P90 Labs Science · 7 min read · Ingredients
Every time a coach asks players to "work both sides of the ball," they are asking for an aerobic engine that can switch smoothly between burning carbohydrate and burning fat across 90 minutes. That metabolic flexibility depends on a vitamin almost nobody discusses in soccer fuel rooms: vitamin B5, or pantothenic acid.
Pantothenic acid is the raw material from which the body builds coenzyme A (CoA) — the molecule that sits at the literal center of aerobic metabolism. Without CoA, neither the carbohydrates you ingest at halftime nor the fat stores you rely on between sprints can enter the Krebs cycle ( Kennedy, 2016 ).
This article covers what vitamin B5 does, why exercising athletes need more of it, and how it fits the broader match-day fuelling picture.
The Chemistry of Energy: CoA in Two Minutes
Coenzyme A is a transfer molecule that carries acyl groups through the pathways that convert food into ATP. When you run, your muscles produce acetyl groups from both glucose breakdown and fatty-acid oxidation; CoA binds those groups to form acetyl-CoA, the compound that enters the citric-acid cycle. CoA is also required for the acyl-carrier protein (ACP) used in fatty-acid synthesis, and it participates in the production of steroid hormones and neurotransmitters ( Institute of Medicine, 1998 ).
In a soccer match, an athlete spends 90 minutes oscillating between high-intensity carbohydrate burning and lower-intensity fat burning. The efficiency of that substrate switching is precisely what CoA enables. Marginal B-vitamin status — which surveys suggest is more common in athletes than in the general population, given the elevated turnover associated with heavy training — has been shown to reduce work capacity and aerobic efficiency ( Woolf & Manore, 2006 ).
B5 and the Stress System
Beyond fuel metabolism, pantothenic acid has a second role that matters to soccer: the adrenal response to stress. Match day activates the sympathetic nervous system, cortisol and adrenaline rise, and the body's synthesis of stress hormones is pantothenate-dependent ( Kennedy, 2016 ). For collegiate athletes balancing matches, travel, training blocks, and classes — the very athletes the P90 Labs founder built the company for — B5 is part of the nutritional floor that keeps the stress response adaptive rather than destructive.
Inside the P90 Gel
Each 30 ml tube provides 21.74 mg of calcium pantothenate, yielding 20 mg of vitamin B5 — 333% of the daily Reference Intake per serving. Paired with 5 mg of vitamin B6, it completes the micronutrient layer of the P90 Gel, supporting the 18 g dual-source carbohydrate base, the 120 mg of magnesium, and the 250 mg of Cognizin® citicoline that together target the physical, cognitive, and metabolic demands of 90 minutes — all caffeine-free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get too much vitamin B5?
Pantothenic acid is water-soluble; excess is excreted in urine. No tolerable upper intake level has been set in most jurisdictions, and the dose here is consistent with sport-nutrition practice.
Does B5 give you energy like caffeine?
No. B5 is a cofactor, not a stimulant — it helps your body convert food into ATP more efficiently. It will not cause jitters, a crash, or sleep disruption, which is why the P90 Gel stays caffeine-free.
References
1.Kennedy DO. B vitamins and the brain: mechanisms, dose and efficacy. Nutrients. 2016;8(2):68. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu8020068
2.Woolf K, Manore MM. B-vitamins and exercise: does exercise alter requirements? International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. 2006;16(5 ):453–484. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.16.5.453
3.Institute of Medicine (US ) Standing Committee on the Scientific Evaluation of Dietary Reference Intakes. Dietary Reference Intakes for Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, and Choline. National Academies Press; 1998. https://doi.org/10.17226/6015