Diet & Nutrition, Vitamin B2

Weekly Poll

What's your top choice to prevent flu?

YOU ARE IN > Diet > Vitamins & Minerals > Vitamins > Vitamin B2

Diet & Nutrition

Vitamin B2

Vitamin B2 plays an important role in the protection of antioxidants, and an essential role in terms of metabolism.

Your body needs vitamin B2 to be able to turn the calories in the food you eat (in protein, fat and carbohydrates) into glucose so that your cells can use it for energy. The vitamin is important in the maintenance of many tissues of the body.

Which foods have it

Diary products, yeast extract such as Marmite, eggs, fortified cereals, unrefined carbohydrates, yoghurt, cheese and lamb’s liver.

How much is too much

The safe upper limit is 200 mg daily, although high oral doses are generally considered to be non-toxic.

Your guide to riboflavin (vit B2)

Riboflavin is a water-soluble B vitamin involved in vital metabolic processes in the body. It is necessary for normal cell function, growth, and energy production.

What it is

Vitamin B2, a yellow-green fluorescent pigment, was first recognised in 1879. Its significance, however, was only understood by the 1930s. It was synthetically produced for the first time in 1935.

How much you need

Adults need between 1.1mg (women) and 1.3mg (men) of riboflavin per day. Roughly speaking, that’s the equivalent of two bowls of fortified breakfast cereal.

Signs of deficiency

Since the body doesn't store great amounts of riboflavin, deficiency can occur if sufficient amounts aren't included in the diet for an extended period of time. Riboflavin deficiency usually occurs in combination with other B-vitamin deficiencies.

New research

Using vitamin B2 with iron supplements can relieve anaemia. It’s also been shown to help some candidiasis sufferers, as well as relieving the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome and cramps during pregnancy.