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Vitamin B5, LOSING HAIR

 
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7
(@pjjordan)

Posted : 01/20/2011 3:19 pm

I took 2-3 grams of Vitamin B5 for 10 Days to help my acne. After the 10th day I noticed hair shedding from my head. I stopped immediately. It has been almost a month since I stopped the B5 and the shedding has not stopped. My hair looks awful and very thin. Has anyone been able to stop the shedding and regrow their hair back? It is very depressing and ruining my life.

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(@omegaisjaded)

Posted : 01/20/2011 3:35 pm

Wow,that's way too much.

 

I've only ever taken 1 gram at most.

 

From what I hear,it will grow back.

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9
(@thehoper)

Posted : 01/20/2011 3:41 pm

Yeah most I have taken is 400mg in a day. So you were taking 8-12 times my amount lmao. From what I have also read it grows back, but after like 3-6 months.

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(@dotty1)

Posted : 01/20/2011 7:45 pm

Wow sorry to hear about your hair loss :(:(. It might regrow in the following months.

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(@pjjordan)

Posted : 01/22/2011 12:35 am

Thanks for the replies. I have also read of experiences where people do not grow their hair back and it has remained thin and shedding for years. Does anyone have experience with hair loss and b5 or other suggestions? Thanks for the help.

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42
(@substate)

Posted : 01/22/2011 12:24 pm

Hey ppjordan,

 

To compare to me, I used it for 3 months on a dose of 4-6gr a day. I've read people using b5in a dose of 10 grams for a year. So luckily for you, I think 10 days in that dose is too short to do real damage to your system.

 

But hair loss sucks I know. I also noticed hair loss so I stopped using b5. I experienced a prolonged hair loss (a couple of months) but I think it worked out alright now. I don't have the hair I used to but I account that to aging (I'm a guy) and best of all, my hair doesn't fall out and new (thick) hairs are growing again to join the army of lushy soldiers on the top of my head. A sight I didn't see in the months following the b5 drama.

 

At the time I thought it may've been caused by a biotin deficiency but I'm not sure now if that was the case. What I did was take a bit (not much, you should've learned now that overusing anything can lead to utter shit) of biotin supplements. I just think your body has to normalize again but maybe for your own peace of mind you can try it, just don't overdo it.

 

Also what I noticed is that if I wash my hair too much (every day with shampoo) it would be very dry also my scalp would become irritated. However, if I didn't do it that much (once or twice a week) it would become very greasy and the hairs that fall out have these ball-like sebum tips on the root. I also read somewhere that these sebum balls can cause hairs to fall out. What I do now and it seems to be working for me is buy an SLS free shampoo or at least a very natural shampoo. And work out and sweat a lot. Which is always good :).

 

Best of luck and if I don't reply just pm me.

 

 

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(@pinkunicorn)

Posted : 01/23/2011 12:32 am

I used about 5 or 6 grams daily for a few weeks too, but i decided risking my hair for clear skin isn't a smart idea. I believe mega dosing on B5 causes a deficiency in other B vitamins such as biotin. If I were you I would buy a vitamin B complex (this has the major B vitamins in it) and take it at the recommended dosage (1 pill daily with food).

 

I am doubtful that 10 days of of only 2-3 grams would show much of any change but it's possible. Check your bottle of B5 and see what other ingredients are included. Is there anything else that you changed recently which might have helped make the B5 effect worse?

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(@rebel1992)

Posted : 01/23/2011 1:54 pm

I took 2-3 grams of Vitamin B5 for 10 Days to help my acne. After the 10th day I noticed hair shedding from my head. I stopped immediately. It has been almost a month since I stopped the B5 and the shedding has not stopped. My hair looks awful and very thin. Has anyone been able to stop the shedding and regrow their hair back? It is very depressing and ruining my life.

 

dude, may i know which brand b5 are you using so that i can help you out?...

 

first and foremost...most people that complain of hairloss when on b5-usually have mild acne to begin with...and is typically not caused by extremely oily skin.... like accutane.... those with severe acne do not lose hair cause they are able to rid the excess sebum that has once been blocking/clogging the folicles...

i can say this due to other peoples experince....

 

sometimes the brand can play a massive role... which brand b5 are you using..?

 

rebel

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7
(@pjjordan)

Posted : 01/23/2011 3:30 pm

The Brand I was taking was KAL Pantothenic Acid 1000mg Timed Release. The only other ingredient is calcium. I have very oily skin and have been on accutane before. I thought the side effects of B5 would be less adverse so I tried it out. My hair, scalp, and skin became oily again after I stopped the B5. But I did develop dandruff around the time I started losing hair and still have dandruff even though my scalp and hair are oily. Thanks for the help.

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(@rebel1992)

Posted : 01/23/2011 10:13 pm

The Brand I was taking was KAL Pantothenic Acid 1000mg Timed Release. The only other ingredient is calcium. I have very oily skin and have been on accutane before. I thought the side effects of B5 would be less adverse so I tried it out. My hair, scalp, and skin became oily again after I stopped the B5. But I did develop dandruff around the time I started losing hair and still have dandruff even though my scalp and hair are oily. Thanks for the help.

 

 

dude, its weird cause i just started out on KAL's 1000mg 3 times a day... anyways..... look...you just reirtarated my point.

 

you already have had hair loss when yr sclap was oily with dandruff....just like mine..... thats why we need to stop oil....... it is a proven fact that 99% of hair loss is by oily scalp.... and it is common sense that when yr hair is extremely dry....it will break.....

 

i ll give you an example... my mum has an oily face but dry scalp....my stepdad suffers from hairloss..... and he always tell her to stop using hairsprays and such cause he donts want her to lose her hair... but truth is..she uses like alot and it still doesnt fall because of dry scalp...!!!!..

 

maybe your hairloss is due to a transition...

 

but hey its yr choice...

 

 

And do you mind telling me whether you take the KAL's b5 on an empty stomach??????

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(@rebel1992)

Posted : 01/23/2011 10:15 pm

And btw...for yr info- dandruff is not due to dry scalp...its due to oily scalp....as ironic as it may sound...try looking up the internet...

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(@pjjordan)

Posted : 01/26/2011 8:15 pm

So I visited my dermatologist today regarding hair loss due to B5. He works at Tufts Medical Center in Boston with the Dermatology Department. His colleagues and him have seen many hair loss issues related to supplementing with all types of Vitamins.

 

The Department is aware of hair loss due to Vitamin B5. The cause of hair loss is actually Toxicity. They believe the toxicity is a result of a binding ingredient used in the Supplement that is not labeled on the bottle. They do not believe B5 is the actually cause of hair loss, but it may be. So when taken in high doses, your body becomes poisoned by the binding ingredient (or possibly B5) which causes TE (Telogen effluvium). TE is characterized by diffuse hair shedding. Generally, recovery is spontaneous and occurs within 6 months. My dermatologist said most people recover within 3-5 months, but there are a few cases where people do not recover. Mega-dosing for long periods of time increases the chances of non-recovery.

 

He explained that hair loss due to B5 (or the binding ingredient in the supplement) is not a Vitamin Deficiency! Therefore supplementing with Biotin or a B-Complex will not protect against the Hair Loss. Your body is poisoned and needs to naturally recover. The best ways he told me to recover are to exercise daily with lots of cardio (you need to sweat) and drink plenty of water. Supplementing with other vitamins, antioxidants, or oils will not stop or prevent the hair loss.

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(@omegaisjaded)

Posted : 01/26/2011 8:17 pm

So I visited my dermatologist today regarding hair loss due to B5. He works at Tufts Medical Center in Boston with the Dermatology Department. His colleagues and him have seen many hair loss issues related to supplementing with all types of Vitamins.

 

The Department is aware of hair loss due to Vitamin B5. The cause of hair loss is actually Toxicity. They believe the toxicity is a result of a binding ingredient used in the Supplement that is not labeled on the bottle. They do not believe B5 is the actually cause of hair loss, but it may be. So when taken in high doses, your body becomes poisoned by the binding ingredient (or possibly B5) which causes TE (Telogen effluvium). TE is characterized by diffuse hair shedding. Generally, recovery is spontaneous and occurs within 6 months. My dermatologist said most people recover within 3-5 months, but there are a few cases where people do not recover. Mega-dosing for long periods of time increases the chances of non-recovery.

 

He explained that hair loss due to B5 (or the binding ingredient in the supplement) is not a Vitamin Deficiency! Therefore supplementing with Biotin or a B-Complex will not protect against the Hair Loss. Your body is poisoned and needs to naturally recover. The best ways he told me to recover are to exercise daily with lots of cardio (you need to sweat) and drink plenty of water. Supplementing with other vitamins, antioxidants, or oils will not stop or prevent the hair loss.

 

I would love to get a second opinion on this though. Doctors don't agree with each other on a lot of things

 

Does sound quite interesting,though!

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(@pjjordan)

Posted : 01/26/2011 8:18 pm

Rebel, be careful with KAL's supplement. It includes an ingredient not listed that causes Toxicity which results in hair loss like what happened to me. It could also be the B5 so you never know. The Doctors are not sure but they know it poisons your body and causes hair loss (TE).

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(@pjjordan)

Posted : 01/26/2011 8:20 pm

I would like a second opinion too. But the entire Tufts Dermatology Department agrees on this and have work with many people dealing with the issue. I am very convinced.

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(@rebel1992)

Posted : 01/27/2011 7:15 am

Rebel, be careful with KAL's supplement. It includes an ingredient not listed that causes Toxicity which results in hair loss like what happened to me. It could also be the B5 so you never know. The Doctors are not sure but they know it poisons your body and causes hair loss (TE).

 

 

hey man, interesting..... will definitely keep that in mind... and what are binders....are they the coating of pills etc or the gelatin capsule itself???

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(@pjjordan)

Posted : 01/27/2011 5:33 pm

Rebel, be careful with KAL's supplement. It includes an ingredient not listed that causes Toxicity which results in hair loss like what happened to me. It could also be the B5 so you never know. The Doctors are not sure but they know it poisons your body and causes hair loss (TE).

 

 

hey man, interesting..... will definitely keep that in mind... and what are binders....are they the coating of pills etc or the gelatin capsule itself???

 

 

I am not sure what the binding ingredient is. The cause of hair loss could very well be the B5 as people who taken different brands, capsules, and pills have experienced hair loss. I would not take B5 if I were you.

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(@rebel1992)

Posted : 01/28/2011 9:55 am

Hey pjjordan,

btw, when time released worked for you

did yu take em with food or without?

Thanks

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2
(@malika585)

Posted : 08/05/2011 7:37 pm

Rebel, be careful with KAL's supplement. It includes an ingredient not listed that causes Toxicity which results in hair loss like what happened to me. It could also be the B5 so you never know. The Doctors are not sure but they know it poisons your body and causes hair loss (TE).

 

 

hey man, interesting..... will definitely keep that in mind... and what are binders....are they the coating of pills etc or the gelatin capsule itself???

 

 

I am not sure what the binding ingredient is. The cause of hair loss could very well be the B5 as people who taken different brands, capsules, and pills have experienced hair loss. I would not take B5 if I were you.

 

 

 

hey pjjordan,

 

My situation seems similar to yours. I took 3/4 mg of B5 to improve acne for about 3 weeks and experienced dramatic hair loss. My hair was thin to begin with so it has been very heart breaking. I have been reading up on TE and I think my whole body has been effected. Anyway I wanted to ask you how your doing, and whether you have had any positive results since January? Has your derm suggested anything else?

 

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(@busyguy)

Posted : 08/05/2011 8:28 pm

Hi, I am very sorry to hear that you guys experience hair loss with B5 supplementing. I took B5(now up to 3 grams a day) for about a month and I don't notice any hair loss, instead my hair grow faster and thicker in short time. I don't know about the KAL brand but I took NOW pantothenic acid. The other ingredients listed are gelatin and magnesium stearate. Hope you find a solution for your hair loss =)

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7
(@pjjordan)

Posted : 08/09/2011 2:33 pm

The hair loss has not stopped yet. I can't tell if the hair loss is slowing down, but where the hair is lost, small hairs are popping up. I see my derm every 3 months. They are a few doctors that work at the hospital and say that the cases they deal with for TE stop between 6 months and 2 years. Mine is going on for 7 months now. I have dandruff ever since the TE started and use a tea tree oil shampoo which controls the dandruff well. Keeping my hopes up it will stop soon. My derm has suggested rogain which has helped some of their patients. Every time I start though I get horrible dandruff. They suggested the rogain foam which I am going to give a try.

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(@malika585)

Posted : 08/20/2011 10:16 pm

The hair loss has not stopped yet. I can't tell if the hair loss is slowing down, but where the hair is lost, small hairs are popping up. I see my derm every 3 months. They are a few doctors that work at the hospital and say that the cases they deal with for TE stop between 6 months and 2 years. Mine is going on for 7 months now. I have dandruff ever since the TE started and use a tea tree oil shampoo which controls the dandruff well. Keeping my hopes up it will stop soon. My derm has suggested rogain which has helped some of their patients. Every time I start though I get horrible dandruff. They suggested the rogain foam which I am going to give a try.

 

 

 

Thanks for replying. I have heard that the hair growth from rogain only remains until you keep taking it and it all goes away once you stop. I don't know about the foam though.. let me know how that works for you and I may give it a try. Has your derm recommended any other supplements for you? Have you had your iron (ferritin levels) checked? I also had issues with dandruff after taking B5 and switched to a herbal tea tree shampoo that I found in wholefoods and its been much better since. I am also trying to massage my head with lavender oil because I read it helps stimulate hair growth... but this needs to be done for 6-7 months :(

 

I also read that ginkgo biloba and saw palmetto help decrease DHT which is a cause of Hair loss so you may want to look into those. Since you talked about toxicity.... I thought I'd mention that I've been trying to do a liver cleanse to help my body flush out the toxins. I just started taking milk thislte, dandellion and burdock today and hopefully will see some decent results in the next 2 months.

 

I must confess... I've been so obsessed with this hair loss thing... even more than my acne. It makes me feel so much better to get feedback and hear about your experiences. I really hope this is a temporary state for all of us.

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5
(@bourne)

Posted : 08/20/2011 11:59 pm

You seem to be on the right track. There are lots of things you can try; try to find connections to other cures people have found for hair loss & give the ones that look promising a good test run before you throw them out. One of my favorite sites is earth-clinic and they have an extensive section on hair loss http://www.earthclinic.com/CURES/hair_loss.html read through some of the testimonies and remedies and try them out. Your loss might be caused by overdosing on B5, but that doesn't mean that the problem couldn't be coming from an extension of that problem (if that makes sense). You could try going on a diet for a while that gives your liver and body overall a rest from some of the bad food we eat daily. Cut back on sugar and definitely make sure your body is receiving it's recommended dosage of water. When you don't water grass, it slowly turns brown and dies. Our body is made of a large percentage of water, and when we lack, it starts to show. Get exercise and proper sleep too, all very important in healing the body; some sunshine probably wouldn't hurt either. Best wishes.

 

PS. Your hair doesn't need shampoos and conditioners to grow and be healthy. My grandfather is in his 70's and has a full head of thick white hair and he is super old-school. He doesn't use, nor has he for most of his life, shampoos and conditioners, nor did he shower daily. These 50 brands of products you see in stores now weren't around 100 years ago, and people didn't lose their hair. I guess what I'm saying is that the body knows how to function without the need of man-made chemical products that lots of us throw at our bodies. Just an idea :)

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(@sverd)

Posted : 08/21/2011 8:56 am

Your losing hair because B5 inhibits biotin and causes a deficiency. Biotin is necessary for hair and skin, coincidentally taking it causes acne in many people. See the connection? Take biotin, but keep the dose small to see how your skin reacts to it.

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(@pjjordan)

Posted : 08/22/2011 10:01 pm

Your losing hair because B5 inhibits biotin and causes a deficiency. Biotin is necessary for hair and skin, coincidentally taking it causes acne in many people. See the connection? Take biotin, but keep the dose small to see how your skin reacts to it.

 

This is not true. B5 causes a shock to your system when taken in large doses and causes Telogen Effluvium. Telogen Effluvium can be caused by many medications and vitamins such as Accutane which is a derivative of vitamin A. Its a body reaction to the drug that it does not like. I have been taking biotin for 8 months with no improvements. I have also had blood tests from my Derm and my levels are fine.

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