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Pantothenic acid is vitamin B5, a water-soluble B-complex vitamin that forms part of coenzyme A. CoA is essential for energy metabolism because it carries acetyl and acyl groups in the breakdown and synthesis of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. This makes pantothenic acid foundational for many metabolic pathways, and it’s widely available in a variety of foods, so deficiency is rare. The other vitamins have different roles: Vitamin A supports vision and cell health, Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant and aids collagen synthesis, and Vitamin D helps regulate calcium and bone health. So pantothenic acid is best identified as vitamin B5.