Medical Encyclopedia:
Riboflavin Deficiency |
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Definition
Riboflavin deficiency occurs when the chronic failure to eat sufficient amounts of foods that contain riboflavin produces lesions of the skin, lesions of smooth surfaces in the digestive tract, or nervous disorders.
Description
Riboflavin, also called vitamin B2, is a water-soluble vitamin. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for riboflavin is 1.7 mg/day for an adult man and 1.3 mg/day for an adult woman. The best sources of this vitamin are meat, dairy products, and dark green vegetables, especially broccoli. Grains and legumes (beans and peas) also contribute riboflavin to the diet. Riboflavin is required for the processing of dietary fats, carbohydrates, and proteins to convert these nutrients to energy. Riboflavin is also used for the continual process of renewal and regeneration of all cells and tissues in the body.
Riboflavin is sensitive to light. For this reason, commercially available milk is sometimes supplied in cartons, rather than in clear bottles. Riboflavin is not rapidly destroyed by cooking. Milk contains about 1.7 mg riboflavin/kg. Cheese contains about 4.3 mg/kg, while beef has 2.4 mg/kg and broccoli has about 2.0 mg/kg. Apples, a food that is low in all nutrients, except water, contains only 0.1 mg riboflavin per kg.
— Tom Brody, PhD
