Last Updated on April 6, 2016 by Michael Brockbank
Vitamin B2, also known as riboflavin, is part of the B complex vitamins most of which contribute to promoting energy in the body. However, riboflavin is used for far more than just giving you a physical and mental boost. In fact, it’s used in a wide range of treatments for an array of physical afflictions. Essentially, most of the B-vitamin group can be considered as the “Swiss Army Knife” of keeping healthy.
How Vitamin B2 Helps the Body
Without the right balance of vitamins, the body cannot operate efficiently. Certain components are needed in order to keep physically and mentally healthy. Vitamin B2 is no different. Unfortunately, we cannot store riboflavin for long periods of time. We need a daily dose of this complex unit for basic maintenance. Here is how this complex B vitamin helps the human body.
Skin Disorders
Riboflavin is used to treat a range of skin disorders. Acne treatments often include vitamin B2. It’s also used to maintain cellular health of the skin as well as slowing the aging process of the epidermis. Even the nails can be improved upon by using this as a supplement.
Cardiovascular Improvement
Vitamin B2 contributes to cardiovascular improvements such as treating various blood disorders. It’s also used as a way to treat liver disease. For those who experience muscle cramps due to poor circulation, riboflavin can be the answer to relieving some of those experiences.
Eye Disorders
Although vitamin B2 won’t regenerate your eyes entirely, it may contribute to keeping them healthy. As such, the component is used to treat things like cataracts and basic eye fatigue. In some cases, it’s also used as a treatment for glaucoma. However, I can’t find any solid scientific evidence to support this claim outside of personal experiences of those who have benefited from the supplement.
Mental Afflictions
Some experts believe there is a correlation between vitamin B2 and mental afflictions such as Alzheimer’s disease. Although there isn’t enough scientific evidence to support this claim, it does stand to reason that riboflavin could be beneficial. After all, it’s used to treat and improve the cardiovascular system. The healthier your blood is, the better the brain functions.
Migraine Relief
In a study conducted in 2004, it was found that high doses of riboflavin decreased migraine frequency by approximately 50%. This means those who suffer from this condition can reduce their exposure. For example, those who experienced migraines four times per month cut that number in half by only experiencing it twice. Although vitamin B2 didn’t reduce the length of migraines or the reported level of intensity, it did decrease how often they happened.
Boosting Energy Levels
Like I said earlier, most of the B-vitamins contribute to boosting energy levels in the body. This is mostly done by helping us metabolize the foods we eat and keeping the cardiovascular system in good working order. When you look at most energy drinks and foods, there is a good chance that it will contain high levels of riboflavin.
5 of the Most Common Ways to Get Vitamin B2
Although energy drinks are rich in riboflavin, not all of them are healthy to consume en mass. As such, you need to find healthy alternatives to these products if you want optimum health.
Pork
A three-ounce serving of pork can deliver just under 30% of your daily dose of vitamin B2. It will also deliver several other vitamins and minerals optimal for proper health. Although ground pork is lower in riboflavin when compared to sirloin, it’s still one of the most prominent methods of getting vitamins, proteins and other beneficial components.
Eggs
Eggs are another food that have a great deal of health benefits rolled into one unit. A medium-sized egg can give you about one-third of your daily allotment of riboflavin. When considering the proteins and minerals also connected to eggs, it’s one of the best foods to eat first thing in the morning for promoting a heightened sense of energy and mental awareness.
Cup of Almonds
Almonds come with a wide range of health benefits. In this case, a good serving every day could nearly give you the recommended daily dose of riboflavin. When compared to things like mixed nuts, almonds deliver more than 10 times the daily value of B2.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms of all kinds deliver an incredible level of vitamins. For example, a cup of white mushrooms can give you nearly one-third of your daily value. If you were to combine sauteed mushrooms on top of a pork chop, you could receive more than half of your recommended dose of riboflavin from a single meal. It may also be pertinent to note that mushrooms contain high levels of potassium.
Spinach
Spinach is often included in “best of” lists primarily because of the nutritional value of this leafy green. I know it may be hard to fathom eating this stuff as a glop of green slime, but it’s also very healthy when eaten raw as a salad. In many cases, a single serving of raw spinach is about four cups. This is ultra low in calories and may deliver 100% of your daily vitamin B2 dose. This doesn’t include the menagerie of other health benefits by eating more spinach throughout the week.
Vitamin B2, and the rest of the complex group, deliver a wide range of benefits for the body. When you’re deficient in any one of them, you could be increasing the risks to yourself for a series of health complications. Choose healthier alternatives when it comes to dining, and allow your body to function as it was designed.
Sources:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15257686
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-957-riboflavin.aspx?activeingredientid=957&activeingredientname=riboflavin
https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/957.html
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