Acne is one of the most common and complex skin diseases. Dermatologists believe in addition to many other factors vitamin B deficiency also plays a vital role in acne breakout. Vitamin B is known as pantothenic acid in medical and scientific dictionary. It serves our body in a number of different ways. It is also part of the most nutritious group of vitamins the Vitamin B Complex. Vitamin B complex comprises of eight vitamins that perform very important tasks in proper functioning of our body. Vitamin B complex maintains the overall health of the mind and body that ensures accurate performance of our body. Vitamin B5 is an integral part of vitamin B complex that is vitally important for the health of our body.

• Pantothenic acid or Vitamin B5 is also called anti-stress vitamin that helps in increasing body immunity to fight against stress, depression and tension. It helps in counteracting the stress by activating adrenal glands to produce more cortisone and other adrenal hormones that fight against depression and stress. Vitamin B5 works as coenzyme facilitates the adrenal cortex function. As a coenzyme it is necessarily important in the chemical synthesis of fatty acids, phospholipids, cholesterol, steroids and porphyrin. All these compounds assure the proper functioning of our body such as porphyrin maintains the level of hemoglobin.
• Balanced amount of vitamin B5 in our body ensure healthy skin, hair and nails. Vitamin B5 also prevents pre-mature ageing and wrinkling of the skin. Most of the anti-ageing products such as anti-ageing creams, ant-ageing face washes and anti-ageing pills have vitamin B5 as their major component.
• It also enhances the overall metabolism by utilizing the food as a fuel for our body. It helps in quick burning of the carbohydrates and fats present in the food and helps in releasing a lot of energy for the body.
• In addition to healthy skin, hair and nails Vitamin B5 is associated with the absolute mental health as well. In our nervous system Vitamin B5 works to produce neurotransmitters a fluid like substance that help in enhancing the nerves to communicate with each other.
• People who remain continuously exposed to radiations and antibiotics must take adequate amount of Vitamin B5 supplements as it helps in fighting against the toxins of antibiotics and radiations.
• It promotes the proper functioning of the adrenal glands working along with the other ingredients of Vitamin B Complex. Proper functioning of adrenal glands ensures proper growth of our body.

“Vitamin B5 remains intact in moist heat or during the intense reactions of oxidation and reduction. However the molecules of Vitamin B5 are highly sensitive to the acids such as vinegar or alkalis such as baking soda and are easily destroyed by them. Our food processing methods reduce the natural level of Vitamin B5 contained in the food. Half of Vitamin B5 from the wheat is lost during crushing it to form floor. Meat and other vegetables lose almost one-third of the total amount of their pantothenic acid during cooking over intense flames. Whole foods are rich in Vitamin B5 and must be used as the ultimate source of this vitamin.”

Other than natural food items Vitamin B5 is found in yeasts, bread moulds, bacteria and cells of different plants and animals. Human blood plasma and lymph fluid also contains a specific amount of Vitamin B5. Natural sources of Vitamin B5 are organic meats, fresh egg yolks, yeast, unprocessed whole grain cereals, lean meat such as chicken and fish, dried fruits such as peanuts and other kinds of nuts, cheese and curd. Certain vegetables also prove to be natural source of Vitamin B5. These vegetables include beans, sweet potatoes, cauliflowers, peas and avocados. Bacteria Flora residing in human intestine also produces certain quantities of Vitamin B5 that act as a coenzyme to enhance the metabolic capabilities of the body.

If you feel constant fatigue and exhaustion, be alarmed as it may be the very first sign of Vitamin B5 deficiency. Vitamin B5 deficiency is caused by taking excessive processed and refined food in your diet for a continuous period of time. Destruction intestinal flora of bacteria present in human colon also leads to deficiency of Vitamin B5.

Vitamin B5 deficiency is more common in teenagers and youth as their diet largely consists of junk food made up of processed flours. Another ingredient that causes deficiency of Vitamin B5 is excessive use of table sugar. Acne breakouts in teenagers is often treated with tetracycline antibiotics that kills not only the acne bacteria but also reduces the growth and production of intestinal bacteria hence leading towards Vitamin B5 deficiency.

A number of scientific researches are conducted on rats to find out the ultimate consequences of Vitamin B5 deficiency. Studies show that Vitamin B5 deficiency results in pre-mature graying of fur in rats malfunctioning of adrenal glands. It also results in reduced growth and severe hemorrhage in rats. In humans Vitamin B5 insufficiency causes a number of metabolic problems such as mental and psychological stress, tiredness and fatigue, reduced growth and improper functioning of various body organs. In addition to above mentioned malfunctioning Vitamin B5 deficiency leads to improper nerve functions, decrease in production of natural hydrochloric acid in the body, disturbance in the normal blood sugar level, reduction in the immunity level of the body and many other problems. Abdominal cramps, increased nausea and vomiting, skin drying, insomnia, infection in the upper respiratory tract and muscle pains are also some of the symptoms of Vitamin B5 deficiency. Vitamin B5 deficiency makes your allergic diseases worse than ever and also results in continuous tingling of hands and feet.

According to physicians and doctors one should take an approximate amount of 250-500 mg of Pantothenic acid combined with other ingredients of Vitamin B complex. However, this figure varies from individual to individual depending upon their daily intake of diet, the amount of stress they face, pregnancy or lactation. People leading a stressful life with having a diet rich in processed foods require higher amount of Vitamin B5.

There are no known side affects and toxins related to the intake of high amount of Vitamin B5. Research shows no side-affects associated with an intake of 1000 mg of Pantothenic acid for six months daily. However, you must take Vitamin B5 in the quantity as prescribed by your doctor as excessive intake may result in high teeth sensitivity and imbalance metabolic process.