Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, plays a key role in releasing energy from macro nutrients to all cells of the body. It also helps change the amino acid tryptophan into niacin, another B vitamin. Riboflavin contributes to normal growth, production of certain hormones, formation of red blood cells, and nerve function. The metabolic function of B vitamins (releasing energy from micro nutrients) is particularly crucial to brain health. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin B2 is 1.6 milligrams for men aged twenty-three to fifty, 1.4 milligrams for men fifty-one and older, 1.3 milligrams for women up to age twenty-two, and 1.2 milligrams for women twenty- three and older. Pregnant women require an additional 0.3 milligrams daily, and women who are breastfeeding require an extra 0.5 milligrams. Riboflavin has no established UL (upper limit), but moderation is always best.
Foods rich in riboflavin include:
- Beef liver
- Enriched-grain foods
- Green leafy vegetables
- Low-fat yogurt
- Milk
- Whole-grain foods