vitamin b 5

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The Vitamin B 5 Acne Theory Debunked
====================================

The vitamin b 5 acne theory, proposed by Dr. Lit-Hung Leung, is
neither conclusive nor proven.

Central to the theory is his belief that when there is not enough
vitamin b5 in the body, the body will prefer to use its stores of
vitamin b5 for androgen hormone production, instead of fatty acid
metabolism. Vitamin B5 is involved in both.

However, there is no evidence to prove this. Leung's vitamin b 5 acne
belief was based on the assumption that "Nature will seek to take care
of the synthesis of hormones first, because continuation of the
species depends on the development of the sex organs."

He believes that the body will see sex hormone production as more
important than fatty acid metabolism, but this logic is seriously
flawed, as well as unproven. Fatty acid metabolism is in fact
essential to life, given that the cell membrane of every cell in the
body is composed of fatty acids, and the fatty acids themselves have a
wide range of other functions. The following is a list of some of
those functions:

vitamin b 5 acne problemsthey increase metabolic rate in our body
 when present in levels above 12-15% of total calories

used for hormone-like functions that affect many tissues in the
 body (they are the precursors of prostaglandins)

constructs cell membranes

create electrical potentials for cellular activity

can be used for fuel for energy

attract and help transfer oxygen on a cellular level

used in nerve impulses, by the brain, the sense organs, adrenal
 glands, the testes

can buffer excess acid and excess base in our system. This relates
 to our body's ph balance. A typical western diet often leads to a
 condition of excess acidity, which has been related to disease
 conditions

As can be seen, fatty acids have a more direct role in the maintenance
and health of the body than some vague notion about the continuation
of the species. If the existing members of the species are compromised
in health by poor fatty acid levels, it hardly bodes well for any
continuation of the species. So, by his own logic, it could actually
be argued that the body would use its vitamin b 5 stores for androgen
hormone metabolism in preference to fatty acid metabolism, which
completely undermines the premise of the whole vitamin b 5 acne
theory.

The fact that vitamin b5 deficiency is very rare except on cases of
actual malnourishment (think prisoners of war in concentration camps),
is neatly sidestepped in the vitamin b 5 acne premise with the
statement that "After all, when so many reactions are dependent on the
same agent, its demand must be tremendous. Shortage under such
circumstances is not entirely impossible."

This facet of the vitamin b 5 acne theory is completely unsupported by
nutritional data. You can be sure that if we were prone to a vitamin
B5 deficiency, not only would someone have noticed, but governments
would be fortifying our food with it like they do with so many
vitamins.

The Linus Pauling Institute also say that "a specialized process for
the uptake of biotin and pantothenic acid was recently identified in
cultured cells derived from the lining of the colon, suggesting that
humans may be able to absorb pantothenic acid and biotin produced by
the bacteria normally present in the colon". (Source:
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/vitamins/pa/)

So, not only do we have ample opportunity to get sufficient vitamin b5
in food, but our bacteria also make it and it looks like we can absorb
and use it too. (Pantothenic acid is another name for vitamin b5).

To support Leung's vitamin b 5 acne belief that a shortage of B5 is
"not entirely impossible", the levels of vitamin b5 in the body at
which the body is no longer able to fulfill its regular functions need
to be established. Funnily enough, I believe they have - the
Recommended Daily Allowance published by every government based on the
substantial scientific and medical data available. And the minimum
levels of vitamin B5 needed, as per those recommendations, is 5mg per
day. Its a big stretch to go from 5mg per day to 8,000 to 10,000 mg
per day, as he suggests. That is going way beyond his pretty theories
about providing the body with enough vitamin b5 to make sure it
doesn't stop fatty acid metabolism, even assuming it were true.

And, there is a big difference between what is "not entirely
possible", and what is probable - or in fact, what is actually
occurring.

By Leung's own admission: "Lipid metabolism is a complicated process,
and is often intertwined with other metabolic processes, sharing with
them common coenzymes in widely different reactions." Yet he
simplifies all of this by citing only the role of vitamin B5.

He goes on to say: "When there is an increase in level of some of
these coenzymes, there may be a shift in the directions of some
ongoing reactions, and may affect lipid metabolism as a result. This
can manifest clinically as acne vulgaris. To illustrate this, there
are reports showing that acne may be induced by administration of
large doses of vitamin B12 alone or in combination with B6. Cessation
of the administration of these vitamins will bring a halt to the acne
eruptions."

Given that taking any B vitamin in excess, without also taking the
other B vitamins in the same increased proportions (as I discuss in
this article on b5 supplements for acne), all this proves is that the
large doses of vitamin B12or B6 caused a deficiency in the other B
vitamins, and that overall imbalance led to acne.

Taking large doses of vitamin B 5 for acne may not cause acne itself,
but it will also throw the other B vitamins out of balance and cause a
deficiency. So, you will get symptoms in other areas. This has been
reported by people who tried the vitamin b 5 acne regimen.

One person who used vitamin b 5 acne supplements at dosages of 8 grams
per day, found his acne improved. After two and a half months, he
started to cut down to 2 grams per day, as suggested, but found his
acne came back within a week. So he went back to 8 grams daily, for a
total of about 5 months all up.

He discontinued taking those mega doses of vitamin b 5 acne
aupplements when he found that the severe cuts, more like gashes which
made it painful to talk, laugh and eat, were not healing. The doctor
told him that the gashes were the result of either an allergy, or a
vitamin deficiency. Now, remember that taking large doses of any B
vitamin will cause a deficiency in the others, and that the B vitamins
as a group are involved in the health of the mouth and the immune
system.

An interesting thing started to happen when this man stopped taking
vitamin b 5 acne supplements. He had been experiencing other symptoms
too:

"I had slowly become increasingly frail, fragile, and diseased over
the past five months. I was always very tired and very nauseous. I had
developed severe gastrointestinal problems whenever I ate anything at
all. My skin had become extremely dry and rough. I would get dizzy
after walking even the shortest distances. I had developed a case of
insomnia. I was always angry and irritable. Most importantly, I had
developed a prostate problem. I was constantly urinating(this is
probably why my skin was dry. I think the pantothenic acid was
dehydrating me). I had extreme muscle tension in my groin area making
it very hard to sleep or exercise(as if I had the strength in the
first place). I was just incredibly sick in too many ways to describe.
I felt plain awful." (Source:
http://askwaltstollmd.com/archives/acne/71477.html)

These symptoms all stopped or were greatly improved within 3 days of
no longer taking vitamin b 5 acne supplements.

This acne sufferer also said that he felt far worse taking such high
doses of vitamin b5 acne supplements than he felt when taking
accutane. And as he points out, at least accutane is taken under a
doctor's supervision.

Many people have reported success with taking vitamin b5 acne
supplements for their acne symptoms, but there are significant side
effects that can have far reaching consequences for health, and the
quality of life one has. Given that there are other alternative
vitamin b 5 acne treatments that have fewer side effects, it does not
make sense to take vitamin b5 for acne, no matter how 'pretty' the
vitamin b 5 acne theory sounds.

Why B5 Supplements For Acne Are Bad For You

Basis Of The B5 Acne Theory

References:
1. http://askwaltstollmd.com/archives/acne/71477.html
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantothenicacid
3. http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/vitamins/pa/
4. http://www.pantothenic-acid.com/acnevulgaris.html

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(C) By Rebecca Prescott, 2005 - 2008.

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