What Is Another Name for Vitamin B2

Many people ask "what is another name for vitamin B2"? This is in part because the B complex vitamins are numerous and several of them have different names. There are eight B vitamins in total and all are water-soluble and thought to play a key role in cell metabolism. Scientists used to believe that there was only one vitamin, simply referred to as vitamin B, but later research showed that they are chemically distinct vitamins that often coexist in the same foods.

A deficiency in any one of the B vitamins will cause problems and sometimes even neurological imbalances. Luckily, most Americans will not have any trouble getting in enough of all the B vitamins. Here's what you need to know about a vitamin B2.

So what is another name for vitamin B2? The answer is riboflavin, which is a common ingredient listed on all sorts of fortified foods and cereals. The vitamin was first recognized as a yellow-green fluorescent pigment in milk in 1879. Later, scientists were able synthesize it in 1935. Riboflavin gets its name from its color and its main component, sugar. Pigments that have fluorescent qualities are called flavins and the compound sugar is ribose, hence the name riboflavin.

Although riboflavin is processed in the small intestine, small amounts of the vitamin are stored in the liver, kidney and heart. However, since these amounts are so small we need to continually intake the vitamin through dietary means. Riboflavin is stable to heat, oxidation and acids so it's very easy to add to processed foods. Very few Americans will suffer from a severe deficiency of this vitamin.

While most Americans will never suffer a true deficiency of this vitamin, there are many benefits to making sure you have an ample supply of it in your body. Many people take vitamin B2 supplements to prevent and successfully treat the following;

• Migraine headaches
• Cataracts
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Several skin disorders such as acne, rosacea, dermatitis, and eczema

Furthermore, in the treatment of anemia, adding vitamin B2 to iron supplements has shown to increase its effectiveness. Riboflavin is especially helpful in counteracting the tendency towards glaucoma. Some even say that having an abundance of vitamin B2 in your system will preserve the appearance and feeling of youth.

The following list of foods are sources high in the vitamin:

• Cheese
• Egg yolks
• Almonds
• Organ meats
• Whole grains
• Wild rice
• Soybeans
• Milk
• Spinach
• Mushrooms
• Poultry
• Most fortified cereals and flour products

Although a deficiency of riboflavin in Americans is rare, it's important to make sure you're getting enough of this vital nutrient because a deficiency has profound effects on the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and protein.

The early symptoms of a deficiency include:

• Lips that become dry and chaffed (cheilosis)
• Tongue that becomes red and shiny (glossitis) and develops fissures
• The angles at the corners of the mouth become ulcerated (angular stomatitis)
• Skin becomes scaly and greasy around the skin folds (seborrhoeic dermatitis)

Worsening symptoms include:

• Swollen tongue
• Sever ulcerations
• Anemia
• Impaired nerve function

Newborns with jaundice also may be at risk for developing a riboflavin deficiency. These newborns usually receive phototherapy for their jaundice, but riboflavin is sensitive to light and can dissolve under powerful rays. These newborns should be carefully monitored for any sign of a riboflavin deficiency.

The minimum Recommended Dosage Allowance of Vitamin B2 are:

• Men - 1.7 mg.
• Women - 1.3 mg.
• Pregnant women - 1.6 mg.
• Lactating women - 1.8 mg.

Since the body cannot absorb large amounts of vitamin B2 at one time, there are no known toxicity level for this vitamin.

Riboflavin or vitamin B2 is essential to our health and well-being. There are benefits to taking more B2 than necessary and no known toxicity levels, so taking a supplement that contains this vitamin is a good idea.

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