Riboflavin

Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B₂, is a vitamin that our bodies need to stay healthy. It helps make special helper molecules called coenzymes, which are important for giving us energy from food, helping our cells work, and supporting our immune system. These coenzymes also help our bodies use other important nutrients like niacin, vitamin B₆, and folate.

We can find riboflavin in many foods such as meat, fish, eggs, dairy, green vegetables, mushrooms, and almonds. Some countries add it to grains to make sure people get enough. When we eat more riboflavin than our bodies need, the extra goes out through our urine, which can turn a bright yellow color.

Riboflavin is also used as a natural yellow coloring in foods. It is made by special processes in tiny organisms like bacteria and fungi, and it can also be created in laboratories. In 2023, it was one of the most prescribed medications in the United States, with over 400,000 prescriptions, mainly to help with certain health conditions like corneal thinning.

Definition

Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B₂, is a water-soluble vitamin that belongs to the B vitamins. Unlike some other B vitamins, riboflavin has just one chemical form. It helps create important molecules called flavin mononucleotide and flavin adenine dinucleotide, which are needed for many processes in our bodies.

In its pure form, riboflavin looks like a yellow-orange crystalline powder and has a bitter taste. It dissolves in water but not in certain other liquids. Riboflavin stays stable when stored properly, but it can break down if exposed to too much light or heat.

Functions

Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, helps your body make two important helpers called FMN and FAD. These helpers are needed for giving you energy, helping your body grow, and making things your body needs to fight off germs. Riboflavin is important for processing foods like carbohydrates, protein, and fats.

Riboflavin also plays a role in handling certain vitamins and minerals in your body. It helps change vitamin B6 into a form your body can use and supports the use of iron, which is important for your blood. When you don’t have enough riboflavin, it can affect how well your body uses these important nutrients.

Synthesis

Biosynthesis of riboflavin happens in bacteria, fungi, and plants, but not in animals. It starts with simple building blocks and ends with the formation of riboflavin through a series of steps involving special enzymes.

Riboflavin can also be made on an industrial scale using certain microorganisms, such as fungi and bacteria. Some bacteria can make extra riboflavin when they are exposed to certain chemicals. The first time scientists made riboflavin in a laboratory was done by Richard Kuhn’s team, who combined different chemical pieces to create it.

Uses

Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, has several useful applications. One important use is in treating a condition called keratoconus, where the cornea of the eye becomes thin. Doctors apply a special riboflavin solution to the eye and then use ultraviolet A light to help strengthen the cornea.

Riboflavin can also help prevent migraines, severe headaches that can be very painful. High doses of riboflavin, taken daily, might reduce how often these headaches occur in adults. It is also used as a natural yellow-orange food coloring and is known in Europe by the name E101.

Dietary recommendations

The National Academy of Medicine updated recommendations for riboflavin in 1998. For women and men aged 14 and older, the suggested intake is 1.1 mg/day and 1.3 mg/day, respectively. During pregnancy, the recommendation is 1.4 mg/day, and for breastfeeding women, it is 1.6 mg/day. For children, the recommended amount increases with age.

The European Food Safety Authority also provides recommendations, which are slightly higher than those in the United States. For adults, the recommendation is 1.6 mg/day, with higher amounts suggested during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Like in the United States, there is no established maximum safe intake for riboflavin because there is no evidence of harm from high doses.