Best Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) Supplement
What Is The Best Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) Supplement?
Recommended Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) Supplements
We recommend two different supplements if you need to take daily vitamin B2 (riboflavin). The first is a supplement for riboflavin only. The second is a supplement that contains all of the B vitamins, called the B Complex. Both of these supplements are extremely affordable.
- Vitamin B2 Only – Click here to view.
- Vitamin B2 Complex – Contains B2 plus other vitamins and minerals – Click here to view.
What Is Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) & Why Does It Matter?
Vitamin B2, commonly known as riboflavin, is part of the vitamin B complex nutrients. These vitamins are all related to the body’s metabolic system and can work together to affect your metabolism levels throughout the day.
Riboflavin is an essential nutrient that is vital to a process called cellular respiration, which is part of the process by which the body converts broken down food into ATP to be used as energy by the various cells of the body.
When riboflavin levels are optimal, along with other B vitamin levels, your metabolism will gain an advantage. When riboflavin levels are lacking, or if other B vitamins are lacking, you might feel slow and sluggish throughout the day.
Riboflavin is a water soluble vitamin, just like the rest of the B vitamins. This means that excess riboflavin is drained quickly through your body. In fact, riboflavin has the unique effect of turning your urine bright yellow when you have excess levels of it within the body. This is why people often report bright yellow urine while taking a B vitamin supplement that includes riboflavin.
Because vitamin B2 is drained from the body so easily via fluids, t’s important for all of us to consume riboflavin every day, either via food or supplementation.
A lack of riboflavin in the diet results in vitamin B2 deficiency, a catch-all term that is used to describe a myriad of nasty symptoms ranging from inflammation and pain in and around your mouth, to itchy and irritated eyes, and even anemia, which interferes with your body’s ability to transport oxygen through the blood. Along with those symptoms, lack of any B vitamin, including riboflavin, usually also leads to a sluggish metabolism and lack of energy throughout the day.
Because the B vitamins all work together, it’s important to get enough vitamin B2 in your diet so that the other B vitamins can properly do their job. This vitamin in particular also helps vitamins B6 and B9 perform optimally.
Take Some Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) – Cure Your Migraine?
Studies have shown that riboflavin supplementation is an effective way of preventing headaches and migraines, especially in people who suffer from them regularly.
One study showed that over a period of 6 months, participants who took large amounts of riboflavin via supplements each day were able to reduce their total headache and migraine count by more than half.
These patients also reported that they needed less medication like Tylenol over the course of several months. This means that if you supplement with B vitamins to reduce your headaches, the supplements might just pay for themselves by requiring you to buy less over-the-counter or prescription headache medicine. That sounds like a good trade to me – less pain, for no extra cost!
Who Needs Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)?
Everyone needs riboflavin every day in order to stay healthy. However, most people living in developed countries get enough of it in their normal diet in order to avoid riboflavin deficiency symptoms.
Women who are pregnant or nursing should consider taking a multi vitamin supplement that contains many nutrients including vitamin B2.
People who suffer from daily fatigue or lack of energy should also consider taking a B complex vitamin supplement that includes vitamin B2. This is because the B vitamins all work together to super charge your metabolism. Many people who take B complex multi vitamin supplements report higher energy levels as a result.
Recommended Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) Intake Levels
In this table you’ll find the recommended intake levels for vitamin B2, also known as riboflavin.
Demographic | Recommended Minimum | Recommended Maximum |
|---|---|---|
Everyone 0-6 months | At least 0.3 mg/day | N/A |
Everyone 7-12 months | At least 0.4 mg/day | N/A |
Everyone 1-3 years | At least 0.5 mg/day | N/A |
Everyone 4-8 years | At least 0.6 mg/day | N/A |
Everyone 9-13 years | At least 0.9 mg/day | N/A |
Males 14+ years | At least 1.3 mg/day | N/A |
Females 14-18 years | At least 1.0 mg/day | N/A |
Females 19+ years | At least 1.1 mg/day | N/A |
Pregnant females, any age | At least 1.4 mg/day | N/A |
Lactating females, any age | At least 1.6 mg/day | N/A |
As with most nutrients, small children need less and grown adults need more. Also, women of any age that are pregnant or nursing should be sure to get extra nutrition because they are responsible for feeding themselves along with a growing child.
You may notice that there is no upper limit listed at any age for either gender. That’s because riboflavin is a water soluble vitamin like the rest of the B vitamin complex. This means that excess amounts of it are easily flushed out of your system via the urine.
It is highly unlikely that any amount of riboflavin will cause damage to your body. However, there’s simply no reason to consume via food or supplement an extremely large amount of it. As mentioned earlier, if your urine turns bright yellow, that’s an indication that your body has extra riboflavin and is getting rid of the excess via urine.
Symptoms Of Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) Deficiency
Vitamin B2 deficiency can cause serious problems in the body. A deficiency in any of the B vitamins, including B2, usually causes fatigue, drowsiness, and just low energy overall. This is because the B vitamins work together to keep your metabolism and energy levels at their maximum. When one of the B vitamins is missing, serious metabolic slowdowns can occur. A total absence of the B vitamins will eventually result in death if not corrected.
Riboflavin deficiency can also lead to a swollen or painful tongue, chapped lips, and irritation around the mouth.
Other symptoms include itchy, sensitive eyes, and skin rashes at sensitive areas around the body such as the genitals.
A lack of riboflavin in the diet can also lead to anemia – a condition in which the red blood cells are prevented from carrying enough oxygen to the rest of the body. This can lead to all sorts of health problems.
Deficiency of riboflavin during pregnancy can also result in birth defects. Pregnant women should certainly consider taking health supplements that include many nutrients, including riboflavin.
Symptoms Of Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) Overdose
Since vitamin B2 is a water soluble vitamin which is easily passed from the body via the urine, there is no known risk of overdose. You can eat foods rich in vitamin B2 or supplement vitamin B2 without fear of consuming too much of it.
Vitamin B2 is famous for causing your urine to turn bright yellow when you consume more than your body needs. If your urine turns bright yellow after taking vitamin supplements, that is a sign that perhaps you are consuming too much riboflavin. However, this is nothing to worry about. It’s purely a cosmetic change which won’t affect your health.
Conclusion & Summary
Vitamin B2, more commonly known as riboflavin, is an essential nutrient that the body needs in order to maximize its metabolism. A lack of riboflavin, like a lack of any of the B vitamins, can lead to low energy and fatigue, whereas an abundance of the B vitamins generally leads to higher energy and a reduction in fatigue.
Vitamin B2 in particular is useful for those who suffer from regular headaches and migraines. Studies have shown that supplementing a large quantity of daily riboflavin is effective at reducing the frequency of migraine attacks.
Most people get enough vitamin B2 in their diets. However, people who suffer from migraines, pregnant or nursing women, or people who just want to super charge their metabolism, should consider taking a vitamin B2 or B complex supplement. There is no risk of vitamin B2 overdose from supplementation.
