Riboflavin (vitamin B2)
Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, helps:
- keep skin, eyes, and the nervous system healthy
- the body release energy from food
Good sources of riboflavin
Good sources of riboflavin include:
- milk
- eggs
- fortified breakfast cereals
- mushrooms
- plain yogurt
- Cheese
- Liver
- Lean beef
- Salmon
- chicken Breast
UV light can destroy riboflavin, so ideally these foods should be kept out of direct sunlight.
How much riboflavin do I need?
The amount of riboflavin adults (aged 19 to 64) need is about:
- 1.3mg a day for men
- 1.1mg a day for women
You should be able to get all the riboflavin you need from your daily diet.
Riboflavin cannot be stored in the body, so you need it in your diet every day.
What happens if I take too much riboflavin?
There’s not enough evidence to know what the effects might be of taking high doses of riboflavin supplements each day.
Important Tips
You should be able to get all the riboflavin you need by eating a varied and balanced diet.
If you take supplements, do not take too much as this might be harmful.
Taking 40mg or less a day of riboflavin supplements is unlikely to cause any harm.