11 Impressive Benefits of Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) health benefits includes maintaining energy levels, protecting healthy skin and hair, promoting development and growth of reproductive organs, increased blood flow, prevent diseases, promoting healthy development of fetuses, protect the digestive tract, offers a powerful punch of antioxidants, treating anemia, helping prevent cancer and preventing AIDS/HIV.

A healthy lifestyle stands on the basis of adequate energy, without which human beings wouldn’t be able to carry out half the bodily functions that we typically do. Vitamin B2 also referred to as riboflavin, plays a key role in energy production and thus should be replenished every day. It is critical for our body’s day to day operations and assists in breaking down fats and amino acids, as well as carbohydrates. Furthermore, it also acts as a powerful antioxidant, which slows down the aging process and prevents tumors.

What is Vitamin B2?

Vitamin B2 riboflavin is a water-soluble vitamin that is required by the human body on a daily basis since it doesn’t stay in the body. This vitamin a key nutrient in your diet because plays a critical role in producing energy by converting carbs to sugar, which then fuels a range of bodily functions. In addition to that, the vitamin plays an essential role part in the electron transport chain that is responsible for producing cellular energy. Moreover, its antioxidant properties enable it to slow down the pace of aging.

Excellent Sources of Vitamin B2

Riboflavin can be found in numerous food sources, though typically in negligible amounts. The most excellent sources of vitamin B2 include: brewer’s yeast

• Dairy Products
• Edamame
• Dry-Roasted Soybeans
• Liver
• Lean Meats
• Oysters
• Broccoli
• Mushrooms
• Salmon
• Avocados
• Mackerel
• Eggs
• Shellfish
• Dried peas
• Wild rice
• Asparagus
• Spinach
• Whole grain products
• Leafy greens
• Figs
• Berries
• Sunflower seeds

Do You Have a Vitamin B2 Deficiency?

Lack of Riboflavin in your body can adversely impact the metabolism of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates since these compounds would call for riboflavin for a full metabolism. The symptoms of vitamin B2 deficiency include extreme sensitivity to light, red eyes, irritability dry lips, mouth inflammation, and a sore tongue. Other typical symptoms can include premature wrinkles, split nails, and a tender tongue. The deficiency could eventually result in the inadequate functioning of adrenal glands, which in turn would lead to a variety of conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome, anemia, and development of cataracts. Low levels of riboflavin are believed to be the main reason for the deadly condition of preeclampsia in expectant ladies.

11 Health Benefits of Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

This well-absorbed water-soluble vitamin plays an important role in maintaining your general health. Moreover, it brings along the following benefits.

1. Maintains Energy Levels

Riboflavin is utilized by the body to metabolize food for energy and to also maintain proper digestive, nerve, hormone, and brain function.  In absence of adequate vitamin B2 levels, vitamin B2 deficiency can occur and the components found in fat, protein, and carbohydrate foods are not able to be thoroughly digested and utilized for “fuel” that keeps the body functions operating smoothly. This is one of the reasons why vitamin is so important for bodily growth and repair.

The vitamin is required to break down proteins into fats, amino acids, and carbohydrates in glucose form. This helps transform nutrients from food into utilizable body energy that assists in maintaining a healthy metabolism.

Lastly, the vitamin is needed to manage optimum thyroid and adrenal function, and a vitamin B2 deficiency could increase the risk of a thyroid disease. It is valuable in calming the nervous system, combating chronic stress, and controlling hormones that manage energy, appetite, mood, temperature, and much more.

2. Protects Healthy Skin and Hair

Riboflavin plays a key role in maintaining levels of collagen, which to is needed maintain the young structure of skin and also prevent wrinkles and fine lines. Low levels of this vitamin can result in premature aging. Some studies suggest that riboflavin can decrease the time required for healing wounds, provide relief from skin inflammation and chapped lips, and can help automatically slow down signs of premature aging.

3. Promotes Development and Growth

Vitamin B2 is very critical for ensuring a proper development and growth of the reproductive organs, as well as the growth of body tissues such as connective tissues, the skin, nervous system, eyes, mucous membranes, and the immune system. Plus, it ensures healthy hair, nails, and skin.

4. Increases Blood Flow

Riboflavin is important for the production of brand new antibodies and red blood cells in humans, which boosts oxygenation and circulation to different body parts and organs.

5. Prevents Diseases

Vitamin B2 can help prevent numerous common health conditions such as cataracts, migraine, rheumatoid, dermatitis, acne, eczema, and arthritis.

6. Promotes Healthy Development of Fetuses

Even though the concrete evidence is lacking to support this claim, there is substantial proof present that confirms riboflavin’s ability to assist in the healthy progression of pregnancy. Doctors often recommend this vitamin to pregnant women, along with vitamin A.

7. Protects the Digestive Tract

Riboflavin plays a key role in protecting and maintaining the mucous membranes in the digestive system.

8. Offers a Powerful Punch of Antioxidants

Vitamin B2 is a powerful antioxidant that manages the play of free radicals. It helps prevent cancer and heart disease.

9. Treats Anemia

Riboflavin plays a key role in treating anemia. Plus, it is also often utilized in treating sickle cell anemia. Both these conditions are typically a product of riboflavin deficiency.

10.Helps Prevent Cancer

Since vitamin B2 acts as a potent antioxidant that controls the presence of harmful free radicals, it contributes towards cancer prevention. The vitamin is needed for the production of an antioxidant known as glutathione, which basically kills the damaging free radicals as well as cleanses the liver. An uncontrolled presence of free radicals often leads to the development of tumors, and riboflavin actually helps fight those cancer contributors.

11. Prevents AIDS/HIV

Research suggests that vitamin B2 can prevent AIDS from progressing, thus helping prevent the disease.

Conclusion

It is pretty clear that vitamin B2 is quite an essential nutrient that should be incorporated into one’s daily diet. While supplementing with B vitamins can be helpful to some extent, it is also best to aim to consume a lot of whole foods that naturally comprise of riboflavin and other key nutrients. If you are planning to go for a supplement, make sure to invest in high-quality ones that are produced from 100% natural food sources.