Riboflavin Deficiency – Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
Riboflavin deficiency is a lack of vitamin B2 that can cause skin lesions, cracked mouth corners, and eye problems. A balanced diet helps prevent this condition.
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Riboflavin deficiency is a lack of vitamin B2 that can cause skin lesions, cracked mouth corners, and eye problems. A balanced diet helps prevent this condition.
What is Riboflavin Deficiency?
Riboflavin deficiency occurs when the body does not receive sufficient amounts of riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2. Riboflavin is a water-soluble B-group vitamin essential for energy metabolism and a wide range of enzymatic reactions. A prolonged and severe deficiency is medically referred to as ariboflavinosis.
Causes
Riboflavin deficiency can develop due to several factors:
- Inadequate dietary intake: A poor or unbalanced diet low in animal products or legumes is the most common cause.
- Malabsorption: Gastrointestinal disorders such as Crohn's disease or celiac disease can impair riboflavin absorption.
- Increased requirements: Pregnancy, breastfeeding, intense physical activity, and chronic illness raise the body's demand for vitamin B2.
- Chronic alcohol use: Excessive alcohol consumption reduces the absorption and utilization of riboflavin.
- Drug interactions: Certain medications such as tricyclic antidepressants or phenothiazines can interfere with riboflavin metabolism.
Symptoms
The symptoms of riboflavin deficiency primarily affect the skin, mucous membranes, and eyes:
- Angular cheilitis (cracks and sores at the corners of the mouth)
- Cheilosis (inflamed, reddened, and cracked lips)
- Glossitis (swollen, reddened tongue, sometimes called a magenta tongue)
- Seborrhoeic dermatitis (scaly, inflamed skin, especially on the face)
- Conjunctivitis (eye inflammation) and increased sensitivity to light
- General fatigue, weakness, and difficulty concentrating
- In children: growth retardation
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of riboflavin deficiency is typically established through clinical examination combined with laboratory testing:
- Blood tests: Measurement of riboflavin or flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) levels in the blood
- Erythrocyte glutathione reductase activity coefficient (EGR-AC): Considered the most sensitive marker for riboflavin status
- Dietary history assessment to evaluate nutritional intake
Treatment
Treatment depends on the underlying cause and severity of the deficiency:
- Dietary changes: Increasing intake of riboflavin-rich foods such as dairy products, eggs, meat, fish, legumes, whole grains, and leafy green vegetables
- Supplementation: When a deficiency is confirmed, riboflavin supplements are prescribed in therapeutic doses, typically 5–30 mg per day depending on severity
- Treating the underlying condition in cases of secondary deficiency (e.g., managing malabsorption disorders)
- Reduction or elimination of alcohol consumption
Recommended Daily Intake
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the recommended daily intake of riboflavin for adults is approximately 1.0–1.3 mg per day, with higher requirements during pregnancy and breastfeeding. These values are consistent with recommendations from national health authorities in most countries.
References
- World Health Organization (WHO): Vitamin and Mineral Requirements in Human Nutrition, 2nd edition. Geneva: WHO Press, 2004.
- National Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of Dietary Supplements: Riboflavin – Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Riboflavin-HealthProfessional/
- Powers HJ: Riboflavin (vitamin B-2) and health. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2003; 77(6): 1352–1360.
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