HUMAN PANTOTHENIC ACID DEFICIENCY PRODUCED BY OMEGA-METHYL PANTOTHENIC ACID *

Abstract

Four healthy young men were fed a balanced 3,200 calorie diet containing 120 g of protein. One man served as a control while the other 3 received different amounts of the antagonist, omega-methyl pantothenic acid The control subject and the man who got the smallest amount of anti-vitamin remained in fairly good health. The man who received an intermediate dose developed gastrointestinal and neurologic symptoms characteristic of pantothenic acid deficiency. The fourth man, who received the largest dose, remained asymptomatic except for the development of tremor. Biochemical abnormalities were found in the eosinopenic response to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) of the 2 men who received the most antagonist, and in the sensitivity to insulin of the man who received 2 to 4 g daily. We conclude that daily administration of 2 to 4 g of omega-methyl pantothenic acid induced clinical and metabolic changes consistent with pantothenic acid deficiency even though a normal diet was fed This illness was corrected by administration of the active vitamin after we stopped giving the antagonist.