Riboflavin and multiple sclerosis symptoms in people and animals
What it found
In people with multiple sclerosis, riboflavin supplements or higher dietary intake were linked to better movement and thinking in some trials.
Animal studies showed that a lack of riboflavin damages nerve coverings.
What they found
Studies in people
Movement and thinking in people
One trial found that people with multiple sclerosis who took riboflavin had better movement scores and thinking skills. However, another six-month trial giving 10 mg per day found no improvement in disability compared to a dummy pill.
Dietary intake and disease risk
A study comparing groups of people found that those who ate more riboflavin had a lower chance of having multiple sclerosis.
Animal and lab studies
Nerve damage from deficiency
Animals fed diets lacking riboflavin developed swollen nerve cells and lost the protective covering on their nerves. These changes worsened over time in the sciatic and spinal nerves.
Antioxidant protection
Without enough riboflavin, cells lose key antioxidant enzymes and suffer more oxidative damage. Lab tests on mouse immune cells showed that removing riboflavin caused rapid cell death.
Studies in people and animals
Immune system changes
People with multiple sclerosis taking a riboflavin-containing drug had fewer antibodies attacking their nerve coverings. In mice with a similar condition, riboflavin reduced movement problems and raised levels of brain-protecting proteins.
What the authors conclude
- They suggest riboflavin could be used alongside other treatments to lessen nerve damage and movement problems in multiple sclerosis.
- They believe the vitamin may work by boosting brain-protecting proteins needed for nerve growth.
- The authors call for more trials in people to confirm these benefits, since most evidence so far comes from animal studies.
How it was done
Multiple sclerosis affects 2.3 million people worldwide, yet only eight drug treatments exist for its relapsing forms. The authors wanted to gather all available research on whether riboflavin helps protect the nerve coverings damaged by this disease.
The authors searched five databases for human and animal studies published between 1976 and 2017. They looked at randomised trials, case-control studies, and lab experiments involving riboflavin supplements, dietary intake, or deficiency. No limits were placed on age, gender, or species.
What it can’t tell you
- Most of the detailed findings come from animal models and lab cells, which cannot prove what happens in people.
- Observational studies linking diet to disease risk can show a connection but cannot prove that riboflavin prevents multiple sclerosis.
- The two human trials gave different results, so scientists do not yet know if riboflavin reliably improves symptoms in people.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Abadan School of Medical Sciences, Iran; Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Iran; Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Iran
The paper
- Title
- Update on riboflavin and multiple sclerosis: a systematic review
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Naghashpour M, Jafarirad S, Amani R, Sarkaki A, Saedisomeolia A (2017). Update on riboflavin and multiple sclerosis: a systematic review. Iranian journal of basic medical sciences. doi:10.22038/IJBMS.2017.9257Free full textPubMed 29085589DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error