High dose (5 to 10g daily) Vitamin B5 (Pantathenic acid) has been reported to be an effective and safe natural option for treating acne. Knowledge of its benefits have been relatively unknown until 1997 when Dr. Lit-Hung Leung, M.D. published his studies on B5’s effects in preventing acne. Through years of research, he obtained results that are quite astonishing. Basically the cause of acne is a defect or deficiency in a person’s metabolism of lipids (fats) which occurs due to a lack of coenzyme-A in the body. Coenzyme-A is made of ATP (energy), cysteine, and pantothenic acid. Of these 3, pantothenic acid is the only one which is a vitamin and must be supplied through the diet. The other 2 are produced by the body. So if you supplement with pantothenic acid you create more Coenzyme-A in your body and your fats get metabolized. A lack of Coenzyme-A in the body means that fats don’t get broken down. Instead, they get deposited in your sebaceous (oil) glands and get secreted as sebum (oil). Acne bacteria (Propionibacterium acne) in your pores then feeds on this excess oil causing acne. But if you had no oil or very little oil in your pores, you would have little or no acne. Taking large doses of pantothenic acid shuts down your oil production, drying up your pores, and reducing your acne.