Vitamin B5 Injections Don't Outperform Topical Therapy for Acne, Clinical Trial Reports
A new randomized clinical trial published in Dermatologic Therapy has found that intramuscular pantothenic acid injections, when combined with topical adapalene, do not offer additional benefits in managing mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to adapalene alone.
The research, conducted by Dr. Nasrin Saki and colleagues from the Department of Dermatology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, highlights that while both treatment approaches improved acne severity, lesion count, and patient quality of life, the injectable vitamin therapy did not prove superior.
Acne vulgaris, one of the most common dermatological conditions, is a multifactorial disease caused by inflammation of the pilosebaceous units. Treatment strategies often combine topical and systemic therapies to reduce lesions and improve patient outcomes. Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), particularly in its dexpanthenol form, has been explored as a potential adjunctive therapy, but its efficacy via intramuscular administration had not been thoroughly assessed until now.
The trial, conducted in 2024, enrolled 59 patients with acne vulgaris, comprising 47 women and 12 men, with an average age of nearly 24 years. Participants were randomly divided into two groups. Both received topical adapalene gel, a standard first-line treatment, while only one group additionally received intramuscular dexpanthenol injections. Researchers used the Global Acne Grading System (GAGS), Investigator’s Global Assessment (IGA), and lesion counts via the Leeds technique to evaluate treatment effects. Patient quality of life was measured with the Cardiff Acne Disability Index (CADI) at baseline and after two months.
The study’s key findings were as follows:
- Both groups showed significant reductions in acne severity, lesion counts, and improvement in quality of life after treatment.
- Patients receiving adapalene plus intramuscular pantothenic acid did not experience greater improvement compared to those using adapalene alone.
- Statistical analysis revealed no significant difference between the two treatment approaches in terms of GAGS, IGA, TLC, or CADI outcomes.
- Overall, intramuscular pantothenic acid offered no additional therapeutic advantage in mild to moderate acne management.
The authors also noted several limitations. The trial did not include placebo injections, patients were not blinded to their treatment, and the sample size was relatively small. Furthermore, the short follow-up period could have influenced results. To strengthen future evidence, the researchers recommended conducting larger, double-blind randomized trials with longer follow-up durations, as well as exploring different dosages and alternative administration routes such as oral or intravenous supplementation.
“Our results indicate that intramuscular pantothenic acid injections do not provide added clinical benefit when used alongside topical adapalene in mild to moderate acne,” the authors concluded. “Further research is necessary to explore whether dosage adjustments or different administration routes could improve outcomes.”
This trial reinforces that topical agents like adapalene remain the cornerstone of acne management, while adjunctive therapies such as intramuscular pantothenic acid may not be necessary in routine practice for mild to moderate cases.
Reference:
Saki, N., Mohammadi, F., Parvizi, M. M., & Kamali, M. (2024). Efficacy of Intramuscular Pantothenic Acid in the Treatment of Acne Vulgaris: A Single Blind Randomized Clinical Trial. Dermatologic Therapy, 2025(1), 6610699. https://doi.org/10.1155/dth/6610699
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