Taking supplemental vitamins for acne to help fight acne is not a new idea. Many people are lacking in the necessary vitamins to maintain a happy, healthy body - and that includes the skin!

Your skin is your body's largest organ. It requires a wide spectrum of vitamins and minerals to look and feel it's best. Vitamins A, C, E, K and vitamin B complex as well as minerals such as zinc, chromium and selenium are all necessary. However, in today's 'fast world' inadequate eating habits are the leading cause of vitamin deficiencies. To compensate, you may choose to add a quality multivitamin to your diet.

One of the most beneficial vitamins for treating acne is claimed to be the vitamin B group and in particular, vitamin B5 or Pantothenic acid.

Vitamin B5 for acne is causing quite a stir throughout the Internet, There are many web sites competing for your attention. Some claim that mega doses of vitamin B5 will completely eradicate all traces of your acne while others claim that such B5 doses are totally useless and even dangerous.

Who do you believe?

A regiment of vitamin B5 to treat acne is claimed to be second only to treatments based on vitamin A such as Accutane - but much safer. Accutane is very effective because it shuts down oil producing glands that cause acne, however, a list of side-effect have created 'bad press' for Accutane. B5 on the other hand, is suppose to be effective and safe because it increases your body's ability to metabolize oil rather than to stop oil production altogether.

B5 is an essential vitamin and can be found in our everyday diets. Foods such as eggs, yeast, whole-wheat, broccoli and red meat all contain vitamin B5. There is no proof to indicate that taking large doses of B5 to treat acne are dangerous - only opinions.

Programs that suggest mega doses of up to 10 grams or more of B5 each day may be unnecessary. Since vitamins B5 is water-soluble, much of it would be flushed from your system before your body could absorb what it needed. That may be why as many as 20 tablets a day are recommended. Some may find that very hard to swallow!

A program that offers time-released vitamins for acne may be the answer. A lower dose of 2 to 3 grams of vitamin B5 each day, time-released to allow your body to absorb it makes sense. Why take 20 tablets when you can get the same results with 4 to 6? It is much cheaper too!

In the end, the decision to use vitamins for acne treatment will be yours. Supplementing a poor diet with multivitamins will certainly help to improve your skin and your over-all health. Additional vitamin B5, if used sensibly, promises a safe, natural and effective solution to your acne.