4 minThere are many different B vitamins, and vitamin B2, also known as riboflavin, is one of them. It may not be the best known, but it is certainly an important one. Vitamin B2 plays a major role in releasing energy from your food and helps keep your skin and eyes healthy. Vitamin B2 is also part of the powerful B complex. In this guide, you can read more about what vitamin B2 does exactly and why it is important to get enough of it.
In this article, you can read
- What vitamin B2 is exactly and what forms it comes in.
- The important functions that vitamin B2 performs in the body.
- Which foods are rich in vitamin B2.
- How a vitamin B2 deficiency can develop and what the symptoms are.
- Whether it is necessary to take vitamin B2 as a supplement.
What is vitamin B2?
Vitamin B2 is a water-soluble vitamin that your body needs for metabolism. It plays an important role in converting carbohydrates, fats and proteins into energy, which means that without vitamin B2, your body is less able to extract energy from food. It is also a powerful antioxidant and essential for the growth and maintenance of tissues such as skin and muscles.
The forms of vitamin B2
Vitamin B2 occurs in various forms in the body, but the most biologically active form is riboflavin. This is converted into two important coenzymes that are involved in many processes:
- Flavin Mononucleotide (FMN): This coenzyme is active in redox reactions, in which electrons are transferred in the body, which is essential for energy production.
- Flavin Adenine Dinucleotide (FAD): This coenzyme also plays a role in energy production and other biochemical reactions.
What is Vitamin B2 good for?
Vitamin B2 fulfils several important functions in the body, including:
- Energy production: Riboflavin helps convert nutrients into usable energy for the body.
- Antioxidant effect: It neutralises free radicals, thereby protecting your cells from damage.
- Healthy skin and eyes: Riboflavin is necessary for the health of your skin, eyes and mucous membranes.
- Growth and development: It supports the growth, development and maintenance of tissues.
Vitamin B2 in food
Milk anddairy products, such as yoghurt, are the most important sources of vitamin B2. Meat (especially organ meats such as liver), mushrooms, fatty fish, nuts and seeds, whole grain products and eggs also provide smaller amounts of vitamin B2.
Please note: vitamin B2 in milk can break down when exposed to light. If milk is left in sunlight, up to 80% of the vitamin can be lost.
Vitamin B2 deficiency
Vitamin B2 deficiency is rare in the United Kingdom, but can occur in people with an unbalanced diet, alcohol abuse, or conditions that disrupt intestinal absorption, such as coeliac disease. Pregnant women, the elderly and vegans may also be at greater risk.
Deficiency symptoms can start subtly, such as fatigue or skin problems, and develop into more noticeable symptoms such as painful, cracked corners of the mouth (cheilitis), inflamed tongue (glossitis), red and burning eyes, and skin conditions around the nose and mouth. Prolonged deficiencies can contribute to anaemia, as B2 is necessary for the formation of red blood cells.
Vitamin B2 excess
An excess of vitamin B2 is very rare and almost never leads to side effects, as the body simply excretes any excess in the urine. Even at high doses from supplements, there are no known harmful effects. Riboflavin has low toxicity and is considered safe, even in amounts higher than the recommended daily allowance.
Recommended amount
Recommended daily amount for adults:
- Men and women: 1.6 mg
- Pregnant women: 1.9 mg
- During breastfeeding: 1.7 mg
Recommended daily amount for babies, toddlers and children:
- From 6-11 months: 0.4 mg
- From 1-3 years: 0.5 mg
- From 4-8 years: 0.7 mg
- From 9-13 years: 1.0 mg
- From 14-17 years (boys): 1.5 mg
- From 14-17 years (girls): 1.1 mg
No acceptable upper limit has been set for vitamin B2.
Need a vitamin B2 supplement?
In some cases, a vitamin B2 supplement can be useful, especially if you recognise symptoms that indicate a deficiency. In addition, people with diarrhoea, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic diseases, or people who are growing, pregnant women and people with burns have an increased need for vitamin B2. Supplementation can then help to meet this increased need.
