| Food Acupuncture: Vitamin B2 |
|
Food Acupuncture: Vitamins & MineralsSmall but significant: Tiny amounts big results Structuring/building/connecting/energizing/repairing/healing… The power of vitamins comes from the power of real food Vitamin B2 – water solubleVitamin B2 or Riboflavin is a water-soluble vitamin that helps convert food into energy. It is known as the fat burner vitamin, as you cannot properly process your fats without it. This is particularly important for those who wish to lose a little bit of extra fat from their body, or simply be able to efficiently burn the fat in their food. Sources of vitamin B2:Riboflavin is found in a number of both plant and animal based foods, including green vegetables, nuts, yeast, dairy products, fish and meats. Particularly B2-rich are spinach, broccoli and asparagus, almonds and salmon. Good sources of the vitamin are also whole and enriched foods, such as fortified cereals and breads.
Note that riboflavin is easily destroyed upon exposure to light. For instance, up to 50% of the riboflavin in milk contained in a clear glass bottle can be destroyed after two hours of exposure to bright sunlight. Functions:Riboflavin is one of the naturally occurring flavins. Flavins play a critical role in numerous biochemical reactions, and in the body, riboflavin is an integral part of the important coenzymes. These enzymes are involved in multiple cellular metabolic activities necessary for normal cell growth, as well as enabling the proper development of the body, such as the skin, hair, the lining of the digestive tract, blood cells, and brain function. Absorption:Dietary flavins are released from their protein-bound state via gastric acid and enzymes. Riboflavin is absorbed across the intestinal mucosa, and following absorption it eventually reaches the liver. Blood riboflavin concentrations reflect recent dietary intake.
Vitamin B2 deficiency:Most of the population in the Western world gets enough of this nutrient, and clinical deficiency is rare; however, riboflavin deficiency is more common than generally appreciated. There is evidence suggesting that suboptimal riboflavin status may be a widespread problem affecting an otherwise healthy population in the developed world. For example, a high proportion of the British adult population was reported to have poor riboflavin status. Supplements:An oral supplement of riboflavin can increase the levels of this vitamin in the body, and riboflavin is frequently used in combination with other B-vitamins in vitamin B complex products. Toxicity:No adverse effects have been reported after ingestion of high doses of riboflavin, because excessive amounts of riboflavin are usually not absorbed. Riboflavin is likely safe for most people when taken orally, but it may cause diarrhoea or turn the urine to a yellow-orange colour in some people. Note of cautionTaking riboflavin along with tetracyclines might decrease the medicinal effectiveness by decreasing the amount of tetracyclines that the body can absorb. To avoid this interaction, riboflavin should be taken two hours before or four hours after taking tetracyclines. Return to the list of B vitamins. Return to the overall list of vitamins and minerals.
Related material Read the first article in the series, on what vitamins are and why we need them. Read the second article in the series on how vitamins work. Read the third article in the series on supplements. Read the Recommended Dietary Allowance for vitamins and minerals Read how supplements are regulated. In A ticking bomb, Professor Alpar discussed the critical situation in antibiotics with the late Professor Vivian Moses. A brief biography of Professor Alpar can be found here.
|
Comments