Can vitamin B5 really cure acne? Does pantothenic acid really make the skin better? I have tested it!
At some point you have enough of pimples and blemishes. When you've tried as much as I have, you eventually give up.
Do not misunderstand: I do not have large pimples. However, repeatedly clogged pores and blackheads that become inflamed.
Here and there a pimple smiles at me when I look in the mirror in the morning. And, of course, always when you don't need it at all.
I have heard that Vitamin B5 acne should fight. It's worth a try! I have 30 days 500 mg pantothenic acid every day taken to me.
Here you can find out whether vitamin B5 really made my blemished skin more beautiful.
What is vitamin B5?
Vitamin B5 is also called pantothenic acid. It is one of twelve B vitamins.
Vitamin B5 represents the main component of the co-enzyme A. This enzyme is involved in very many basic metabolic processes in the body.
By the way, the name is derived from the Greek "pantothen". This means "everywhere". And that also reveals the area of application of the vitamin. It really is involved everywhere in the body.
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How a vitamin B5 deficiency manifests itself
Pantothenic acid is found in all animal and plant foods. Therefore, it is almost impossible to develop a deficiency.
If a B5 deficiency occurs at all, it is usually in combination with a general vitamin B deficiency.
Diabetics, alcoholics, dialysis patients and anyone with bowel problems are at higher risk.
When deficient, you suffer from headaches, insomnia, digestive problems, fatigue, and numb fingers and feet.
By the way, you cannot take too much vitamin B5. Unless it is enormously large amounts over 10 grams. That can promote diarrhea.
How to treat acne with vitamin B5
Vitamin B5 is also frequently used therapeutically. Especially in the fight against acne it is often used. Pantothenic acid is also used for faster wound healing.
That is why B5 has its nickname "queen of skin vitamins".
Very high doses of vitamin B5 are said to improve acne. It actually ensures that sebum production is curbed by indirectly balancing hormones and fatty acids.
This can reduce the formation of new pimples. In addition, the skin becomes less oily. Also large pores are refined and the overall skin appearance is thus more beautiful.
Existing pimples heal faster due to pantothenic acid. Indeed, the regeneration time of the skin is improved.
Did you know that it takes 40 days for your skin to fully recover from a pimple you've squeezed? With vitamin B5 you can speed up this process.
In addition, the B vitamin improves cell proliferation. And this leads to better formation of new skin layers.
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Scientific study on vitamin B5 for acne
Already in 1997 made Dr. Lit-Hung Leung from Hong Kong in his study "Vitamin B5 in the treatment of pimples - a medical hypothesis" draws attention to the fact that one can get rid of acne with vitamin B5 can.
In the study, Dr. Leung explained that acne can be improved by taking a lot of vitamin B5. He put 100 patients on large doses of B5. So up to 10 grams of vitamin B5 divided into four doses per day.
In addition, the acne was also treated externally. The patients received a vitamin B5 cream against acne six times a day.
Most patients quickly noticed an improvement in their skin. Their skin is said to have become finer, pores smaller and acne reduced overall.
Food with a high content of vitamin B5
Almost all foods contain at least small amounts of B5 vitamins. So you take pantothenic acid daily, even if it was not planned or is. :)
Vitamin B5 per 100 gram
- Chanterelles 77 mg
- Porcini mushrooms 61.6 mg
- Yeast flakes 34 mg
- Wheat bran 17.7 mg
- Peanuts 15.3 mg
- Liver (except turkey and chicken) 14.5 mg
A poor source of B5 is fruit. It contains hardly any pantothenic acid. The vitamin is heat stable, but up to 60% of it is lost when vegetables are frozen. Canned vegetables also have hardly any vitamin B5 left.
Vitamin B5 dosage for acne
Vitamin B5 is water-soluble. This means that the body simply excretes anything it does not need.
So those who suffer from severe acne must start very slowly and with a low dose. After time, the proportion is increased.
It is not made to be taken long term!
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Proponents of vitamin B5 for acne recommend
- Slowly accustom your body to the vitamin B5
- Start with a maximum of 1 gram daily divided into several smaller doses per day
- Increase the dose up to 10 grams within the first 2-4 weeks. Provided you tolerate the pantothenic acid well!
- Take vitamin B5 after meals, it is easy on the stomach
- Slowly lower the dose after the skin improves.
There are many forums where patients report their good results. The pores become smaller, the skin is less oily and the pimples go back. Well, I'm curious about that! This is worth a self-test!
Get rid of acne with vitamin B5 - My self-test
Writing about it is one thing. Trying it out yourself, of course, is quite another. The important thing is that you know that B5 can reduce and improve acne. The emphasis is on "can". Because it does not work the same for everyone.
Since I do not have severe acne, but still prone to blemished skin, I do not take a high dose. One capsule per day with 500 mg helps me in the experiment on "Vitamin B5 and acne".
Because good things take time, I pull the experiment through for 2 months.
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Which preparation I decide on
There are countless capsules, tablets and drops on the market. Which ones are the best? I opt for vegan capsules without additives and animal testing.
Many very cheap preparations contain lactose or other cheap fillers. I would like to do without that completely. So I find these capsules on Amazon, which have particularly many good reviews. Some buyers also write that they use it in the fight against pimples. Well, that fits wonderfully.
In one capsule there are 500 mg B5. In the description I find a lot of information about what pantothenic acid can do. It strengthens the nerves, improves concentration and metabolism.
In the can are 120 capsules, so I should probably get along for a while :)
Month 1 in the fight against pimples
Since I got B5 in capsules, it's hard to start with just one gram a day. So I'm going all out and starting with 500 mg. If it doesn't do me any good, I'll probably notice it soon and then stop.
I take the capsule every day after lunch. That is also the recommendation on the packaging. To be on the safe side, I save a reminder in my cell phone so that I don't forget.
What I do additionally: I wash my skin 2x with a mild cleansing foam - I did that before, too. What I try completely new: I wear afterwards Jojoba oil* on. Jojoba oil* is considered a true miracle weapon against blemished skin.
I use this oil, which I ordered from Amazon. It has a pipette and can thus be portioned very well.
This vegetable oil is very similar to our skin fat. This tricks the body into not producing as much sebum itself. As a result, the pores are not clogged. The oil prevents impurities and at the same time ensures that the skin does not dry out or become very oily.
So I wash my face and while it's still wet, I take 4 drops of Jojoba oil*, spread it on your hands and then on your face. The oil is absorbed quickly if you only use a small amount. If you have used too much, dab it off with a clean towel.
For a month I try to take it regularly. But I must confess: 2x I forgot to take it. I do not take this dose again, but continue the next day as usual.
Do I notice anything after one month? Well, to be honest, not really. Except that I save a lot of money on face cream, because the Jojoba oil* is so productive.
Month 2 in the self-experiment B5 against acne
Now it's really getting exciting. Almost to the day, it feels like my skin is finally starting to calm down a bit.
The small blackheads that I have, especially around the chin and neck, become much less. The new pimples are not so blatantly red and white, but much smaller. They are also not as filled as the old ones were. You know what I mean, right?
I continue to clean my face diligently and also on the Jojoba oil* I do not do without. Taking vitamin B5 somehow becomes routine. I don't usually need the cell phone reminders anymore. They only really come in handy at the weekend.
I notice that my skin is no longer as oily overall. Also, the shine that I like to have in the afternoons during the cold months gets much better. I don't need powder or any other makeup. Every now and then a small pimple pops up, but it's really hardly worth mentioning.
But the place where the pimples appear is and remains the same: on the left side of the jaw down to the neck. The skin has recovered so well in the meantime that I wear my hair open much more often again.
And what happens now? Vitamin B5 against acne should not be used permanently. I am reducing the amount. In month three, I only take the capsules every other day and make sure I eat enough vitamin B5 foods.
I am currently in the middle of month four. My plan is to only take one capsule 2x per week from now on. For this, however, I set myself a cell phone reminder again so that I don't forget. Every Monday and Thursday there is a dose after lunch.
Will this help me in the long run? I don't know. In any case, I will provide a few more lines in a few months, how my skin is developing.
By the way, I have never had any problems with my stomach or digestion - I think that only occurs when you take a much higher dose.
My conclusion
Whether it was jojoba oil or vitamin B5 that improved acne, I honestly don't know. I think it was a mixture of both. I washed and moisturized my skin very thoroughly before. The wash gel has remained the same. At least that can't be the reason. But what was now the crucial part - I want to keep both, because I feel so much better now.
I wish you all the best and that it works out so well for you too!
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