One of the keys to maintaining a healthy lifestyle is ensuring that you are giving your body all the nutrition and vitamins it needs to function properly. But, to make sure you are doing so, you need to know which vitamins are important and which deficiency symptoms to look out for.
In This Blog
- What is Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)?
- Vitamin B2 Benefits
- Vitamin B2 deficiency Symptoms you need to be aware of.
- Health Issues Caused by Prolonged Vitamin B2 Deficiency
- Vitamin B2 Foods
- How To Get Enough Vitamin B2
- Storing and Preparing Vitamin B2 Food-What to Avoid
- Vitamin B2 Recommended Daily Value
What is Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)?
Vitamin B2, also known as Riboflavin, is one of 8 important B complex vitamins which (1) assist your digestive system in converting carbohydrates into glucose – an essential process for maintaining good energy levels. These water-soluble B Vitamins also work to help the (2) functioning of your nervous system, red blood cell production, liver, and your eyes, and will also contribute to healthy hair and skin .
Why Do We Need Vitamin B2?
One of the most important Vitamin B2 benefits is that it acts as an antioxidant in your body battling against damaging particles in the body that (3) could lead to health conditions and diseases . Riboflavin can help to reduce the damage caused and, in some cases, limit the progress of (4) cardiovascular diseases . To make sure that your body is healthy and functioning properly you must ensure you are consuming an adequate amount of Vitamin B2 daily.
What Are the Main Vitamin B2 Benefits?
Ensuring that you are consuming the required amount of Vitamin B2 can have several beneficial effects on your health, well-being, and everyday life. These include:
- Improved digestive functioning in breaking down carbs, fats, and proteins.
- High energy levels are associated with improved digestive functioning.
- Battle dizziness, fatigue, and the symptoms of anemia, caused by low red blood cell count.
- Contributes to the (5) prevention of cataracts and cloudy vision .
- Reduction in (6) migraines frequency and length of migraine attacks.
- Improve your mood and (7) decrease your chances of developing depression .
- (8) Decrease the risk of developing Alzheimer’s
So, as you can see ensuring that you have the required amount of Vitamin B2 in your food and supplement diet can have a whole host of benefits for your overall health and assist in staving off the development of various deficiency-related diseases.
What Happens When You Have Vitamin B2 Deficiency?
So, what signs should you be looking out for to see if you might be suffering from a Riboflavin Deficiency? Because Vitamin B2 plays an important role in the healthy functioning of various body, blood, and brain functions, Vitamin B2 deficiency symptoms are quite wide-ranging.
Vitamin B2 deficiency Symptoms
Here are some of the most common Vitamin B2 deficiency symptoms which may indicate that you need to adjust the vitamin intake in your diet.
- Low energy levels and feelings of fatigue
- Tired eyes which are sensitive to light.
- You are feeling dizzy and lightheaded often.
- Increase in migraines and the length of time each headache lasts.
- (9) Problems with your digestive system
- Dull skin and hair
- Your mood is lower, and you are feeling more depressed.
- Inflammation of your lips and (10) dry, irritated cracks at the corner of your mouth .
Health Issues Caused by Prolonged Vitamin B2 Deficiency
- Developing anemia and its associated problems.
- Increased chance of developing cataracts and other vision-related issues.
- More chance of developing cardiovascular diseases.
- There is also some (11) preliminary research that indicates a link between increased Vitamin B2 consumption and a decrease in abnormal acids in tested urine of children suffering from autism.
Remember, if you are ever worried about your health and have symptoms that are chronic or causing you a lot of pain, discomfort, and inconvenience, you should always make sure to seek medical advice.
How Can You Get Enough Vitamin B2?
If you believe that you are suffering from Vitamin B2 deficiency symptoms you can make some adjustments in your diet or start taking supplements to ensure your body gets all the Vitamin B2 benefits it needs.
Vitamin B2 Foods
Some food sources of Vitamin B2 include:
- Almonds
- Wheat germ
- Soy Beans
- Dairy Products such as Yogurt, Milk, Cheese, and Eggs
- Whole Grains and Wild Rice
- Broccoli, Spinach, and Brussel Sprouts
- Mushrooms
- Fish such as Tuna or Salmon
- Breakfast Cereals
Storing and Preparing your Vitamin B2 Food – What to Avoid
Although the food we have listed above should help you battle Vitamin B2 deficiency symptoms, you need to make sure that they are stored and cooked in the right way. Vitamin B2 is destroyed by light, so you will need to make sure to store your food in a dark cupboard to derive the most benefits. You’ll also find that Riboflavin can be lost when boiled or soaked in water which can make it hard to derive the Vitamin B2 benefits from broccoli or brussels sprout.
Vitamin B2 Recommended Daily Value
How often should you Take Vitamin B2 Supplements?
The most effective and reliable way to ensure that you are consuming the required amount of Vitamin B2 is by implementing supplements into your daily routine. You won’t have to worry about missing the nutrients during your meal planning or losing Vitamin B2 benefits during the cooking process.
Here is a breakdown of the (12) amounts of Vitamin B2 you should be aiming to take daily to derive the best health benefits:
- Adult males aged 19 and above – 1.3 mg
- Adult females aged 19 and over – 1.1 mg
- Pregnant females – 1.4 mg
- Women who are breastfeeding – 1.6 mg
Getting Enough Vitamin B2 in Your Daily Diet.
Vitamin B2 is present in the majority of daily balanced diets, but it is possible that due to light exposure and cooking preparations you are not deriving all the Vitamin B2 benefits that you may think!
If you want to make sure that you are getting the right amount of Riboflavin to ensure you don’t start suffering from vitamin B deficiency symptoms, you should consider taking daily supplements to ensure you are getting the right amount of this essential complex B Vitamin.
