Riboflavin or Vitamin B2!
Riboflavin – what it is and its functions:
Riboflavin or vitamin B2 is a water-soluble B vitamin that helps produce energy in every cell in your body and is essential for the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and proteins.
Ultraviolet light, like sunlight, destroys riboflavin . You may have heard the story about why milk went from being delivered in glass containers to opaque or cardboard containers: to prevent sunlight from destroying the vitamins contained within. If so, you were hearing about riboflavin!
The best sources of riboflavin:
The main sources of riboflavin include milk and other dairy products. Eggs , green leafy vegetables and fortified bread and grains also contain smaller amounts.
News of the week:
Riboflavin deficiency:
Riboflavin deficiency , known as ariboflavinosis, is usually accompanied by other nutrient deficiencies and can specifically lead to vitamin B6 and niacin deficiencies.
It is not known how common riboflavin deficiency is in the United States because its symptoms, which include a sore throat , magenta tongue, cracks and sores on the outside of the mouth, dry, scaly skin, are not as severe as other nutritional deficiencies that may accompany it. Thus, ariboflavinosis may be underdiagnosed.
Too much riboflavin:
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It is not likely that you will experience adverse effects from consuming too much riboflavin for a couple of reasons: limited absorption from the gastrointestinal tract, and excessive amounts are excreted from the body. However, studies have not specifically looked at the harmful effects of excess riboflavin, so stay within the recommended daily dose range.