Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA)'s therapeutic uses
Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) is a compound that has garnered attention for its potential therapeutic uses, particularly in treating skin and connective tissue conditions. One of its proposed uses includes managing Peyronie's disease, a condition characterized by the bending of the penis due to fibrous plaque accumulation. Evidence from clinical studies suggests that PABA may help slow the progression of this disease, although it does not reduce existing plaques. Other potential applications for PABA include addressing male infertility, scleroderma, vitiligo, and skin health issues like pemphigus, but the scientific backing for these uses is limited, with many studies dating back several decades and lacking rigorous controls.
While PABA is generally considered safe at dosages up to 400 milligrams daily, higher doses pose significant risks, including severe side effects like liver toxicity. Additionally, PABA can interact negatively with certain medications, particularly sulfa antibiotics, necessitating caution for individuals on these treatments. Despite its historical and proposed uses, further research is needed to validate PABA's efficacy and safety for various health concerns.
Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA)'s therapeutic uses
- DEFINITION: Natural food product used to treat specific health conditions.
- PRINCIPAL PROPOSED USE: Peyronie’s disease
- OTHER PROPOSED USES: Male infertility, scleroderma, vitiligo, pemphigus, skin and hair health
Overview
Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) is best known as the active ingredient in sunblock. This use of PABA is not medicinal—like a pair of sunglasses, PABA physically blocks ultraviolet rays when applied to the skin. There are, however, some proposed medicinal uses of oral PABA supplements. PABA is sometimes suggested as a treatment for various diseases of the skin and connective tissue, as well as for male infertility. However, most of the clinical data on PABA comes from very old studies, some from the early 1940s. In the twenty-first century, there remains a lack of double-blind, placebo-controlled trials necessary to prove the medicinal benefits of PABA.
Requirements and Sources
PABA is not believed to be an essential nutrient. Nonetheless, it is found in foods, mainly in grains and meat. Small amounts of PABA are usually present in B-vitamin supplements and some multiple vitamins.
Therapeutic Dosages
A typical therapeutic dosage of PABA is 300 to 400 milligrams (mg) daily. Some studies have used much higher dosages. However, serious side effects have been found in dosages above 8 grams (g) daily. People should not take more than 400 mg daily except on medical advice.
Therapeutic Uses
PABA has been suggested as a treatment for Peyronie’s disease, a condition in which the penis becomes bent owing to the accumulation of fibrous plaques. However, only one reported double-blind placebo-controlled study properly examined this use. This trial enrolled 103 men with Peyronie’s disease and followed them for one year. The results showed that using PABA at a dose of 3 grams taken four times daily significantly slowed the progression of Peyronie’s disease; it did not reduce preexisting plaque.
PABA has also been suggested as a treatment for scleroderma, a disease that creates fibrous tissue in the skin and internal organs. A four-month double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 146 people with long-standing, stable scleroderma did not support this, failing to find any evidence of benefit. However, half the participants in this trial dropped out before the end, making the results unreliable.
Based on one small World War II-era study, PABA has been suggested for treating male infertility as well as vitiligo, a condition in which patches of skin lose their pigment, resulting in pale blotches. However, this study did not have a control group, so its results are not meaningful. Ironically, a recent study suggests that high dosages of PABA can cause vitiligo.
There are several other proposed therapeutic uses for PABA. It may be helpful for another skin condition, pemphigus, where the immune system attacks healthy skin cells. It may also be useful for darkening gray hair. Scientists have explored using PABA for other conditions such as arthritis, anemia, constipation, and headaches, but insufficient scientific evidence exists to support these claims.
Safety Issues
PABA is safe when taken at a dosage of up to 400 mg daily. Possible side effects at this dosage are minor, including skin rash and loss of appetite. Higher doses are more dangerous. There has been one reported case of severe liver toxicity in a woman taking twelve grams daily of PABA. The woman’s liver recovered completely after she discontinued her use of this supplement. Also, a recent study suggests that eight grams daily of PABA can cause vitiligo, the patchy skin disease. Some questions need to be answered about the safety of high-dose PABA therapy.
Persons should not take more than 400 mg daily except under medical supervision. Safety in young children, pregnant or nursing women, and those with serious liver or kidney disease has not been determined.
Important Interactions
PABA may interfere with certain medications, including sulfa antibiotics such as Bactrim or Septra, so persons taking these medications should not take PABA supplements except on medical advice.
Bibliography
Begum, Jabeen. "What Is PABA (Para-aminobenzoic Acid) Used For, and What Are the Side Effects?" MedicineNet, 4 Jan. 2023, www.medicinenet.com/what‗is‗paba‗para‗aminobenzoic‗acid‗used‗for/article.htm. Accessed 22 Sept. 2024.
"Para-aminobenzoic Acid." Medline Plus, 1 July 2023, medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002518.htm. Accessed 22 Sept. 2024.
Weidner, W., et al. "Potassium Paraaminobenzoate (POTABA) in the Treatment of Peyronie’s Disease." European Urology, vol. 47, 2005, pp. 530-536.