Riboflavin's role in health and disease
What it found
Riboflavin is needed for many cell processes, and low levels are linked to problems with iron use, gut and brain function, and skin.
It may also play a part in conditions like migraine, anemia, cancer, high blood sugar, high blood pressure, diabetes and oxidative stress.
What they found
Studies in people
Deficiency effects
Not getting enough riboflavin has a strong effect on how the body absorbs iron, how it processes tryptophan, how mitochondria work, and on the gut, brain and other vitamins. It is also linked to skin disorders.
Disease links
Riboflavin is tied to a wide range of health problems, including migraine, anemia, cancer, high blood sugar, high blood pressure, diabetes and oxidative stress, either directly or indirectly.
Supplementation in metabolic disease
Recent studies have pointed to cell processes and biological effects that come with riboflavin supplements in metabolic diseases.
Other findings
Toxicology and light sensitivity
Riboflavin has toxicological and light-sensitising properties that make it useful for biological purposes, such as inactivating viruses, acting as an excellent light sensitiser, and as a promising add-on in chemotherapy and radiotherapy for cancer.
What the authors conclude
“Overall, a deeper understanding of these emerging roles of riboflavin intake is essential to design better therapies for future.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say a deeper understanding of these emerging roles of riboflavin intake is essential to design better therapies for the future.
How it was done
There has been renewed interest in riboflavin because it is now recognised as an essential part of cell chemistry. Scientists have learned much more in recent years about how the gut absorbs it and what that means for health.
The authors pulled together recent human research on riboflavin. They looked at how it is taken in and used by the body, what happens when people do not get enough, and how it relates to various diseases and metabolic disorders.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This is a review of other studies, not a new experiment. It cannot prove that riboflavin causes or prevents any of the conditions mentioned.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, India
The paper
- Title
- Riboflavin and health: A review of recent human research
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Thakur K, Tomar SK, Singh AK, Mandal S, Arora S (2017). Riboflavin and health: A review of recent human research. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition. doi:10.1080/10408398.2016.1145104PubMed 27029320DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error