Riboflavin intake and female infertility in US women
What it found
In a national survey of US women, those who took in more riboflavin (vitamin B2) were less likely to report infertility.
This was a snapshot study, so it cannot prove that riboflavin prevents infertility.
What they found
Studies in people
Higher intake, less infertility
After adjusting for many factors, women with higher vitamin B2 intake were less likely to report infertility. The authors say this was a 19% lower prevalence.
Top quarter vs bottom quarter
Women in the highest quarter of vitamin B2 intake (more than 2.15 mg) were less likely to report infertility than those in the lowest quarter (less than 1.22 mg). The authors report a significant trend across quarters.
Consistent across groups
The link between vitamin B2 intake and infertility held across groups by race, BMI, smoking, drinking, pelvic infection history, and hormone or birth control use. No interactions were found.
Linear relationship
A flexible curve analysis showed a straight-line downward link between vitamin B2 intake and self-reported infertility, with no sign of a bend.
Studies in people and animals
Possible reasons
The authors suggest vitamin B2's antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions might protect reproductive function. They note animal studies where vitamin B2 reduced inflammatory markers in mice, but say the exact mechanism is unclear.
What the authors conclude
“Increased vitamin B2 intake is correlated with a decreased risk of infertility in women.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that increased vitamin B2 intake is correlated with a decreased risk of infertility in women.
- They say that maintaining sufficient vitamin B2 intake may help lower infertility risk.
- They suggest that dietary changes and vitamin supplements could play a role in early prevention and treatment of infertility.
How it was done
The authors say research on how diet affects infertility often overlooks vitamin B2, and they wanted to look at its role in female infertility.
They used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) for 2013 to 2018. They studied 3,804 women of reproductive age, of whom 524 reported infertility. Vitamin B2 intake was estimated from two 24-hour diet interviews.
What it can’t tell you
- This was a snapshot survey, so it can show a link but cannot prove that vitamin B2 prevents infertility.
- Infertility was self-reported, which may not match medical records.
- The authors note that leftover or unmeasured factors could still affect the results.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by Hunan Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China; Health Research Project of Hunan Provincial Health Commission (from the PubMed record).
- Conflicts
- Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethics statement: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) is conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). The NCHS Research Ethics Review Committee reviewed and approved the NHANES study protocol. All participants signed written informed consent.
- Authors work at
- Changsha Hospital for Maternal and Child Health Care Affiliated to Hunan Normal University, P R China; Changsha Medical University, P R China
The paper
- Title
- Association between vitamin B2 intake and female infertility: a cross-sectional study
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Zhao Z, Mao Z, Liu M, et al (2025). Association between vitamin B2 intake and female infertility: a cross-sectional study. Scientific reports. doi:10.1038/s41598-025-09161-1Free full textPubMed 40610595DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error