What is Calcium Pantothenate?
[pronounced: KAL-cee-um pan-toe-THEN-ate OR kal-sē-əm pan-tə-ˈthe-ˌnāt]
The first word of this ingredient may lead you to think it is a form of calcium. It is not. Its true nature is in its second word, pantothenate. It is a form of the B vitamin pantothenic acid (PA).
An aside: This ingredient name always reminds me to read and listen carefully. A mockingbird will start his morning tune with a borrowed cardinal’s bright "cheer-cheer-cheer, pretty-pretty-pretty” before a swift change to the “tea-kettle, tea-kettle, tea-kettle" of a Carolina Wren. One needs to keep listening, or in this case reading, to know its true stripes!
What is Pantothenic Acid?
Discovered in 1933 by Roger Williams, PA is essential to all forms of life. Therefore, it is found in just about every food. Specifically, PA is needed to make coenzyme A (CoA), a compound needed to make energy from fats we eat. It also is needed for several proteins involved in helping cells make fats. The relationship between CoA and PA is so close that about 85% of PA in food is in the form of CoA.
Formula makers choose calcium pantothenate as a formula ingredient because it is very stable and will not degrade when it sits on the shelf. Most vitamins naturally break down with time, with temperature being an important factor for how quickly they break down. Never use formula past the “use by” or expiration date. After this date, some nutrients may have degraded, and there is a lower amount than is listed on the label.
Regulations and Safety
Calcium pantothenate is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) in the United States and in Europe. This ingredient is also known as “calcium D-pantothenate.”
The US FDA requires infant formulas have at least 300 micrograms (mcg) per 100 calories of prepared formula. No upper limit is set. No toxicity from high intakes of pantothenic acid has ever been reported. The European Commission requires between 400 and 2000 mcg per 100 calories of prepared formula.
Dietary Considerations
The Vegetarian Resource Group lists calcium pantothenate as “usually vegan.” It tends to be made by chemical synthesis and has no known religious restrictions.