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A little while ago in this thread I talked about what fantastic benefits B5 was bringing to me. And I stand by that... it did clear me up brilliantly.
But then I ran out, and had to stop taking it for four days whilst I waited for another delivery.
In between that time, I think my skin took the opportunity to go wild, and break out a whole lot.
But I have started back on the b5 now, and bizarrely I haven't actually noticed its benefits again. It doesn't seem to be doing anything.
Has anyone else experienced this?
A little while ago in this thread I talked about what fantastic benefits B5 was bringing to me. And I stand by that... it did clear me up brilliantly.
But then I ran out, and had to stop taking it for four days whilst I waited for another delivery.
In between that time, I think my skin took the opportunity to go wild, and break out a whole lot.
But I have started back on the b5 now, and bizarrely I haven't actually noticed its benefits again. It doesn't seem to be doing anything.
Has anyone else experienced this?
Yes, that unfortunate thing happened to me exactly as you descibe it!
I haven't got a clue what the cuase is, but it sucks big time. So then I decided to give pantethine a try, but no luck with that either...
What are you trying at the moment ?
Well, I really hate to disappoint you, but it's been easily over a month now since I had a 'timeout' and my skin started getting worse again, and I'm still not through my pantothenic acid, only the pantethine has run out.
For a while I also kept taking the high dosage, but it didn't really matter to my skin condition. Now I'm going through the remaining pills on about 3-5 gram a day, to 'slowly build it off'.
And like you're saying, I would consider myself one of the people more familiar with the underlying metabolic pathways involving CoA and so forth, but I can't come up with anything (not even with a big 'woowoo' factor ) to explain this sudden decrease in effectivity.
I'm also experimenting a bit with particular foods now, and some tea tree/manuka oil, but so far that hasn't caused any big improvement.
It's really annoying! 
I can't decide whether to come off the B5 for, say, a month and then go back on it... because surely by then it will have to have got out of my system and will start working again?
Or whether I should just carry on with the B5 in the hope that if I give it enough time then It'll kick in. But as you say, you've not had much luck with that.
I think I'll go through another tub of B5 and if it's not any better after that, then i'll take a break from it and start over.
We are all guineapigs, I guess... there really needs to be some more organised trials of it.
Potency of B5 megadosing has a lot to do with the brand of B5, After taking Evolution X for 20 days not seeing any improvement I have almost certainly decided this is an inferior product. I will continue to finish the 2nd bottle but I would say acne miracle powder was superior. Ive just seen they do a new form of B5 which is punch flavoured and has a load of extra stuff in it. I will be trying that ASAP but its sold out. Ive been taking B5 for almost 2 years and I'm in my early 20s, if anyones got any questions about anything I will do my best to help.
When I first started B5 over a year ago, at 10g Acnemiracle powder per day, my acne was virtually gone in a month, mostly clear in just weeks. After six months of taking 10g/day religiously along with a B-100 complex and multivitamin, the acne slowly but surely returned, eventually to slightly worse than it originally was. I tried stopping not only B5 but all vitamin supplements for a few months, then went back on them, without luck. It's as if B5 totally lost its effectiveness with me. I will note, although, back a year ago I had just quit my second Accutane session after six months of Accutane not working, then switched right over to B5 and watched my acne vanish. Today, after a second try of months again taking AcneMiracle B5 powder 10g/day along with my potent multivitamin I have quit B5 rendering it obsolete. Now I'm trying every other supplement under the sun that's been mentioned on various acne forums in hope of finding _something_ that works.
There must be a reason why B5 first works so miraculously then suddenly quits its effectiveness. There's got to be some kind of solution.
Ive just seen they do a new form of B5 which is punch flavoured and has a load of extra stuff in it.
Brother I would like to add that you should maybe try borage oil, its also called starflower oil. It regulates hormones which is why people actually get acne in the first place, the hormones are flaring up producing oil and creating acne. People dont seem to understand that hormones are the cause of acne, this is why stress, getting Ill and stuff seems to make it worse. Women in most cases can take a birth control pill to regulate hormones and this usually clears their acne, us guys on the other hand have no alternative to this.
Peace be with you
Thanks for the info. I've read a lot about how hormones affect acne, but just as much as diet, genes, and toxicity. I've tried covering all fronts, from cutting out oily foods and dairy, to taking EFAs, and taking NAC and ALA among others. The EFAs seemed to have little, if any, effect on me, and it seems the borage oil's effectiveness is due to the omega-6 GLA. I am very open if this has helped you or anyone else, but that B5Complete stuff still interests me as well, just for the sake that it contains Pantethine which I haven't tried yet. I think everything else in that formula I have either taken as a multivitamin in similar dosage or individually. I'm currently trying Beta Sitosterol, the ingredient in Saw Palmetto that supposedly has the most potent hormonal effect. No luck yet.
I'll also note though that the first time I took Accutane, about four years ago or so, it rid my acne in a month. In reading, I've found Accutane works highly on hormones (and insulin as well) so that's probably the link. My second session of Accutane, although, was ineffective. Likewise, my first time taking B5 10g totally cleared me for about six months, and my second time going on B5 was also ineffective. Very mind boggling.
Thanks for your time.
I guess that after a while the body just gets used to a high quantity of B5... even after many months without megadoses, it may still not respond to it.
At some level, it must adapt itself to suit these higher levels of B5, treating them as almost 'normal', if you like, thus returning to its original acne-prone state.
I don't know - I'm not a doctor - but there definately needs to be more research.
I am only in my late teens, so am really hopeful that this is just 'one of those things' at my time of life. To that end, I am fortunate. But I seem to suffer more seriously than others my age. Wouldn't be on here if I didn't!
Personally, over the past week (this next week marking, I think, a month since my re-starting of B5 after my 'timeout') I have improved a fair bit. Most existing spots are drying out and I have just one new one that's coming through but it's been there a while. Hard to tell whether this is B5 working again. I remember being quite bad just a week before I noticed B5 working -- then suddenly, in the space of a few days, I was totally clear. Probably had something to do with my parents leaving the country!!
I'll let you know how I get on. I'm still pretty hopeful that B5 will do something, even after my break from it. If not, back to the Doc 
The main reason im taking B5 is too control my oil production. I am worried that the B5 will not be effective on this or that my body will develop a resitance to it later on....... are there any other means other than B5 to control oil production (my acne is not bad as all,its mild but nothing out of control)?
B5 is dangerous lol, yea right! if it was dangerous why are companies allowed to sell it with intention to megadose? There has been scientific proof that it does help acne but there has been no scientific proof that it is dangerous.
I know a Doctor who megadoes B5 for his acne, funny old world ey?
I was curious about B5 but here's what i found out about it:
From Paula Begoun's site, cosmeticscop.com:
"pantothenic acid. Also called vitamin B5, and often touted as being effective for acne. However, there is only one study supporting this notion and it dates from the early 1980s (Source: International Journal of Dermatology, 1981, volume 20, pages 278Aaaoe285). There is no current research showing this to be an effective treatment for acne, but there is a small amount of research showing that it can be effective for hydration and wound healing (Source: American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002, volume 3, number 6, pages 427Aaaoe433)."
From natural-acne-treatments.com:
Vitamin b5 acne treatment EXPOSED
The Bottom Line On Taking A Single Vitamin For Acne:
There is no one vitamin cure for acne
Why treatments lose their efficacy after a certain period of time...
The TRUTH About Common Vitamin For Acne Supplements
To check the quality of B vitamin you are taking, you can go here:
http://www.consumerlab.com/results/vitaminb_ing.asp
I considered buying it from one of these guys:
It seems that B5 in conjunction with topical B3 worked for this person:
Well if B5 doesn't work, at least it promotes healthy cholesterol levels and omega-3 fats:
Hi: I am new to this forum, and the only reason I even "signed on," is because I want to share my excitement about the results I am getting with B5/pantothenic acid. I am a 42-year-old woman who has struggled with acne continuously since the age of thirteen. You name it, and I have tried it -- including tetracycline, over-the-counter meds, and even accutane. Accutane helped for awhile, but I became concerned about the toxicity, as well as the side effects -- and, also, it didn't entirely clear things up.
With another birthday coming up, and contemplating another year of my life compromised by the debilitating social effects of facial acne, about a month ago I sat down at the computer and decided to just read thoroughly on a number of websites about some "alternative" treatments -- and with no great expectations, I tried a couple of the things I read about. I have always had extremely oily skin, and knew that that was the root of my ongoing problems, so the B5 seemed like an interesting approach. Well, I have been on it for just two weeks now, and the transformation is nothing short of MIRACULOUS! I almost don't want to "jinx" it by writing about it (!), but in the past few days I have been thinking about all the other adult acne-sufferers I see -- and I want to let them know that, yes indeed, here is something that actually helps! For the very first time in nearly thirty years, I got up this morning and there was literally nothing wrong with my face/skin!!! I cannot even begin to say what a relief and a joy this is!
The recommended dosage for the first month on B5 was/is 6-7 500 mg. capsules, 3x/day. As I am a small woman (110 pds.), I figured a slightly lower amt. would work -- I started on 5 capsules 3x/day. In three to four days this was knocking back the acne, and after two weeks, I am already stepping the dosage down, and will be trying to find the optimal amount for me to settle in on over the next few weeks. The only 'negative' side effect I notice (and its no big deal) is some dry, flakey skin in areas (moisturizer at night helps). I got my B5 from a company called "Vitacure" (website: [Removed]) that I ran across on the internet -- but I am sure there are a number of other sources out there.
I just wanted to tell people that the b5 supplements really do work; give them a try. I don't know if they will work for everyone. All I can say is that by this point in my life I just figured I was "incurable" and doomed to a lifetime of bad skin, and it is almost beyond belief to me, that I finally see a positive change. I hope this helps someone else as much as it has helped me!!!
Why must you buy from Evolution-X or Vitacure, they are very expensive? This is just B5 capsules, they shouldn't cost that much and they should all be the same. If you must take B5, try getting them at Vitacost.com. They sell Twinlab and NSI B5 products at less than half the cost plus only $4.95 shipping.
Also, take into consideration about the fact that the effect of vitamins and other acne supplements diminish or lose it altogether if you take it continuously for a long period of time because your body develops a tolerance to it. You will have to cycle your current treatment with a different treatment and swap them regularly. According to what I've read, you can undergo treatment for about 3-4 weeks before the product stops working and one should take at least a 7 day rest or more before continuing with your favorite regimen.
On another note, I have read that Zinc is actually pretty good in treating acne as well and I have read this from other sites too. In fact, Vitacure sells Zinc vitamins for acne treatment besides B5. BTW, if B5 doesn't work, there are other herbal/natural ways which you can find here Approved Cures Comparison. They actually ranked ZENMED's DermaCleanse the best natural treatment for Acne followed closely by DermaPure and then Refresh. However, they just reviewed a new one called AcnEase which they gave 5/5 score and a high recommendation.
After reading a number of posts about how B5 works for awhile and then seems to "quit working" for a lot of people, I would like to hear if there are people out there who have used it for longer periods of time (ex. over a year or more) without it losing its effectiveness. It seems like, from what I've read, it works for some people initially, and not for others (like most acne treatments -- idiosyncratic) -- and also, that for some people it starts to fail after awhile. I was sure hoping this at least had the POTENTIAL for long-term improvement. Of those of you taking it, are many finding that it works over the long haul (years?)??? Would love to hear one way or the other (if you would, post in this forum) Thanks so much . . .
Exactly my point. How does one know that the great effect of B5 on them was just a PLACEBO effect? I think the fact that it stops working (based on some of the posts here) is partly because of this reason and partly from the fact that our bodies tend to develop a tolerance (it's trying to balance or counter-balance the effect of the unusual amount of B5 one is taking). If it did work for you for the first time then you should stop taking it for even a month to keep your system from adjusting to the megadose. According to this site http://www.natural-acne-treatments.com/b5-acne.html B5 megadosing does not work and could even be dangerous but if you must take it, only take a maximum of 1-1/2 grams a day and take Pantethine instead of Pantothenic Acid because it is a more active stable form that can readily absorbed by your body.
Pantethine (450-500mg) is cheapest at Vitacost and if you know where to look, you can get a 5% discount:
However, it costs a little too much than Pantothenic Acid. I ended up getting the one by NSI. Twinlab is a good brand too.
