Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid) for Skin Health
The evidence splits sharply by formulation: topical dexpanthenol (provitamin B5) has moderate-quality support for repairing the skin barrier and healing superficial wounds, but swallowing pantothenic acid as a supplement has not been shown to improve skin health and should not be expected to.
Why this grade7-layer evidence engine
This earns a Preliminary (B) grade because the supportive signal comes almost entirely from a different product than the oral supplement most people picture. Topical dexpanthenol is backed by a foundational review (PMID 12113650) and small randomized trials showing faster barrier recovery after irritation (PMID 19753737), accelerated re-epithelialization after cosmetic procedures and CO2 laser resurfacing (PMID 32610604; PMID 30897983), and reduced flares in mild-moderate atopic dermatitis (PMID 35887707). These are real but modest: mostly small, short, surface-level endpoints like skin hydration and water loss.
Crucially, applying B5 to the skin does not validate taking it by mouth. The only oral acne trial (PMID 24831048, n=41) used a multi-ingredient formula, so any benefit cannot be pinned on B5, and a 2024 systematic review of oral acne nutraceuticals (PMID 37878272) rated pantothenic acid as only fair-quality evidence, not among the well-supported options.
Regulators and clinics reinforce the caution. The FDA treats B5 as a safe nutrient supplement and EFSA links it to energy metabolism and fatigue, but neither approves a skin-health claim; the NHS notes diet alone almost always suffices. NIH ODS confirms deficiency is rare with no known toxicity, while Mayo, Cleveland, Harvard and the AAD simply do not endorse oral B5 for skin. Several key topical reviews are also industry-funded (Bayer/Bepanthen), warranting a discount.
Scoring transparency
All scores computed by a 7-layer evidence engine — fully auditable▸View the full decision path (audit trail)
- compute_raw_score — 加權公式: L2×0.30 + L3×0.25 + L5×0.25 + L11×0.10 + L1×0.10 = 0.613
- tier_from_score — 依分數區間映射至 tier letter
- apply_hec_rules — 高品質 SR/MA 顯示 positive (1 篇 > 0 negative)
- tier_strict_requirement_check — Tier 條件達標，未降階
- detect_disputes — 偵測到 0 個 hard + 0 個 soft dispute
- decide_status — 依 tier + dispute 結果決定 status