Vitamin B2 is also known as riboflavin. It is a micronutrient that is easily absorbed and plays an important part in maintaining the health of animals. It is needed for many different cellular processes and helps metabolize energy from fats, proteins and carbohydrates. Natural sources of vitamin B2 include almonds, yeast, soybeans, legumes, liver, green leafy vegetables, cheese and milk. It is important to know that overexposure to light kills the vitamin. It is a non-toxic vitamin when consumed orally. This is because its low solubility prevents the gut from becoming toxic. Commonly, vitamin B2 is excreted through urine of healthy human beings, which makes it harder to stay away from deficiency, especially if the dietary intake is not enough.

Because vitamin B2 is a bright orange yellow color, it is sometimes used as a food coloring. It is also used as a fortifying agent in foods. Deficiencies occur with not getting enough intakes or if intestine problems occur. If not enough vitamin B2 is taken, conditions such as cracked red lips, inflammation of the lining of the mouth and tongue, ulcers of the mouth and a sore throat may occur.

Medicinally, vitamin B2 has been used in many clinical and therapeutic circumstances. Phototherapy uses this vitamin to treat neonatal jaundice. Recently studies have suggested it may be useful for the fight against migraines whereby they may be a useful additive along with beta-blockers.

Nowadays it is very common to see vitamin B2 in other manufactured products. Apart from obvious capsules that are there for supplementary purposes, there exist many other products such as vitamin B2 enriched foods that are fortified such as vitamin enriched milk products, fruit drinks, processed cheese, sauces, pastas, cereals and baby food. These are helpful because natural sources of vitamin A are crucial, but cooking it in any fashion destroys the goodness of it. It is therefore important that enriched foods exist so humans can still acquire their RDA of vitamin B2.

Because this vitamin is cheap to harvest and is grown and cultivated all around the world, it is easy to see why it has become so popular. Used for medicinal and health benefits, it shows how much it has become part of our lives. It is recommended to take a certain amount of vitamins and minerals everyday to help our immune system stay working at 100%. It is also advised not to overdose on certain vitamins and minerals as they may cause serious side effects and affect certain bodily processes.

If you are unsure about taking supplements, contact your doctor or pharmacist. He or she can advise you on the best plan of action and give you more information about specific vitamins and minerals. It is advised to seek consultation especially if you are pregnant or currently taking any medication as this can affect the intake of supplements. Go to a registered pharmacy and make sure you read all the instructions on dosage and follow them strictly. More information can be found on the Internet too.