Vitamin B2 / Riboflavin

Vitamin B2, also known as riboflavin, aids in metabolizing respiratory proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Riboflavin is helpful for maintaining the skin, nails, eyes, mouths, lips and tongue. It is important for normal vision and to prevent cataracts. Riboflavin is also thought to decrease the duration and frequency of migraine headaches in some people.

How Much Riboflavin Do You Need?
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is 1.3 mg for adults, and this is sometimes referred to as the Daily Allowance or Daily Value. Pregnant women should consume 1.4 mg and breastfeeding women 1.6 mg.

What Happens If You Don't Get Enough Vitamin B2?
A riboflavin deficiency can result in skin lesions, light sensitivity, eye disorders, an inflamed mouth or tongue, and cracks and sores at the mouth's corner. Low levels of B2 have been linked with arthritis, colon cancer, heart disease, carpal tunnel syndrome, multiple sclerosis and Chron's disease.

What Happens If You Get Too Much Vitamin B2?
Overdose is unknown, but it is thought that an excess of vitamin B2 may result in numbness, itching, burning or a prickling sensation.

Good Sources of Riboflavin
The best dietary sources of riboflavin, as with all B complex vitamins, is brewer's yeast. Other good food sources of riboflavin, such as liver, mushrooms, venison, yogurt, soybeans and spinach are listed in the chart below.

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