Vitamin B2  Riboflavin

 Food Sources of Vitamin B2 Riboflavin:

Vitamin B2 is  a water soluble vitamin found in small amounts in a wide variety of foods, avocadoes, milk and dairy products, yeast, wholegrain cereals, eggs, sprouts, some green vegetables, organ meats and nuts. It is not affected by heat, oxidation, and acid, however, it is destroyed by light, especially ultraviolet and alkali. Soaking vegetables in water for long periods can result in sustantial losses of the vitamin.

What Vitamin B2 does:

It plays a crucial role in the formation of a number of enzymes found in the liver. It is involved in the maintenance of mucosal, epithelial, and eye tissues, growth, development of foetus. cell respiration, myelin sheath maintenance, activates vitamin B6 and folate.It functions as part of a group of enzymes which are involved in the production of energy. works as an antioxidant and guards against free radical damage.

Vitamin B2 deficiency symptoms:

An unbalanced diet can very easily produce a vitamin B2 deficiency, for unlike vitamin B1 it is not found in as wide a variety of foods. A deficiency of this vitamin manifest mainly in the skin and mucous membranes.A deficiency may cause blurred vision, cataracts, anaemia, angular stomatitis, blood shot eyes, conjunctivitis, dermatitis, enlarged liver, mapped tongue, sore tongue, extreme sensitivity to cold and pain, lesions of the eye, and sensitivity to light.

Vitamin B2 loss:

The factors which increase the loss of vitamin B2, alcohol, heavy coffee and tea drinking, consumption of refined processed foods, sugar, smoking, fever, stress, surgery, diabetes, heart disease, oral contraceptives, and  exercise increases the demand for vitamin B2.

All B vitamins cab be synthesized by certain intestinal bacteria such as those obtained from acidophilus culture found in yoghurt, regular consumption of acidophilus culture will keep the body well supplied with B vitamins, however, taking antibiotics will destroy the bacteria and result in loss of B2 as well as all of the other B vitamins.

Drugs which cause loss of vitamin B2:

Lasix, furosemide, digoxin, antacids,  antibiotics, boric acid, oral contraceptives, chlorpromazine, excess intake of iron, copper zinc, manganese, and cadmium as well as foods containing bisulphite preservatives.

Dosage and toxicity: 

Vitamin B2 is non toxic, the requirement for this vitamin is related to body size, rate of growth

Read more:Vitamin B3 Niacin

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