Riboflavin, its role in health and inherited metabolic disorders
What it found
Riboflavin deficiency is common in some groups, and high-dose riboflavin treatment helps many people with rare inherited conditions that affect how the body uses this vitamin.
The findings come from population surveys, patient reports, animal studies and lab experiments.
What they found
Studies in people
Low intake in children
A UK survey of 2127 schoolchildren found poor riboflavin status that worsened with age. Among 15 to 18-year-old girls, 95% had an insufficient intake. This matched a drop in milk consumption.
Low intake in adults
Studies in the UK and US found that 10 to 41% of elderly people had an insufficient riboflavin intake. Up to 48% of people following a vegan diet in well-nourished countries had intakes below the recommended daily amount.
Riboflavin and homocysteine
In people with a common genetic variant (c.677C>T), a daily dose of 1.6 mg riboflavin for 12 weeks significantly lowered homocysteine levels in the blood. High homocysteine is linked to a risk of heart disease.
Riboflavin and blood health
In young women, a daily supplement of 2 or 4 mg riboflavin for 8 weeks improved red blood cell and hemoglobin levels, even without extra iron.
Riboflavin in inherited disorders
High-dose riboflavin treatment improved or stabilized symptoms in many patients with rare inherited conditions such as multiple acyl-CoA dehydrogenation deficiency (MADD), riboflavin transporter deficiencies, and some cases of ACAD9 deficiency. It was less effective in severe forms.
Animal and lab studies
How riboflavin helps
Lab studies on cells and enzymes show that riboflavin's derivatives, FMN and FAD, can help mutant enzymes fold correctly and remain stable, especially under stress like fever. This may explain why some patients respond to treatment.
Other findings
Riboflavin in food
Riboflavin is found in meats, milk, fatty fish, nuts, eggs, spinach, beans and some fruits. It is often added to enriched products like baby foods and cereals. Some gut bacteria may also make it.
What the authors conclude
“The clear benefits, and in some cases lifesaving effects, of high dose riboflavin therapy makes these conditions important to be aware of and to recognize and treat accordingly.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that riboflavin insufficiency and subclinical deficiency are widespread and could cause symptoms when combined with increased needs due to pregnancy, exercise, infections or genetic disorders.
- They state that the clear benefits, and in some cases lifesaving effects, of high-dose riboflavin therapy make these conditions important to recognize and treat.
- They call for wider use of metabolic and genetic screening in suspected cases and for more knowledge on the complex gene-environment interactions that control cellular riboflavin homeostasis.
How it was done
The authors wanted to bring together what is known about how diet, body changes and genes affect riboflavin status, and about the benefits of riboflavin treatment in people with inherited metabolic disorders.
They reviewed published studies on riboflavin, including population surveys, patient case reports, animal experiments and lab studies on cells and enzymes.
What it can’t tell you
- Most of the findings in people come from surveys or case reports, which can show links but cannot prove that riboflavin directly causes or prevents health outcomes.
- Lab and animal results may not apply to people.
- The exact mechanisms by which riboflavin helps in some inherited disorders are still under investigation.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by Lundbeckfonden (from the PubMed record).
- Conflicts
- The authors declare no conflict of interest.
- Authors work at
- Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark; University of Bari 'Aldo Moro', Italy
The paper
- Title
- Riboflavin Deficiency-Implications for General Human Health and Inborn Errors of Metabolism
- 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
- Mosegaard S, Dipace G, Bross P, Carlsen J, Gregersen N, Olsen RKJ (2020). Riboflavin Deficiency-Implications for General Human Health and Inborn Errors of Metabolism. International journal of molecular sciences. doi:10.3390/ijms21113847Free full textPubMed 32481712DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error