Pangamic Acid (Vitamin B15?): Benefits, Risks, and Evidence-Based Guide

You clicked for big promises. Here’s the straight deal: pangamic acid-often sold as “vitamin B15”-has a bold reputation and a shaky evidence base. If you want real benefits, you need facts, not hype. I’ll show you what holds up, what doesn’t, how to stay safe, and which alternatives actually deliver results. I live in Birmingham and keep an eye on UK rules and what’s practical for everyday use.

• TL;DR: It’s not a recognized vitamin and strong evidence for major benefits is missing.
• Legality and quality vary; in the US the FDA has banned interstate sales; in the UK it’s treated as an unlicensed medicine if sold with disease claims.
• Safety concerns exist due to mislabeled products and contamination (apricot kernel derivatives, DMAE, or heavy metals).
• If your goal is energy, focus, liver support, or endurance, there are safer, proven options with real data.
• Talk to your GP before starting any new supplement, especially if you take meds or have a health condition.

What Is Pangamic Acid? Claims vs Reality

Here’s the quick definition: pangamic acid was marketed in the mid-20th century as “vitamin B15,” typically as calcium pangamate. That label stuck in magazines and gym folklore, but regulators and universities never confirmed it as a vitamin. There is no agreed human “deficiency,” no recommended daily amount, and no official role in human metabolism.

Why the buzz? Marketers claimed it boosts oxygen use, cleans “toxins,” lifts energy, sharpens focus, and protects the liver and heart. Those are huge, life-changing promises. The problem is that you need controlled human trials to back claims like that, and they’re either absent or low quality here.

What you’ll find if you search the literature: small, old studies (many from the former Soviet Union) with inconsistent methods, limited controls, and results that haven’t been replicated with modern standards. When researchers can’t reproduce early findings, confidence drops fast.

Reality check in one minute:

• Not a recognized vitamin: confirmed by major bodies like the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements.
• No established deficiency or daily requirement: unlike B12 or folate, there’s no clinical test or RDA.
• Unclear chemistry: “Pangamic acid” products have varied wildly in composition across brands and decades.
• Regulatory status: the U.S. FDA has seized and banned pangamic acid products for being misbranded/unapproved. In the UK, the MHRA treats disease-claim marketing as an unlicensed medicine issue.

Bottom line: the name sounds scientific, but the category is messy, the claims are broad, and high-quality evidence hasn’t shown clear benefits.

Evidence Check: Do Any Benefits Hold Up?

I’ll go claim by claim with a simple lens: What’s claimed? What does modern evidence say? What should you do with that info?

Energy and mental focus

• Claim: More cellular oxygen use = more energy and clearer thinking.
• Evidence: No robust randomized, placebo-controlled human trials showing meaningful gains in healthy adults or people with fatigue disorders. Searches in PubMed and Cochrane do not show modern, high-quality support.
• What to do: If fatigue or brain fog is your driver, first rule out iron deficiency, thyroid issues, sleep apnea, B12 deficiency, and depression/anxiety with your GP. For otherwise healthy folks, caffeine + L-theanine, creatine monohydrate (yes, for cognition too), resistance training, and sleep hygiene have better data.

Athletic endurance and performance

• Claim: Better oxygen metabolism for longer workouts.
• Evidence: No high-quality trials in trained athletes showing improved VO₂max, time-to-exhaustion, or race performance. Sports nutrition consensus still backs sodium bicarbonate, beta-alanine, creatine, and carbohydrate fueling as the big hitters.
• What to do: If you’re chasing endurance, build your aerobic base, use carbs around sessions, and consider beta-alanine and beetroot juice/nitrates. If strength/power is the goal, creatine monohydrate is one of the most proven supplements in all of sports science.

Liver “detox” or protection

• Claim: Supports liver health and detoxification pathways.
• Evidence: No modern randomized trials in NAFLD, hepatitis, cholestasis, or cirrhosis. Some very old reports exist, but they lack rigorous controls and aren’t accepted as proof. Regulators have warned against disease claims.
• What to do: For liver health, address alcohol, maintain a healthy weight, manage diabetes/insulin resistance, and get vaccinated for hepatitis as appropriate. If you want a supplement with some human data, consider coffee (yes, coffee) and discuss vitamin E (for non-diabetic NAFLD only) or omega-3s with your clinician. Milk thistle has mixed results; not a cure-all.

Cardiovascular support

• Claim: Better oxygen delivery and circulation.
• Evidence: No high-quality human trials showing reduced blood pressure, improved lipid profiles, or clinical endpoints. Major guidelines never mention pangamic acid.
• What to do: Proven steps include blood pressure control, LDL lowering (diet and, when needed, statins), exercise, smoking cessation, and a Mediterranean-style diet. Supplements that can help lipids modestly: soluble fiber (psyllium), plant sterols, and omega-3s (for triglycerides).

Blood sugar and metabolic health

• Claim: Stabilizes blood sugar and improves metabolism.
• Evidence: No consistent human data. Not included in diabetes guidelines.
• What to do: Weight management, resistance training, protein at meals, fiber intake, and medically guided therapy. Berberine can modestly lower A1C and lipids, but check interactions; GLP-1 medications change the game and require medical oversight.

How strong is the evidence, in one sentence? Weak. The U.S. FDA has repeatedly acted against pangamic acid products; the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements does not list it as a vitamin; Cochrane and guideline bodies ignore it due to lack of quality data. That tells you how little confidence there is in real-world benefits.

Notes on confusion with similar sounding compounds

• DMG (dimethylglycine) is sometimes marketed as “vitamin B15,” but it’s not a vitamin, and evidence for broad benefits is also limited.
• Calcium pangamate is a salt form often used in supplements labeled as pangamic acid. Contents have varied across brands and time.
• Some products historically contained DMAE or traces from apricot kernels (amygdalin), adding safety concerns unrelated to the alleged core compound.

Safety, Legality, and How to Vet a Product

Safety isn’t just about the molecule. With pangamic acid, the bigger risks often come from what else is in the bottle, how it’s labeled, and whether the seller plays by the rules.

Known safety flags

• Product variability: Analyses have found that “pangamic acid” products don’t always contain what the label says.
• Contaminants/adjuncts: Some have included DMAE or compounds derived from apricot kernels. Those can cause side effects like headaches, GI upset, skin reactions, or worse in sensitive people.
• Interactions: Unknown and variable, because the actual ingredient mix isn’t consistent. If you take blood thinners, anti-seizure meds, or have liver/kidney disease, the risk is higher.
• Population risks: Avoid in pregnancy and breastfeeding, in children, and if you have diagnosed liver or kidney disease. There’s no medical reason to use it and no safety margin established.

Regulatory reality in plain English

• United States: The FDA has banned interstate commerce of pangamic acid products since the late 1970s, calling them unapproved and misbranded. That’s why reputable U.S. retailers don’t stock it.
• United Kingdom: It isn’t recognized as a vitamin or licensed medicine. If a seller makes disease claims, the MHRA can treat it as an unlicensed medicine. You’ll mostly find it via overseas websites or third-party marketplaces, which raises quality and compliance issues.
• European Union: Not an approved vitamin; products can fall foul of novel food and medicine rules if claims are made.

Should you use it anyway?

• My stance: I wouldn’t. The risk-reward balance isn’t there when better, proven options exist.
• If you’re set on trying: Do it only with your GP’s knowledge, for a time-limited trial, and with documented third-party testing. Stop immediately if you notice headaches, nausea, rashes, or unusual symptoms.

How to vet any supplement (especially niche ones)

• Demand a Certificate of Analysis (COA) from an ISO-accredited lab that matches the batch in your hand.
• Look for well-known third-party seals (USP, NSF, Informed Choice). Absence isn’t proof of harm, but it raises the bar for caution.
• Be wary of “vitamin B15” labels and miracle claims. Real vitamins don’t need marketing tricks.
• Avoid blends with apricot kernel, amygdalin, or laetrile; those bring cyanogenic risks.
• Buy from UK-based retailers with clear returns and customer service, not anonymous importers.
• Start one change at a time so you can track cause and effect. Keep a simple symptom and energy log for two weeks.

Dosing questions

• There is no official dose. Historic marketing mentioned small milligram amounts, but that isn’t a clinical recommendation.
• Giving a dose here would imply safety and efficacy that aren’t established. Your safest “dose” is none.

Smarter Moves: Evidence-Backed Alternatives, Checklist, and FAQ

If you clicked for benefits-energy, endurance, focus, liver support-these options have stronger footing and clearer safety profiles.

If your goal is energy and focus

• Sleep: Protect 7-9 hours, fix sleep timing, reduce late caffeine and alcohol. Biggest ROI.
• Caffeine + L-theanine: Better focus with fewer jitters than caffeine alone.
• Creatine monohydrate (3-5 g/day): Robust evidence for muscle and growing support for cognitive function, especially in low-meat eaters and under stress.
• Check B12, iron, thyroid with your GP if fatigue persists; treat deficiencies rather than chasing “mystery vitamins.”

If your goal is athletic performance

• Creatine monohydrate: Strength and power standout with decades of safety data.
• Beta-alanine: Can improve high-intensity performance; minor tingles are common and harmless.
• Dietary nitrates (beetroot juice): May aid endurance by improving exercise efficiency.
• Carbohydrate timing and adequate protein: The boring basics that beat magic pills.

If your goal is liver health

• Cut alcohol intake. Shift towards a Mediterranean-style diet. Target weight loss if overweight.
• Coffee (2-3 cups/day): Linked to lower liver enzyme levels and lower risk of fibrosis in multiple cohorts.
• Discuss vitamin E only if you have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and no diabetes; do not self-prescribe.

If your goal is cardiometabolic health

• Fiber: 25-35 g/day from foods; supplement with psyllium if you fall short. Helps LDL and glycemic control.
• Plant sterols/stanols: Modest LDL reductions when used consistently.
• Omega-3s: Triglyceride lowering; choose quality brands with third-party testing.

Quick decision guide

• Chasing a “missing vitamin”? There isn’t one here. Get a basic blood panel first.
• Need quick focus? Try caffeine + L-theanine before niche compounds.
• Want gym results? Creatine > unproven boosters.
• Liver or heart concerns? See your GP. Supplements are adjuncts, not fixes.

Buyer’s checklist (save this)

• Clear goal written down (e.g., “reduce fatigue by 30% in 4 weeks”).
• Run meds and conditions past your GP or pharmacist.
• Evidence check: At least a couple of randomized trials in humans? If not, move on.
• Quality proof: COA, third-party seal, UK-based seller with returns.
• Start low, track symptoms and outcomes weekly, stop if no benefit at 4-8 weeks.

Mini-FAQ

• Is pangamic acid the same as vitamin B15? No. It’s marketed that way, but major authorities don’t recognize it as a vitamin.
• Is it legal in the UK? You might see it for sale, but it’s not an approved vitamin or licensed medicine. Disease claims can trigger MHRA action.
• Does it improve oxygen use? There’s no solid human evidence it improves VO₂max or endurance compared with proven strategies.
• Can athletes use it? It’s not on the WADA prohibited list, but quality and contamination are concerns. Stick to tested supplements.
• Are there food sources? You’ll see vague lists online, but there’s no agreed dietary requirement or confirmed deficiency state.
• Is there a lab test to check my “B15” level? No-because it isn’t a recognized vitamin in humans.

Next steps and troubleshooting

• If you already bought pangamic acid: Contact the seller for a batch-specific COA. If they won’t provide it, ask for a refund. Don’t take unlabeled blends.
• If you’ve started and feel off (headache, nausea, rash): Stop and speak to your GP or NHS 111 if symptoms are significant.
• If your main issue is fatigue: Get a basic workup (CBC, ferritin, TSH, B12, vitamin D) and fix what’s fixable. Then address sleep and training load.
• If you’re an athlete: Nail nutrition and recovery first. Consider creatine, beta-alanine, and beetroot juice before anything speculative.
• If you’re on multiple meds: Avoid niche supplements without pharmacist review-interaction risk isn’t worth it.

Why I’m cautious: After years of testing supplements-and a few cupboards full of regret-products with grand promises but thin data almost never beat sleep, training, and a handful of proven support tools. If a bottle needs a myth to sell, your wallet is the real target. Back your goals with things that work, track progress, and keep your stack small. That’s how you actually feel better.