Do you suffer from migraines? Are you concerned about developing cataracts in your later year? Well, Riboflavin may be for you. A couple studies suggest that riboflavin might help prevent cataracts and migraines (although further research is needed).
Riboflavin is a B-vitamin, B2 to be exact. It is also a water-soluble vitamin, which means that your body doesn't store surplus Riboflavin (what it can't metabolize) but rather eliminates the excess. So, unlike Vitamins D and K, which are fat-soluble and can store longer in the body, Riboflavin must be ingested regularly to prevent deficiency.
So, why do we need it? Like other B vitamins, Riboflavin is essential in making the energy in food available to your body for use by converting carbohydrates into glucose. B vitamins are also useful in metabolizing fats and proteins. Riboflavin is also an antioxidant, helps the body utilize other B vitamins (B6 and folate), and plays a role in red blood cell production.
Boys and girls are recommended to get 0.5 to 1 milligrams a day of Riboflavin daily (infants - 0.3mg, increase with age). Teenage females are suggested to have 1 mg a day, increasing to 1.1 mg in adulthood. Pregnant/lactating women are recommended to get 1.4-1.6 mg a day. Teenage boys and adult men are recommended to get 1.3 mg a day. Be aware that B2 supplements can interfere with a number of medications so always ask your doctor before starting a daily vitamin regimen.
Good sources of B2 include almonds, boiled eggs, deer meat, organ meats, whole grains, wild rice, mushrooms (especially cremini), milk, and spinach.
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