Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
Riboflavin
Vitamins. Modern nutrition.
Also called Vitamin G, Lactoflavin, Vitamin B-2
Pinyin: wéishēngsù B2
Spanish: Riboflavina
A B vitamin that helps the body make energy from food and protects cells from damage.
Did you know? Extra riboflavin turns urine bright yellow. This is harmless, and it shows the body is flushing out what it does not need.
What it may help, and how strong the proof is
- Mouth, gums & teeth. Low riboflavin causes cracks at the mouth corners and a sore, magenta-colored tongue. Taking riboflavin clears these signs of deficiency. Extra riboflavin does not fix mouth problems in people who get enough.Strong proof
- Pain & headaches. Some trials used 400 mg a day to help prevent migraine, with mixed results. Neurology guidelines list it as a possible option. It is low risk, but it is not a standard treatment for everyone.Early proof
- Energy & tiredness. Riboflavin helps release energy from food, so people think extra B2 adds energy. In people who already get enough, it has not been shown to boost energy.Not supported
Parts of the body
Traditional use
Milk, eggs and organ meats, all rich in riboflavin, have long been staple foods in European and Asian diets. Doctors later linked cracked mouth corners and a sore tongue to a lack of this vitamin.
How it is classified
How people take it
Adults need 1.3 mg a day (men) or 1.1 mg a day (women), the RDA. No upper limit has been set. Migraine trials used 400 mg a day for several months, a dose far above the usual daily need, so check with a doctor first.
Food, tablet and capsule.
Where to get it
Good sources are milk and yogurt (the main source for many adults), eggs, lean meat, fish, fortified cereals, almonds, mushrooms such as portobello, spinach, and asparagus. Liver is very rich. Pills are usually riboflavin, in single tablets or B-complex blends.
Be careful
Riboflavin is very safe. The yellow urine it causes is harmless. Light breaks riboflavin down, which is why milk in clear bottles loses some of it.
Mixing with other things
- Works well together
B vitamins work together in the energy steps of cells, and they are sold together in B-complex blends.
- Works well together
Riboflavin and niacin are both needed for enzymes that make energy in cells.
- Worth knowingAlcohol (beer, wine, spirits)
Heavy drinking can lower riboflavin levels.
The honest take
Riboflavin is needed, and deficiency is easy to fix. The migraine idea has some trial support, but the trials are small and the effect is modest. Most people already get enough from milk, eggs and fortified cereal, so extra pills for energy or skin are mostly hype.