 |  | 

Below is the
research paper that proves this product works to clear acne. The research was
conducted in Singapore almost 3 years ago and the results were staggering. Of
the 100 patients in the study, all of them had a near 100% remission of their acne.
Here is the research paper:
Pantothenic Acid in the Treatment of Acne Vulgaris “A Medical Hypothesis”
by Lit-Hung Leung, M.D.
This article originally appeared in the scientifically prestigious Journal of
Orthomolecular Medicine Vol. 12 Number 2, 1997. The version below is from a
reprint of the original article and revisions were made in December 1998.
The Pathogenesis of Acne Vulgaris: A Medical Hypothesis
Over the years the pathogenesis of acne vulgaris has been extensively studied
including, the structure and function of the pilosebaceous follicle, the
physiology of sebum, microflora in acne vulgaris, and abnormal follicular
keratinization, considered to be one of the earliest events in acne formation.
Despite the concerted effort of many scientists, internists, pathologists and
dermatologists, the pathogenesis of acne vulgaris remains largely elusive.
In this paper, I would like to approach this problem from a different
perspective. My clinical observations suggest that acne vulgaris may be closely
related to the consumption of diets, which are rich in fat content. This
impression is by no means novel. Textbooks do briefly mention this correlation
though, more often than not, it is dismissed as irrelevant. However, my
observations have led to quite the contrary conclusions. Not only is the fat
content of food closely related to acne vulgaris but it forms some sort of
linear relationship with the disease process. The more fat the patient
consumes, the more severe will be the acne process. This observation is in line
with the opinion of many dermatologists that chocolate, which is composed
mainly of the creamy part of milk, and has a high degree of fat content, is bad
for acne. Significantly, in this group of patients, any deliberate attempt in
trying to avoid a fatty diet over a period of weeks, if not days, will often
result in important compound, cholesterol, which in turn is basically
synthesized from
units of acetyl-CoA. In the synthetic process, the body naturally is always
trying not only to reach for a normal level of androgens, but an optimal level,
so as to allow the body to function at its best. However, this is not always
possible, and the normal level reached may not represent the optimal level.
This is natures flexible way of dealing with shortage of essential dietary
elements in any form to achieve a level that is just enough to manage the present
situation, leaving a variable degree of shortage from the optimal level. In the
present instance, in the two groups of boys, one group may have a normal
level of androgens that is falling short of the optimum. One possible
explanation for this is that there is a lack of basic building blocks, the
acetyl-CoAs, which deter the body from operating at peak efficiency. If this is
a viable possibility, it suggests that a plentiful supply or a deficiency of
acetyl-CoA in
the body may play a role in the acne process. this is certainly possible. Aside
from its role in the synthesis of the sex hormones, acetyl-CoA, of which
coenzyme-A is the important component, it is also important in fatty acid
metabolism as an acyl carrier in the lengthening and degradation of long chain
fatty acids by adding or removing acyl groups in the metabolic process.
Acne vulgaris is related to lipid metabolism as well as the sex hormones, both
of which have a lot to do with Coenzyme-A. This relationship provides a
reasonable ground to link up the acne process to Coenzyme-A and to investigate
the pathogenesis of acne vulgaris along this line.
The Importance of Coenzyme-A
In trying to link acne vulgaris to Coenzyme-A, it is important to have a
hypothesis supporting some basic facts. A closer look at Coenzyme-A may provide
the evidence.
A Sharing scenario; As a coenzyme active in both fatty acid metabolism and sex
hormone synthesis, Coenzyme-A is shared between two different metabolic
processes. This is not uncommon in biochemical reactions in metabolism, where a
coenzyme is often shared among a number of reactions.
Coenzyme-A is arguably the most important coenzyme in the body, and when a
coenzyme is involved in the metabolic process to such an extent as this, it
becomes legitimate to ask if a shortage and deficiency is possible. To answer
this, a brief look at the structure of Coenzyme-A is warranted.
Coenzyme-A is formed from adenosine triphosphate, cysteine, and pantothenic
acid. Of these pantothenic acid is the only component that is a vitamin, and
must be provided from our dietary intake. Could there be an insufficient intake
of pantothenic acid resulting in a deficiency in Coenzyme-A, which would leave
the body unable to cope with all the reactions, that it has to perform with that
all-important coenzyme? Conventional wisdom does not think so. It is suggested
that pantothenic acid, being ubiquitous, can be had from whatever kind of food
that is taken in, and that there is no question as to its deficiency in our
body. However, a deficiency is still possible. After all, when so many
reactions are dependent on the same agent, its demand
must be tremendous. Shortage under such circumstances is not entirely
impossible.
The Crucial Question and the New Theory
If the question of deficiency of Coenzyme-A does come up, how does it affect
acne, knowing its importance in fatty acid metabolism and sex hormone
synthesis? This is the crucial question. This is where the new hypothesis on
the pathogenesis of acne vulgaris is based, and this is where it diverges from
conventional medical ideas. The author’s proposed hypothesis for the
pathogenesis of acne vulgaris is that the disease process is not caused by
androgens, or any other sex hormones, but rather, the disease process results
from a defect in lipid metabolism that is secondary to a deficiency in
pantothenic acid, hence Coenzyme-A. Coenzyme-A, in carrying out its function
efficiently both as an agent in fatty acid metabolism and an agent in androgen
and sex hormone synthesis, has to be present in sufficient amounts, and
anything less than sufficient will result in some compromise.
Mother Nature’s Choice
Faced with the dilemma of a shortage of Coenzyme-A the body will tend to make a
choice that is to the best advantage of the individual. The body does so by
largely maintaining the functionally more important reaction, while at the same
time slowing down the lesser important one. The choice here is a relatively
simple one. Nature will seek to take care of the synthesis of hormones first,
because continuation of the species depends on the development of the sex
organs. Fatty acid metabolism is, for the time being, at least in part halted.
Lipids start to accumulate in the sebaceous glands, sebum excretion is
increased, and acne begins to appear. When there is enough Coenzyme-A in the
body, however, both reactions will be well taken care of. There are enough sex
hormones for the sex organs to develop. The lipids in the sebaceous glands are
completely metabolized by sufficient Coenzyme-A, and there will be no unwanted
lipid in the glands and little sebum will be excreted to cause acne vulgaris.
The Mystery Revealed
The mechanism proposed above may be the reason why two groups of adolescent
boys both with a normal blood level of androgen may exhibit differences in the
incidence of acne. The group with acne is the one that has not enough
pantothenic acid in the body, whereas in the other group, pantothenic acid
levels are not deficient.
This new theory seems to work well here, and can be tested in other metabolic
situations. In the case in which endogenous androgen stimulates acne, whereas
exogenous does not, the reasoning for the observation is the same. Any
endogenous androgen synthesis will require the participation of extra amount of
pantothenic acid. This will channel off some of those that are doing the work
of fatty acid metabolism. Consequently, fatty acid metabolism becomes less
efficient and the individual is more prone to have acne.
Today, the percentage of adult women that have acne is increasing. Some of
these women may not have had acne as teenagers, and are surprised to find that
they have to deal with this unpleasant problem during their adult years. Acne
can have profound psychological and social effects on adults, just as it does
in teenagers.
Many women in their 30s and 40s experience high levels of life stress because
they shoulder the multiple burdens of career, child rearing, and housework, and
often the responsibility of caring for their own aging parents. Perhaps this
increasing level of stress has contributed to the rising incidence of acne in
adult women.
Microcomedo
Acne vulgaris of adulthood is similar to teenage acne. The pilosebaceous units
of the face, chest, and back can be involved. The primary lesion of acne is the “microcomedo.” A microscopic plug develops due to the presence of thickened and
impacted keratin (dead cells) and excess oil production (sebum). More and more
of the keratin and sebum back up behind this plug and form a distended
follicular pore. This results in either an open comedo (blackhead) or a closed
comedo (whitehead). The enlarged pilosebaceous structure allows
Propionibacterium acne’s, an anaerobic diphtheroid, to proliferate.
Propionibacterium acne’s contributes to the breakdown of lipids to free fatty
acids, which are highly inflammatory. The distended follicle can rupture,
causing further inflammation and the development of papules, pustules and
nodules.
Acne Rosacea
Another skin disease that simulates and can coexist with acne vulgaris is acne
rosacea. This skin problem is common in women, most often between the ages of
30 and 50. The face, especially the middle third, is erythematous and flushed.
Multiple telangiectasias are frequently present. Small papules and pustules,
which may look similar to those seen in acne vulgaris, are common, but the
microcomedo component of acne vulgaris is absent in blepharitis.
Rosacea keratitis is less common, but potentially vision-threatening. Rosacea
is another skin disorder that is frequently stress related.
What about premenstrual flare?
In the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle,
progesterone in is secreted abundantly by the corpus lutcum. This naturally
will take up a lot of pantothenic acid from the body’s pantothenic pool leading
to a re-distribution of the vitamin and putting enormous pressure on fatty acid
metabolism. When this metabolic process is not performing satisfactorily, lipid
begins to accumulate in the sebaccous glands, an increase in sebum is excreted,
and acne follows. That is why even though progesterone has no effect on
sebaceous gland activity, an increasing level of progesterone in the late stage
of the luteal phase leaves the acne patient with a prominent flare.
Similarly, this may explain why eunuchs rarely exhibit acne. Since so few sex
hormones are secreted, the pantothenic acid pool can deploy a more significant
portion of its reserve to metabolize fatty acids. When this is efficiently
done, little sebum is excreted, and no acne is formed.
This theory also explains the paradoxical problem of equal sex hormones that
counts. Both males and females need sex hormones for the development of sex
organs and the secondary sexual characteristics. The only difference is that in
the male, the female sex hormones predominate. Apparently the synthesis of sex
hormones uses a large portion of the pantothenic acid pool, leaving a relative
shortage of it to efficiently metabolize fatty acids. The result is that acne
starts to erupt, at the same time the sex organs begin to develop at puberty.
The reason acne first erupts at puberty is not, therefore, endocrinological,
but rather secondary to the deployment of a substantial amount of pantothenic
acid for the purposes of synthesis of sex hormones, leaving a relative
deficiency for fatty acid metabolism. The size of this pantothenic acid pool
and the ability with which the individual can deploy reserves from the pool
varies and is likely to be influenced by genetic and dietary factors.
In conditions in which there is an increase in secretion of any hormone whose
synthesis requires the participation of pantothenic acid, acne may erupt.
This is frequently seen with those hormone secreting tumours of the ovary,
testis and the adrenals. The rapid decline in incidence of acne after
adolescence can also be explained. After the sex organs are fully developed,
less sex hormones are required, leaving an adequate supply of pantothenic acid
to serve the function of fatty acid metabolism. When this function is
efficiently accomplished, sebum secretion dries up, and acne starts to fade.
Deficiency in Lipid Metabolism
In linking the pathogenesis of acne vulgaris to a deficiency in lipid
metabolism and pantothenic acid, it is worthwhile to remember that fatty acid
metabolism is not the sole domain of pantothenic acid. There are some other
essential dietary factors that are also of importance in the same process.
Together they form a system that will make the whole metabolic process as
efficient as possible. Preliminary studies by the author suggest that, together
with pantothenic acid, biotin as well as nicotinamide help to further improve
the therapeutic results. By themselves alone, they are far less effective in
helping acne patients than with pantothenic acid, and this serves to support
the suggestion that pantothenic acid plays a central role in lipid metabolism.
Lipid metabolism is a complicated process, and is often intertwined with other
metabolic processes, sharing with them common coenzymes in widely different
reactions. When there is an increase in level of some of these coenzymes, there
may be a shift in the directions of some ongoing reactions, and may affect
lipid metabolism as a result. This can manifest clinically as acne vulgaris. To
illustrate this, there are reports showing that acne may be induced by administration
of large doses of vitamin B12 alone or in combination with B6. Cessation of the
administration of these vitamins will bring a halt to the acne eruptions. If
the body is in a relative deficiency state in B6 and B12, administration of the
vitamins will enhance the reactions that involve the participation of these
vitamins. This will set up a chain of events, some of which entail the
participation of pantothenic acid. With the total pantothenic acid pool fixed
relative to an increase in other vitamins, emphasis of any reaction involving
pantothenic acid will automatically mean a cutting back on other reactions that
require it as a coenzyme. This will often include those involving lipid
metabolism, resulting in a certain degree of deficiency in that metabolic
process, hence the increased incidence of acne vulgaris in these studies.
Stress Related Acne
It is perhaps relevant here to consider stress as another common factor that is
known to affect acne adversely. Stress in many forms poses as an aggravating
factor in acne lesions. Lack of sleep at night, pre-examination tension, any
psychological problem that may worry the patient will bring on new acne
lesions. To understand this, one should recall that in combating stress, the
body will secrete glucocorticoids from the adrenal glands as a means to adapt
to stress, what is commonly known as the fight-or-flight reaction. The
glucocorticoids, like the sex hormones, are derivatives of cholesterol, and
increased demand for this hormone will draw on the pantothenic acid pool. Lipid
metabolism may therefore be compromised, rendering the body more prone to acne.
If pantothenic acid deficiency is indeed the main causative agent in the
pathogenesis of acne vulgaris, it is logical to ask how much pantothecic acid
patients are lacking in absolute amounts.
Deficiency Syndromes
Nutritional requirements can rarely be met through a well balanced diet, and
dietary supplements, including vitamins, are often required. It is the
generally held belief of the medical profession that vitamins, though essential
to life and not synthesized in the body, are not required in great amounts.
This view was challenged, notably by Linus Pauling. In his book, How to Live
Longer and Feel Better, Pauling provided vigorous proof, through comparative
studies in animals and from an evolutionary point of view, that vitamin C
supplements are needed if an optimal state of health is to be
achieved. Not only is supplementation necessary, gut the amount required is far
greater than most people believe, as with the case of vitamin C where the
optimal dose may be 10 or more grams a day. This issue was a point of heated
debate in the 1970s and 1980s.
Though Pauling has quite a large following, by and large, the issue was
dismissed by the mainstream medical profession, because of a lack of
theoretical support and a general bias against nutritional and vitamin therapy.
But, in view of the new evidence suggested in these and many other papers, it
seems appropriate that the issue be considered.
How Much Pantothenic Acid?
In trying to determine the amount of pantothenic acid necessary to relieve acne
patients of their symptoms, Pauling’s experience with vitamin C provides a good
guideline. Pauling had for a long time recommended vitamin C in high dosages to
achieve optimal health. Radically different from what is
recommended by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council
(who recommended 60 mg daily). Pauling’s recommended daily intake of vitamin C
amounts to several grams a day. The recommendation was stepped up to 15-20
grams a day in his later years. Using these
recommendations as a background, it becomes somewhat easier to arrive at a
proper dosage for pantothentic acid in the treatment of acne vulgaris.
Pantothenic acid, which acquires its name from the Greek word meaning
ubiquitous, is present in all tissues. Its universal presence is an indication
of its importance. This is further reflected by the many reactions that it
catalyzes. It should not come as a surprise then, that the amount of
pantothenic acid
required for optimal health, is of the same order of that of vitamin C. Based
on this argument, the dose of pantothenic acid administered to the acne
patients was up to 10 grams a day, and the result of these studies were first
reported in Medical Hypotheses.
The Effect of Pantothenic Acid on Acne Vulgaris
One hundred patients of Chinese descent were included in the study, 45 males
and 55 females. The age ranged from 10 to 30, and with about 80% between 13 and
23. The severity of the disease process varied. They were given 10 grams of
pantothenic acid a day in four divided doses. To enhance
the effect, the patients were also asked to apply a cream consisting of 20% by
weight of pantothenic acid to the affected area, four to six tines a day.
With this treatment regimen, the response is as prompt as it is impressive.
There is a noticeable decrease in sebum secretion on the face usually 2-3 days
after initiation of therapy. The face becomes less oily. After two weeks,
existing lesions start to regress while the rate of eruption of new acne
lesions begins to slow down. In cases with moderate severity, the condition is
normally in complete control in about eight weeks, with most of the lesions
gone and new lesions only to erupt occasionally. In those patients with severe
acne lesions, complete control may take months, sometimes up to six months or
longer. In some of these cases, in order to get a more immediate response, it
may even be necessary to step up the dose to 15-20 grams a day. In any event,
the improvement is normally a gradual and steady process, with perhaps minor
interruptions by premenstrual flare or excessive intakes of oily food. With
this form of treatment, another striking feature is the size of the facial skin
pore.
The pore size becomes noticeably smaller within one to two weeks, very often
much sooner. Like sebum excretion, the pores will continue to shrink until the
skin becomes much finer, giving the patient a much more beautiful skin.
This decrease in skin pore size is presumably related to sebum excretion. When
an acne lesion is formed, there is in the epithelial cell of the hair follicle
an accumulation of lipids, leaving the epithelial cells bulky and the lumen of
the gland narrowed. When there is a concomitant increase in sebum flow, the
follicle has no choice but to hypertrophy to accommodate the changes, resulting
in an enlarged skin pore and coarse skin. With the administration of
pantothenic acid, the whole process is reversed. Lipid metabolism becomes
normal and efficient. The epithelium is no longer laden with fat droplets,
there is a decrease in sebum excretion, the hypertrophy process is not
required. The skin pores revert to a much smaller size and the skin becomes
smooth and fine.
As acne lesions tend to subside spontaneously after puberty, some patients do
not need a maintenance dose. But, if a patient is in his mid-teens, when the
sexual characteristics have yet to fully develop, it may be necessary for
replacement therapy to be implemented. This maintenance dose, can be lowered,
or increased with the clinical symptoms. A maintenance dose will not only act
as a preventive measure against sporadic eruption, but the extra pantothenic
acid will help to ease the relative deficiency state, and likely improve the
general health of the patient.
|
| |
| We ship worldwide! Questions? Comments? Please, contact us at vitacures@yahoo.com. We want to hear from you! |
|