Has anyone tried B5 to treat acne?
I'm pretty sure my acne is hormonal ( 5 weeks of strict sample diet, following each rule rigidly ), so I want to try B5 while on this diet to see if it clears up my spots?
Does anyone have a suggestion on how much, etc...?
Thank You.
B5 and acne...
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nick
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Re: B5 and acne...
Yes, I tried it (what not?). They advise very different amounts, but Ive started with 2,5 gram for 2 weeks, then 5 gram 2 weeks, and then 7,5 gram 5 weeks. It did help, but in the end my skin got dryer and dryer and my throat started hurting. My doctor said it was probably the B5, so I went off it. I could not imagine taking it for very long anyway. It cannot b good I think.Originally posted by nick:
Has anyone tried B5 to treat acne?
I'm pretty sure my acne is hormonal ( 5 weeks of strict sample diet, following each rule rigidly ), so I want to try B5 while on this diet to see if it clears up my spots?
Does anyone have a suggestion on how much, etc...?
Thank You.
Re: B5 and acne...
ugh... i tried it.
last year in the fall my skin broke out terribly. it started ruining my life (that sounds dramatic but i swear it relaly was). i was in a pretty bad place to begin with so there wasnt much to ruin, but acne managed!
i found b5 during that time and for a while i thought it was a miracle. i took massive amounts of it (at least 15 grams a day). it cleared my skin (took 5 months instead of 3) enough so that i didnt look like a freak anymore, but just a normal person with so-so skin. i kept at it for 5 or 6 more months (a total of a year) and kept expecting my skin to get better then so-so. you guessed it- it never did.
i was still maintaining most of the habits that gave me bad skin in the first place, and even the b5 couldnt manage to suppress it. my skin started getting very hot and itchy and red all of the time. it was so puffy and no matter how much makeup i applied, i couldnt hide the redness. i felt hot all the time- especially my face.
i finally decided to go off of b5 and seek a healthier, alternative method. the worst part about b5 is that when i went off of it, my skin went back to being the way it was before i started it- covered in terrible eruptions, cysts and open, oozing sores (gross, huh?). it was so obvious to me that b5 was simply suppressing my symptoms, and imperfectly at that.
id also like to note that it was very expensive and inconvenient- toting bottles of vitamins with me whenever i went on vacation, worrying about not taking enough, or having to carry a small bottle with me all the time. i would have gladly done all of that, but it didnt even really work!
as far as your lack of success with wais diet, i wouldnt be too discouraged. ive read on the old q and a board of people for whom the entire healing process took 6 months or longer. i personally believe that for most of us with very bad acne, the rest of our body is in pretty terrible shape. with the liver coming up second, the skin is the largest organ of the body. it takes a long time to heal it.
think of how long youve had this problem- i know it took me many years to completely destroy MY skin- and realize that its going to take a but longer then a few days to heal yourself. so many people in this country have fatty livers simply from eating processed food- just watch supersize me if youre unconvinced!
i dont think that its necessary to forcefully purge your liver- it will happen naturally on its own. that being said, i have tried it (have i tried everything? ha) and a lot of people have had good, immediate results from it. a liver cleanse is certainly a better option for you then b5.
anyway im rambling, but hope somehting i said was useful to you. if you have any questions id be happy to try and answer them for you.
last year in the fall my skin broke out terribly. it started ruining my life (that sounds dramatic but i swear it relaly was). i was in a pretty bad place to begin with so there wasnt much to ruin, but acne managed!
i found b5 during that time and for a while i thought it was a miracle. i took massive amounts of it (at least 15 grams a day). it cleared my skin (took 5 months instead of 3) enough so that i didnt look like a freak anymore, but just a normal person with so-so skin. i kept at it for 5 or 6 more months (a total of a year) and kept expecting my skin to get better then so-so. you guessed it- it never did.
i was still maintaining most of the habits that gave me bad skin in the first place, and even the b5 couldnt manage to suppress it. my skin started getting very hot and itchy and red all of the time. it was so puffy and no matter how much makeup i applied, i couldnt hide the redness. i felt hot all the time- especially my face.
i finally decided to go off of b5 and seek a healthier, alternative method. the worst part about b5 is that when i went off of it, my skin went back to being the way it was before i started it- covered in terrible eruptions, cysts and open, oozing sores (gross, huh?). it was so obvious to me that b5 was simply suppressing my symptoms, and imperfectly at that.
id also like to note that it was very expensive and inconvenient- toting bottles of vitamins with me whenever i went on vacation, worrying about not taking enough, or having to carry a small bottle with me all the time. i would have gladly done all of that, but it didnt even really work!
as far as your lack of success with wais diet, i wouldnt be too discouraged. ive read on the old q and a board of people for whom the entire healing process took 6 months or longer. i personally believe that for most of us with very bad acne, the rest of our body is in pretty terrible shape. with the liver coming up second, the skin is the largest organ of the body. it takes a long time to heal it.
think of how long youve had this problem- i know it took me many years to completely destroy MY skin- and realize that its going to take a but longer then a few days to heal yourself. so many people in this country have fatty livers simply from eating processed food- just watch supersize me if youre unconvinced!
i dont think that its necessary to forcefully purge your liver- it will happen naturally on its own. that being said, i have tried it (have i tried everything? ha) and a lot of people have had good, immediate results from it. a liver cleanse is certainly a better option for you then b5.
anyway im rambling, but hope somehting i said was useful to you. if you have any questions id be happy to try and answer them for you.
Re: B5 and acne...
hmmm,
I want to try to add the B5 while on this diet.
I think I will also get a hormone test, to see if my hormones are elevated. If they aren't then I just need to stick to it longer to see it through.
I think if I started with a little B5, waited for 2 weeks, then see what comes of it, maybe then it could be of help. Wai says that B5 suppresses the testosterone level, so hopefully my levels aren't elevated...
I want to try to add the B5 while on this diet.
I think I will also get a hormone test, to see if my hormones are elevated. If they aren't then I just need to stick to it longer to see it through.
I think if I started with a little B5, waited for 2 weeks, then see what comes of it, maybe then it could be of help. Wai says that B5 suppresses the testosterone level, so hopefully my levels aren't elevated...
Re: B5 and acne...
well good luck! i hope it works better for you then it did for me. a brand that i found worked the best was twinlab, although it is a bit expensive (not as pricey as solaris, though). the vitamin shoppe often has it on sale- hope that helps. keep us posted on your progress!
Re: B5 and acne...
Thanks to Brian, the B5 threads from the first WaiTalk version are back online now:
http://www.acneboard.com/lostforum/b5/index.html
http://www.acneboard.com/lostforum/b5/index.html
Re: B5 and acne...
RRM,
What is your thought about the theory that there isn't enough coenzyme A available in your skin to break down fatty acids. Thus these fatty acids are used for sebum leading to an overproduction of oil, thus causing acne. Since coenzyme A is also needed for hormone synthesis and is used for synthesis instead of breakdown of fatty acids. By taking d-Calcium Pantothenate, you can increase the level of coenzyme A and get rid of oil overproduction.
They say that their product, Vilantae (d-Calcium Pantothenate), which sounds like it is just vitamin B5, can decrease just the 'overproduction' of oil, with minimal side effects.
Here is some text from this site
Without overproduction of oil, acne isn't possible and none of the other secondary-causes can play even the slightest role in acne. Applied products fail because they cannot successfully regulate skin oils (why applied products yield poor results). The key to curing acne is stopping the overproduction of oil at its source. That's why Accutane (isotretinion) is so effective, but it has numerous side effects and other downsides. Vilantae (d-Calcium Pantothenate) on the other hand, has minimal side effects, is 100% natural, and is second only to Accutane (isotretinion) in terms of effectiveness.
So how exactly do genetics lead to this overproduction of oil?
Unfortunately, many dermatologists are not clear about the causes of acne. It is implied that the exact causes of acne are unknown, but in truth most of the causes are known. The mystery lies in why genetics cause an overproduction of oil, only now we have a pretty good idea.
The reason too much oil is being released has to do with the lipids and fatty acid deposits underneath the skin not getting broken down and re-circulated into the bloodstream. Instead they are being released as sebum (oil). What enables our body to break down these fatty acids is directly related to an enzyme called coenzyme A, which is an essential enzyme to the body and is used for fatty acid metabolism.
Coenzyme A is also responsible for other important aspects of the body including sex hormone synthesis. When there is a lack of coenzyme A, the body is forced to choose between using the available coenzyme A for sex hormone synthesis or for metabolizing fats (the breakdown of fats). Hormone synthesis is given the priority (without it sex organs do not develop) and as result, the body has trouble breaking down all of the necessary fats. Fats that should have been broken down and re-circulated into the bloodstream, instead become deposited in the sebaceous glands (sweat glands) and secreted as oil. Oil is fat only in liquid form. Because teenagers have the highest hormone production rate, they are also the group with the highest amounts of acne.
The body produces coenzyme A from three different components: adenosine triphosphate, cysteine, and Vilantae (d-Calcium Pantothenate). Adenosine triphosplate and cysteine are naturally produced within the body through various glands. They are always plentiful so long as the body's not terribly malnourished. Vilantae (d-Calcium Pantothenate) is the only one that must be supplied from outside the body through one's diet. When there is enough Vilantae (d-Calcium Pantothenate) available in the diet, the deficiency in coenzyme A is eliminated. As a result, a person's fatty acids get broken down and the skin doesn't over release oil. Without the over releasing of oil, acne does not occur.
The role of genetics. Why does Vilantae require megadosing during the first three months?
Switching to a diet high in Vilantae (d-Calcium Pantothenate) is not enough to help acne and in most cases will do very little. The reason for this is our bodies have trouble absorbing the necessary amounts of Vilantae (d-Calcium Pantothenate) due to our genetic programming.
In theory, lets suppose a person naturally consumes an average of 500 milligrams of Vilantae (d-Calcium Pantothenate) per a day. The person has moderate acne because their body does not have enough coenzyme A resources to produce hormones and break down fatty acids at the same time. If that were true…
…the same person who consumes 500 milligrams a day could take 1 gram a day and have enough to produce sex hormones and break down fatty acids at the same time. However, this just isn't the case.
The body has trouble producing enough coenzyme A for the breakdown of fatty acids even though the supply of Vilantae may be "adequate." It has nothing to do with the other two components of coenzyme A, but is merely a matter of getting the body to absorb the necessary Vilantae and actually produce the coenzyme A. Even though the body is capable of doing this, it doesn't do it efficiently because it lacks the proper genetic programming.
I have a strong feeling that it isn't some new revelation on the cause of acne...
What is your thought about the theory that there isn't enough coenzyme A available in your skin to break down fatty acids. Thus these fatty acids are used for sebum leading to an overproduction of oil, thus causing acne. Since coenzyme A is also needed for hormone synthesis and is used for synthesis instead of breakdown of fatty acids. By taking d-Calcium Pantothenate, you can increase the level of coenzyme A and get rid of oil overproduction.
They say that their product, Vilantae (d-Calcium Pantothenate), which sounds like it is just vitamin B5, can decrease just the 'overproduction' of oil, with minimal side effects.
Here is some text from this site
Without overproduction of oil, acne isn't possible and none of the other secondary-causes can play even the slightest role in acne. Applied products fail because they cannot successfully regulate skin oils (why applied products yield poor results). The key to curing acne is stopping the overproduction of oil at its source. That's why Accutane (isotretinion) is so effective, but it has numerous side effects and other downsides. Vilantae (d-Calcium Pantothenate) on the other hand, has minimal side effects, is 100% natural, and is second only to Accutane (isotretinion) in terms of effectiveness.
So how exactly do genetics lead to this overproduction of oil?
Unfortunately, many dermatologists are not clear about the causes of acne. It is implied that the exact causes of acne are unknown, but in truth most of the causes are known. The mystery lies in why genetics cause an overproduction of oil, only now we have a pretty good idea.
The reason too much oil is being released has to do with the lipids and fatty acid deposits underneath the skin not getting broken down and re-circulated into the bloodstream. Instead they are being released as sebum (oil). What enables our body to break down these fatty acids is directly related to an enzyme called coenzyme A, which is an essential enzyme to the body and is used for fatty acid metabolism.
Coenzyme A is also responsible for other important aspects of the body including sex hormone synthesis. When there is a lack of coenzyme A, the body is forced to choose between using the available coenzyme A for sex hormone synthesis or for metabolizing fats (the breakdown of fats). Hormone synthesis is given the priority (without it sex organs do not develop) and as result, the body has trouble breaking down all of the necessary fats. Fats that should have been broken down and re-circulated into the bloodstream, instead become deposited in the sebaceous glands (sweat glands) and secreted as oil. Oil is fat only in liquid form. Because teenagers have the highest hormone production rate, they are also the group with the highest amounts of acne.
The body produces coenzyme A from three different components: adenosine triphosphate, cysteine, and Vilantae (d-Calcium Pantothenate). Adenosine triphosplate and cysteine are naturally produced within the body through various glands. They are always plentiful so long as the body's not terribly malnourished. Vilantae (d-Calcium Pantothenate) is the only one that must be supplied from outside the body through one's diet. When there is enough Vilantae (d-Calcium Pantothenate) available in the diet, the deficiency in coenzyme A is eliminated. As a result, a person's fatty acids get broken down and the skin doesn't over release oil. Without the over releasing of oil, acne does not occur.
The role of genetics. Why does Vilantae require megadosing during the first three months?
Switching to a diet high in Vilantae (d-Calcium Pantothenate) is not enough to help acne and in most cases will do very little. The reason for this is our bodies have trouble absorbing the necessary amounts of Vilantae (d-Calcium Pantothenate) due to our genetic programming.
In theory, lets suppose a person naturally consumes an average of 500 milligrams of Vilantae (d-Calcium Pantothenate) per a day. The person has moderate acne because their body does not have enough coenzyme A resources to produce hormones and break down fatty acids at the same time. If that were true…
…the same person who consumes 500 milligrams a day could take 1 gram a day and have enough to produce sex hormones and break down fatty acids at the same time. However, this just isn't the case.
The body has trouble producing enough coenzyme A for the breakdown of fatty acids even though the supply of Vilantae may be "adequate." It has nothing to do with the other two components of coenzyme A, but is merely a matter of getting the body to absorb the necessary Vilantae and actually produce the coenzyme A. Even though the body is capable of doing this, it doesn't do it efficiently because it lacks the proper genetic programming.
I have a strong feeling that it isn't some new revelation on the cause of acne...
Re: B5 and acne...
You didn't ask me 
Re: B5 and acne...
Good point! I've already tried B5 and it only made my skin drier and I still broke out. My body started to reject it when I had to take 6-8 pills a day.
I have been on the strict diet for 4 months and counting. Yes, I feel better than ever! My face has gotten better, my jawline doesn't break out anymore. However I still get those cysts on my forehead and some on my chin, the skin around my chin area still had the raw feel and look.
I'm now on my fifth day of accutane and I wonder how much longer I can be on this drug. It has made me skin dryer, flakey and rougher. When I take it I feel like it is poisoning me. I'll see if it is worth it.
I have been on the strict diet for 4 months and counting. Yes, I feel better than ever! My face has gotten better, my jawline doesn't break out anymore. However I still get those cysts on my forehead and some on my chin, the skin around my chin area still had the raw feel and look.
I'm now on my fifth day of accutane and I wonder how much longer I can be on this drug. It has made me skin dryer, flakey and rougher. When I take it I feel like it is poisoning me. I'll see if it is worth it.
Re: B5 and acne...
Nick,
I doubt that there is a lack of coenzyme-a in the skin, because you need to take incredibly high amounts of B5 to be able to force down the production of sebum. To me, this sounds like a pharmaceutical action rather than repletion.
I doubt that there is a lack of coenzyme-a in the skin, because you need to take incredibly high amounts of B5 to be able to force down the production of sebum. To me, this sounds like a pharmaceutical action rather than repletion.
Hi Nick, are you still on the Accutane? I took it for a year and a half about 7 years ago so if you have any questions re long term use from a personal standpoint. I can't tell you what it did to my liver but it really improved my skin until I started eating the WAI way about 7 days ago, now I have acne. Maybe cause I stopped all the carbs, don't know yet, I'm quitting nuts to see if that helps.
True; here are some B5 experiences:
http://www.acneboard.com/lostforum/b5/index.html
http://www.acneboard.com/lostforum/b5/index.html
Hello,
I've been busy lately with University starting back up again.
I was on accutane for 7.5 days and by the fifth day could take no more. I'm sure that because of this diet, following it strictly, accutane worked so fast. My skin got dry, thinner, my complexion and skin texture changed and my skin felt like a hot desert. This drug worked regarding my acne, but the mental side effects were enough to make me quit.
The second day on the drug, my eyes felt strained and 'harder to use' which was mentioned as a possible side effect. I noticed that I couldn't get into the 'zone' state of mind while at work. It was like the accutane had blocked that capability. By the fourth day, my skin was looking better, becoming dryer. My lips were starting to chap and burn. My upper lip burned all day long from the dryness.
By the fifth day, I noticed how 'low' and unmotivated I had become since taking the drug. It was hard to get work done, I didn't get anything done cause I had seemed to lose interest in those common everyday things, even listening to music was a challenge.
By the sixth day, I toled myself it was the last day of accutane and once again I felt worse than the day before. At work, I wouldn't talk to anybody. I'm usually talkative and outgoing, but I never talked to anyone and felt like getting my work done so that I could just leave and be alone. This was the first time I felt such a feeling inside of me.
On the seventh day, my brother convinced me to stick it out, that accutane was working and clearing my face up. I did took it that day and told myself it was possible to keep going. Each time I took the pill, I noticed twenty or so minutes later, I would feel a heat wave in my body, then it would disappear.
The next day I took the last pill and decided to stop taking it and see if my mental condition improves. After 3 days of not taking the accutane, I finally felt better.
Previous to accutane, I had taken B5 which only gave me a dry skin with no improvement in clearing my acne. I have been on the strict sample diet for 4 months before I took accutane. My face improved, but never cleared totally of spots.
After accutane, I told myself that I would just give up trying to clear my acne. That I don't really care about it anymore, that life is unfair and maybe in a couple years, my body will 'correct' itself. I just focused on the things that bring me happiness, being the best person possible and taking on the challenges that I ENJOY working on. Ever since this new pattern, I have noticed a cloud dissappear over me, I don't think about acne anymore, mentally its gone. I have also noticed that my face has finally become much clearer, almost 100 percent clear. My forehead is finally clear! My jawline is clear and so is my chin.
With my new skin, everything feels so much better, mostly because of the mental change inside of me! On new years I had some alcohol and I broke out, but my skin is clearing up. Maybe since starting this diet, I was too focused on my skin, letting it dominate my mind and emotions. Letting go and going with the flow is perhaps what I needed to finally do.
Nonetheless, this diet has given me a deeper emotional feeling and I know what brings me happiness. It gave me the power to understand and to correct my mental understanding. I'm so free!
I've been busy lately with University starting back up again.
I was on accutane for 7.5 days and by the fifth day could take no more. I'm sure that because of this diet, following it strictly, accutane worked so fast. My skin got dry, thinner, my complexion and skin texture changed and my skin felt like a hot desert. This drug worked regarding my acne, but the mental side effects were enough to make me quit.
The second day on the drug, my eyes felt strained and 'harder to use' which was mentioned as a possible side effect. I noticed that I couldn't get into the 'zone' state of mind while at work. It was like the accutane had blocked that capability. By the fourth day, my skin was looking better, becoming dryer. My lips were starting to chap and burn. My upper lip burned all day long from the dryness.
By the fifth day, I noticed how 'low' and unmotivated I had become since taking the drug. It was hard to get work done, I didn't get anything done cause I had seemed to lose interest in those common everyday things, even listening to music was a challenge.
By the sixth day, I toled myself it was the last day of accutane and once again I felt worse than the day before. At work, I wouldn't talk to anybody. I'm usually talkative and outgoing, but I never talked to anyone and felt like getting my work done so that I could just leave and be alone. This was the first time I felt such a feeling inside of me.
On the seventh day, my brother convinced me to stick it out, that accutane was working and clearing my face up. I did took it that day and told myself it was possible to keep going. Each time I took the pill, I noticed twenty or so minutes later, I would feel a heat wave in my body, then it would disappear.
The next day I took the last pill and decided to stop taking it and see if my mental condition improves. After 3 days of not taking the accutane, I finally felt better.
Previous to accutane, I had taken B5 which only gave me a dry skin with no improvement in clearing my acne. I have been on the strict sample diet for 4 months before I took accutane. My face improved, but never cleared totally of spots.
After accutane, I told myself that I would just give up trying to clear my acne. That I don't really care about it anymore, that life is unfair and maybe in a couple years, my body will 'correct' itself. I just focused on the things that bring me happiness, being the best person possible and taking on the challenges that I ENJOY working on. Ever since this new pattern, I have noticed a cloud dissappear over me, I don't think about acne anymore, mentally its gone. I have also noticed that my face has finally become much clearer, almost 100 percent clear. My forehead is finally clear! My jawline is clear and so is my chin.
With my new skin, everything feels so much better, mostly because of the mental change inside of me! On new years I had some alcohol and I broke out, but my skin is clearing up. Maybe since starting this diet, I was too focused on my skin, letting it dominate my mind and emotions. Letting go and going with the flow is perhaps what I needed to finally do.
Nonetheless, this diet has given me a deeper emotional feeling and I know what brings me happiness. It gave me the power to understand and to correct my mental understanding. I'm so free!