.
30 Sept 2026
by Prakash Hospital

Explore how Vitamin B5 supports your adrenal glands, helps produce vital hormones, and discover the best dietary sources available in India.
The name "Pantothenic Acid" actually comes from the Greek word "pantos," which translates to "from everywhere." True to its name, Vitamin B5 is found in almost every single plant and animal food source on the planet. Your body uses it to synthesize Coenzyme A (CoA), a vital chemical required to build and break down fatty acids, and to safely process toxins in the liver. Most importantly, Vitamin B5 is the "anti-stress" vitamin. It directly supports your adrenal glands, allowing them to produce crucial steroid hormones (like cortisol) that your body relies on to handle stress, reduce inflammation, and maintain a stable metabolism. While true deficiency is incredibly rare, maintaining optimal levels ensures your metabolic engine and stress-response systems run flawlessly.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) recommends:
*Because it is widespread in food, most healthy adults easily exceed this requirement without supplements. Pregnant women need about 6.0 mg/day.
Since it is "everywhere," you are likely already consuming B5. However, heavily processing, canning, or refining foods can destroy up to half of their natural pantothenic acid content.
| Rank | Food Item | Type | Estimated Amount (Per 100g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicken / Mutton Liver | Non-Veg | ~ 7.0 - 8.0 mg |
| 2 | Shiitake / Button Mushrooms | Vegetarian/Veg | ~ 1.5 - 3.6 mg |
| 3 | Sunflower Seeds | Vegetarian/Seeds | ~ 7.0 mg |
| 4 | Avocado | Vegetarian/Fruit | ~ 1.4 mg |
| 5 | Chicken Breast | Non-Veg | ~ 1.3 mg |
| 6 | Eggs | Non-Veg | ~ 1.5 mg (Mostly in the yolk) |
| 7 | Lentils (Moong/Masoor) | Vegetarian/Legume | ~ 0.6 mg (Cooked) |
| 8 | Sweet Potatoes | Vegetarian/Veg | ~ 0.8 mg |
| 9 | Peanuts (Mungfali) | Vegetarian/Nut | ~ 1.8 mg |
| 10 | Yogurt (Dahi) | Vegetarian/Dairy | ~ 0.4 mg |
Natural deficiency is incredibly rare and has only been observed in cases of extreme, life-threatening malnutrition.
A historical symptom observed in prisoners of war suffering severe malnutrition, characterized by numbness and severe burning pain in the feet.
Due to the adrenal glands' inability to synthesize stress hormones efficiently, leading to poor stress response and exhaustion.
Stomach cramps, nausea, and vomiting as metabolic pathways begin to fail.
Because Vitamin B5 is water-soluble, your kidneys efficiently filter out any excess amounts through your urine.
If you are suffering from severe, persistent cystic acne or experiencing chronic exhaustion that feels like "adrenal fatigue," relying on over-the-counter B-complex vitamins might not be enough to solve the root cause.
At Prakash Hospital, our Endocrinology and Dermatology departments can perform comprehensive hormonal and blood panels to uncover underlying issues causing fatigue or severe acne, and provide targeted, medical-grade treatments.
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Vital for brain health, mood regulation, and creating neurotransmitters.
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