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Vitamin B5 (INCI: Pantothenic Acid, Pantothenol, Panthenol, Pantothenate, or Calcium Pantothenate)
Vitamin B5 (known by its various forms: pantothenic acid, pantothenol/panthenol, pantothenate, and d-calcium pantothenate) is a water-soluble vitamin that is essential for the cellular synthesis of coenzyme A in the mitochondria, as well as the metabolizing of several proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Its name is derived from the Greek word pantothen, meaning “from everywhere,” which is very apt as pantothenic acid is found in nearly every food that humans eat.
There is strong clinical evidence pointing to the notion that a deficiency of vitamin B5 is strongly associated with the development of acne as studies have shown that oral and especially topical supplementation with vitamin B5 has a strong anti-acne effect. This is at least partially related to the ability of vitamin B5, most notably the d-calcium pantothenate form, to modulate the production of skin’s own sebum oils. Likewise, because vitamin B5 is a water soluble nutrient it is easily incorporated into completely aqueous anti-acne formulas that are less prone to clog pores.
The pantothenic acid form of vitamin B5 is beneficial to the skin, but it’s less stable in formulas and is only active in the dextrorotatory (D) isomer. The levorotatory (L) form may antagonize the effects of the former. Unfortunately, skincare companies rarely list which form of pantothenic acid they use or include it in formulas unaware that it does not have a reliable shelf life. A more stable form of pantothenol is the aforementioned panthenol form that is found extensively in haircare products because it fortifies the hair shaft and provides shinier hair without much weight due to its oil-free moisturizing properties. Panthenol is also used in skincare as a moisturizer, where it is absorbed fairly well by the skin, but it is typically only supplied in its racemic form as dl-panthenol (a mixture of the biologically active d-panthenol form and the inactive l-panthenol form).
While all forms of Vitamin B5 have some positive activity when topically applied, it is actually the much less commonly seen d-calcium pantothenate that is the chirally correct, biologically active form of vitamin B5 that studies have shown seems to be the most ideal for use on the skin (and is more stable in formulations). For this reason it is important that a skincare product specifically list the exact form of vitamin B5 used in a product as this will gives the consumer a clue as to how active the formula may be in their skin.
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