It is obvious that a well-fitted and balanced diet consists not only of the right nutrients, containing of the right amounts of protein or carbohydrates. It also means that vitamins and minerals, whose presence is crucial for optimal health of our bodies. Each vitamin has some specific properties that allow you to take care of your health. One of the vitamins particularly important for our body is vitamin B2, which will be the subject of this article.
What is Vitamin B2
Vitamin B2 – riboflavin is a water-soluble, B-group vitamin, which like the other vitamins of this group is important for the proper functioning of many systems in the human body, especially the nervous system. The water solubility emphasized earlier is important because it means that vitamin B2 riboflavin is transferred throughout the body through the bloodstream. It is hard to achieve an excessive amount of vitamin B2 in our organism, as the excessive dosage will be excreted with the urine.
Vitamin B2 is involved in many processes in the human body. It has several properties that not only regulate but also improve the work of our body.
Vitamin B2 has the following functions
- It is a necessary element for the proper functioning of the nervous system because it participates in the synthesis of neurotransmitters in the brain like serotonin, noradrenaline, or acetylcholine.
- It improves the activity of the immune system.
- Specialists recommend it as an effective way to fight against inflammation.
- It activates and improves the absorption of other vitamins and minerals like iron, folic acid, and vitamins B1, B3, and B6.
- When taken together with vitamin A, it has a positive effect on eyesight as it inhibits and prevents the formation of cataracts.
- It actively participates in the digestion process, since it supports the metabolism of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates
- It catalyzes the conversion of amino acids into other amino acids, carbohydrates, or fats, thus increasing the body's ability to store energy.
- It participates in the production of certain hormones
Optimal Vitamin B2 intake is also important for the good condition of blood vessels, mucous membranes, gastrointestinal tract mucosa, and skin, for example by participating in the production of hemoglobin.
Vitamin B2 deficiency
It should be noted that vitamin B2 deficiency is quite rare and occurs primarily in severely malnourished people, but as a rule, such a state of health is characterized by a deficiency of many vitamins and nutrients. Malabsorption of Vitamin B2 and frequent alcohol intake dramatically increases the risk of Vitamin B2 deficiency.
Symptoms of Vitamin B2 deficiency
- skin complaints of the mouth, for example, cracks at the corners of the mouth or overdried lips
- dry skin
- anemia
- hypersensitivity to light
- a feeling of fatigue or constant tiredness
Vitamin B2 overdose
In the context of vitamin B2 excess, it should be pointed out that although too much vitamin B2 could cause undesirable and harmful effects, it is practically impossible to overdose. This is due to the nature and properties of vitamin B2 its water solubility, which means that any excess amount of riboflavin is removed from the body with urine.
Dosage of vitamin B2
It is indicated that the daily requirement of vitamin B2 is between 1.1 and 1.3 mg, while for pregnant and breastfeeding women, the dose increases up to 1.6 mg.
Vitamin B2 – what you need to remember?
When preparing meals, remember that vitamin B2 is water-soluble, so long cooking can decrease the amount of Vitamin B2 in the meal. It should also be noted that in the case of supplementation, prior consultation with a doctor is recommended because vitamin B2 can interact with some drugs, thereby interference negatively with their action.
