riboflavin
Meaning of riboflavin: Riboflavin, also called vitamin B2, is a water soluble nutrient the body needs to convert food into usable cellular energy.
Definition of riboflavin
Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, is a water soluble vitamin the body requires in small amounts for normal growth and cellular function. It works mainly as a component of two coenzymes that help other proteins carry out chemical reactions involved in converting food into usable energy.
Riboflavin also supports the health of the skin, the lining of the mouth, and the eyes, and it assists enzymes involved in processing certain other B vitamins. Because it is water soluble, the body does not store large reserves of it, so ongoing dietary intake is needed to maintain adequate levels.
Riboflavin is found in a range of foods, including dairy products, eggs, lean meats, whole grains, and leafy green vegetables. A lasting shortage can lead to cracking at the corners of the mouth, a sore tongue, and skin irritation, though riboflavin deficiency alone is uncommon in people eating a varied diet.
Also known as
Used in a sentence
Laboratory testing was ordered to evaluate the patient for riboflavin and other B vitamin deficiencies.
Good to know
Riboflavin deficiency rarely occurs in isolation, since diets low enough in one B vitamin to cause a shortage typically fall short in several others as well.
Word origin
Where “riboflavin” comes from
Formed from Latin ribo-, referring to the sugar ribose that is part of its chemical structure, and flavin, from Latin flavus, meaning yellow, describing the vitamin's natural color.