Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)

RDA is 1.6 mg

It is destroyed by sunlight, so keep fresh food in the dark.

Where do you get it?

It is found in many foods, including liver, cheese, eggs, breakfast cereals, milk and green vegetables.

Actions:

Vitamin B2 is essential for releasing energy from all food. It keeps hair, skin and nails healthy and helps maintain good eyesight.

You may need more vitamin B2 in the following circumstances: - when taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT), if you smoke or drink large amounts of alcohol, if you are under stress or if you are on a milk-free or low calorie diet.

Too much:

Normal doses are unlikely to have any toxic effects but your urine may turn yellow. High doses cause other B vitamins to be lost from the body via the urine.

Too little:

Symptoms of minor deficiency of vitamin B2 include tired eyes, mouth ulcers, cracks in the corner of the mouth, inflamed tongue and lips and difficulty sleeping.

Supplement:

Choose supplements that are a combination of a vitamin B complex plus vitamin C. Supplements are most effective if other B vitamins, vitamin C and minerals are taken at the same time.

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