Riboflavin Deficiency Information

Riboflavin Deficiency

Visual Difficulty

One of the most important functions of riboflavin is the ability to help regenerate glutathione, your body's main antioxidant. Without glutathione, we're prone to oxidative damage from UV light, environmental pollutants, and damage from our own mobility. See, as your body moves and creates more ATP (your body's energy source), electrons are lost in the mitochondrion which then combine with oxygen. The result is that damaging free radicals are released, causing tissue damage.

These radicals can be generated or enter the body either through the skin (as in UV light) or through pores (eyes, nose, mouth, digestive tract).

The responsibility of glutathione is to remove and neutralize these free radicals so as to protect the body from damage.

Riboflavin is most notably involved in this process within the eyes. It's been found that the incidence of age-related cataracts increases dramatically with a vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) deficiency. This is due to the lack of protection from damaging free radicals released into the eye.

Difficulty Swallowing

Riboflavin helps maintain the epithelial linings, including those found throughout the digestive tract. Disrupting this system can cause absorptive problems, painful swallowing and cancer if the deficiency is present for a long period of time.

Dry Skin

One of the main functions of riboflavin is to maintain skin, hair and nail growth. So, lacking the vitamin might cause flaky skin, hair loss and/or nail aplasia.

Who Might Be At Risk for a Riboflavin Deficiency?

• Alcoholics

• Smokers

• Individuals who ingest large amounts of vitamin B1 (Thiamine)

• Dialysis patients (or any individual with kidney problems)

• Pregnant/Lactating Women

• Diabetics

• Those with certain cancers or other chronic diseases

About the Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) Deficiency Symptoms

Riboflavin is found in a number of food sources along with many other B vitamins (red meats, beef, poultry, grains, green vegetables). It's rare to see a riboflavin deficiency without any other deficiency or malnutrition.

Most of these symptoms will involve a lack of energy metabolism or antioxidant activity as implied by the benefits of vitamin B1.

Return from Riboflavin Deficiency to the Nutrition Guide

Return to the Smart Strength Training Homepage