6 Riboflavin Benefits: Why You May Need More B2 in Your Diet

This water-soluble vitamin, found commonly in dairy, eggs, and leafy vegetables, may aid with cell growth, energy production, and immune health.

By Rachel Gargano, MS, RD, CSSD, CBS

— On Aug 15, 2025

6 Riboflavin Benefits: Why You May Need More B2 in Your Diet

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When most clients feel drained and lethargic, their first thought is about iron intake or vitamin B12 supplements. And that's fair, as these micronutrients impact energy levels. However, the body's true "energy producer" is an important B complex vitamin—vitamin B2 or riboflavin. Riboflavin's main role is to assist with the breakdown of what you eat into usable energy so your body has what it needs to get going.

As a nutritionist, I am excited to share the science behind this overlooked vitamin's importance and how it can influence your body's overall well-being. I will also touch upon recommended doses and how a dietary supplement like Live it Up Super Greens can help ensure you have sufficient levels.

Purported riboflavin benefits at a glance:

Can assist with energy production
May aid with migraine headaches
May support immune health and inflammation
Supports skin health and repair
May support vision
May aid with neurological health

What Is Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)?

Riboflavin, pronounced as "rye-bo-flay-vin," is commonly known as vitamin B2. It's one of the eight important B vitamins, alongside others like pantothenic acid (B5), thiamin (B1), and cobalamin (B12). You have probably seen riboflavin included in many vitamin B complex supplements available at your local pharmacy. Riboflavin is involved in multiple physiological processes, such as red blood cell production, energy metabolism, muscle functioning, and skin health.

Riboflavin, like other B vitamins, is water-soluble. Plus, the body’s capacity to store this nutrient is limited. With excess amounts getting flushed out, we need to turn to a balanced diet or supplementation to ensure optimal levels.

Did You Know? Vitamin B2 is not the same as vitamin B12. Though part of the B vitamin complex, they support different physiological processes. Vitamin B2 heads the body's energy machinery, while vitamin B12 leads nervous system functioning.

How Much Riboflavin Per Day?

The dietary reference intake for riboflavin for men and women above the age of 19 is between 1.1 and 1.4 mg, as recommended by the Food and Nutrition Board (FNB). The exact dietary intake varies by age for those under 18.

6 Potential Vitamin B2 Health Benefits

Science tells us that vitamin B2 may benefit the human body in multiple ways. Let's take a look at those molecular mechanisms.

1. Can Assist with Energy Production

Riboflavin's most celebrated role is in the production of two important coenzymes, flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD). These two, present within the mitochondria, break down all the food you eat into usable energy and shuttle it across the cellular chain. And here's the key link—riboflavin serves as the starting material to make FMN and FAD. Without sufficient riboflavin levels, your body's capability to turn food into energy is significantly hampered.

Inadequate intake of riboflavin can also impact iron's ability to produce hemoglobin, which can potentially lead to anemia and fatigue. Research suggests that improving riboflavin stores can increase the body's utilization of iron, which thereby raises hemoglobin levels and helps with the overall feeling of fatigue and lethargy.

2. May Aid with Migraine Headaches

Riboflavin is increasingly recognized for its ability to help with migraine headaches. When the brain has less energy, it is vulnerable to energy shutdowns that can trigger migraine attacks. A randomized controlled trial, where 400 mg of riboflavin was given daily to subjects, pointed to positive changes in the frequency, severity, and duration of migraines.

Oxidative stress can trigger migraine symptoms. Emerging research also supports riboflavin's ability to potentially reduce one's oxidative stress index due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics.

3. May Support Immune Health and Inflammation

Riboflavin's antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties are well-documented. Through animal studies, scientists have examined the impact of riboflavin on macrophages, a type of white-blood cell that's your first line of defense. Low dietary intake of riboflavin may impact macrophages' capacity to mount a resilient immunological response. A few studies have also shed light on riboflavin's ability to modulate host immune responses, which may assist with removing pathogens from host cells, thus supporting the body's defense against infections.

As mentioned earlier, a good amount of research suggests that riboflavin deficiency can influence iron levels, which in turn, impacts oxygen delivery to the body's immune cells, potentially weakening their ability to fend off infections.

4. Supports Skin Health and Repair

Optimal skin health is rooted in the ground-level processes of collagen formation and new cellular development. Both of these processes have immense energy requirements, which riboflavin supports.

This B vitamin's role in red blood cell production also supports skin growth. Adequate red blood cell levels ensure adequate oxygen transport to the skin tissues, which in turn, display a healthy color with fewer signs of aging.

Riboflavin's role in energy production lends itself to skin repair, too. In a study conducted on rats, sufficient riboflavin levels supported faster wound healing. The vitamin's anti-inflammatory properties may also help keep inflammation to a minimum during the healing process.

5. May Support Vision

Due to their exposure to sun and dust, our eyes are susceptible to quite a bit of oxidative stress, and riboflavin seems to serve as a proactive measure. Our body's main fighting agent is an antioxidant called glutathione. But for glutathione to function correctly, it needs to continuously be recycled from its inactive to active state. The enzyme in charge of this recycling process is glutathione reductase, and riboflavin is a coenzyme for glutathione reductase.

Also, although still preliminary, modern observational studies support riboflavin supplements' positive influence on age-related cataract degeneration.

6. May Help with Neurological Health

Studies suggest that riboflavin may even serve as a direct contributor to neurological health. Vitamin B2 can not only fight free radicals causing oxidative stress, it's also linked to potentially reducing inflammation in the brain, which protects the integrity of brain tissue.

The entire B vitamin complex works together to help maintain normal levels of homocysteine, a naturally occurring amino acid. Deficiency in any of the B vitamins can raise homocysteine levels, a risk factor for cognitive decline.

Possible Riboflavin Side Effects

The good news is that, unlike iron and other non-soluble vitamins, excessive nutrient intake of riboflavin generally doesn't present any toxicity risks. This is due to the soluble nature of the vitamin. That said, some minor side effects can present themselves when you take riboflavin supplements or overload yourself:

Urine turning bright yellow
Allergic reactions like hives, rash, or swelling of the face, tongue, or mouth
Nausea

Riboflavin supplementation may interact with certain medications. It's best practice to speak to a registered dietitian or your doctor before you make drastic changes to your diet or start taking dietary supplements.

Dietitian Tip: Prolonged and mega-dose consumption of just riboflavin supplements can cause imbalances in other vitamin B levels. Instead of focusing on just one player, it's better to turn your efforts toward a healthy diet or taking a supplement, like Live it Up Super Greens, that includes various food groups and provides a well-balanced micronutrient profile.

Riboflavin Foods and How to Get More in Your Diet

Riboflavin is important for many health processes, but the issue is that our bodies can neither produce this nutrient nor can they hold on to substantial amounts of it. Therefore, your riboflavin levels need to be constantly replenished. You can turn to the listed food sources or supplements to ensure you are getting the recommended amount.

Green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and dandelion leaves
Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and brussel sprouts
Dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese
Lean meats like chicken and turkey
Fatty fish like mackerel and salmon
Organs like liver and kidneys
Legumes like soybeans, chickpeas, and kidney beans
Nuts like almonds and walnuts
Fortified cereals and breads
Mushrooms
Green juices with B2, like Live it Up Super Greens

Dietitian Tip: Vitamin B2 is sensitive to light and water-soluble. This means two things—overcooking and storing foods under direct sunlight can cause your food to lose its nutritional value. Store your food in opaque cartons rather than clear glass containers, and try to steam or roast your food as much as you can.

Supplement Your Vitamin B2 With Live it Up Super Greens

A Glass of Super Greens Juice Next to a Live it Up Super Greens Package

A balanced and varied diet is the cornerstone of good health, which no single vitamin supplementation can replace. That said, in today's busy world, it can be tricky to ensure your body is getting the required range of vitamins and minerals it needs to perform at its best.

Live it Up Super Greens is a tasty, convenient, and affordable way to get more essential micronutrients in your body. Our thoughtfully curated greens powder is made from organic green vegetables and herbs sourced from the world over to support energy production, immune defense, and gut health and is free from caffeine, soy, nuts, additives, and fillers.

This green supplement not only provides 0.17 mg of your daily riboflavin (13% DV), there's also vitamins D, A, B6, B12, and K, and minerals like folate, iron, chromium, and magnesium. Each batch is tested for purity, so you can be sure the contents match the supplement label.

Live it Up Super Greens comes in two flavors, Original and Wild Berries, and is naturally sweetened with monk fruit extract. I personally love that there's no bitter or grassy taste and the powder seamlessly dissolves into water, juice, and even my protein shake.

FAQs About Riboflavin Health Benefits

Learn more about vitamin B2 through these frequently asked questions.

What does riboflavin do for your body?

Riboflavin (B2) plays a multitude of roles in your body. It breaks down food into energy, supports immune system response, and assists in the production of red blood cells. Research also links this type of B vitamin to healthy skin and cognitive function.

Do I need to take a B2 supplement?

Probably not. Most Americans have no problem getting enough riboflavin through their diet and don't have this vitamin deficiency. However, if you are concerned about your riboflavin status, your initial game plan should be to try and include more vitamin B2 foods in your diet. If that's a challenge, consider supplementing with a greens juice that contains riboflavin, like Live it Up Super Greens.

Is it okay to take vitamin B2 every day?

It's safe to take vitamin B2 daily as it's a water-soluble vitamin. Any excess amount will simply be flushed out of your body through urine. Research also indicates that consuming up to 400 mg of riboflavin per day poses no harm. Still, you should consult a healthcare professional before self dosing more than the recommended daily allowance.

What are the symptoms of B2 deficiency?

Riboflavin deficiency, medically known as ariboflavinosis, can present itself visually through cracked lips, sore throat, lesions around the mouth, itchy eyes, and skin issues. You may also experience symptoms like fatigue or fluid build-up in mucous membranes.

It's worth mentioning that vitamin B2 deficiency is usually accompanied by other vitamin B deficiencies. If you're concerned about your symptoms, consult a healthcare provider and get your overall vitamin profile checked.

Does vitamin B2 cause weight gain?

There's no hard proof that vitamin B2 causes weight gain. On the contrary, the vitamin plays a major role in energy production, and a deficiency can lead to low energy levels and poor muscle performance. When this deficiency is addressed, your body is in a healthier state and functioning effectively. There is some exciting research that hints at B vitamins' potential role in supporting weight loss efforts in confunction with diet and exercise.

References

About the author:

Rachel Gargano, MS, RD, CSSD, CBS

Rachel is a registered dietitian based in Contra Costa County, California, with over 15 years experience. She specializes in whole-body wellness and plant-based nutrition, helping people understand the dynamic interplay between food and health so they can live life to the fullest. When not helping others, she enjoys spending time with her kids, being physically active, and tending to her abundant household plants.

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