DR. WALKER

Health Benefits of Vitamin B2

Vitamin B2, or riboflavin, is one of eight B vitamins that are essential for human health. It can be found in grains, plants, and dairy products. It is crucial for breaking down food components, absorbing other nutrients, and maintaining tissues. Vitamin B2 is a water-soluble vitamin, so it dissolves in water. All vitamins are either water soluble or fat soluble.

Vitamin B2 helps break down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. It plays a vital role in maintaining the body’s energy supply. Riboflavin helps convert carbohydrates into adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The human body produces ATP from food, and ATP produces energy as the body requires it. The compound ATP is vital for storing energy in muscles.

Benefits of Riboflavin

• Cancer: An analysis found that higher intakes of riboflavin were associated with a significantly lower risk of colorectal cancer; inverse associations were observed for both dietary riboflavin intake and total daily intake from the diet and supplements.
• Migraine headaches: Some evidence indicates that impaired mitochondrial oxygen metabolism in the brain may play a role in the pathology of migraine headaches. Supplemental riboflavin has been investigated as a treatment for migraine.
• Metabolic disorders: Increasing evidence from case reports indicates that patients with autosomal recessive disorders caused by defective FAD-dependent enzymes could benefit from riboflavin supplementation.
• Cataract: There is some evidence, predominantly from observational studies, that suggests higher riboflavin might be beneficial in the prevention of cataracts.

What conditions are seen with a deficiency of Riboflavin?

Riboflavin deficiency is also known as ariboflavinosis. There are two types of riboflavin deficiency:

• Primary riboflavin deficiency happens when the person’s diet is poor in vitamin B2.
• Secondary riboflavin deficiency happens for another reason; sometimes the intestines cannot absorb the vitamin properly, the body cannot use it adequately, or because it is being excreted too rapidly.

Signs and symptoms of deficiency include:
• Angular cheilitis, or cracks at the corners of the mouth.
• Cracked lips, inflammation of the lining of the mouth, and tongue.
• Scrotal dermatitis, dry skin.
• Sore throat.
• Iron-deficiency anemia.
• Eyes may be sensitive to bright light, and they may be itchy, watery, or bloodshot.

References:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/219561
https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/book/export/html/99#:~:text=This%20analysis%20found%20that%20higher,diet%20and%20supplements%20(48)