The ABC's of Vitamins - Vitamin B2

I'd like to introduce you to vitamin B2; it is actually a group of compounds called flavins which contains riboflavin, riboflavin-5'-phosphate (FMN) and riboflavin-5'-adenosyldiphosphate (FAD). Riboflavin's name comes from what it looks like, both physically and chemically. It is a florescent yellow-orange color and flavin comes from flavus meaning yellow in latin the ribo comes from ribitol which is the sugar part of the molecule.

FMN and FAD exist primarily as part of flavoproteins (flavin enzymes) and living cells require them. They work in the oxidoreductive processes - that is they can accept hydrogen atoms - and are used in biological processes like the conversion of pyruvate to acetyl-CoA (for fatty acid metabolism).

This is also one of the vitamins we need to get from our food. Milk, cheese, meat, yeasts, eggs, wheat bran, liver and kidney are all good sources of this vitamin. Riboflavin is absorbed in the intestine; FAD & FMN are converted to riboflavin before they are absorbed. Some of the absorbed riboflavin is converted by the body to FMN and most of that FMN is then converted to FAD in the cells. Vitamin B2 is used in energy production and the conversion of tryptophan to niacin.

Again, this is not a vitamin that is commonly deficient, both due to supplementation and its availability in commonly consumed foods. It doesn't even have any really fun symptoms, you'd most likely experience cracked lips and inflammation of the tongue. Riboflavin is currently being evaluated as a treatment in the prevention of migraines.

So, you've met two of the B vitamins, more to come in the weeks ahead. In the meantime, eat well and be well!