Vitamin B2 – a personal story

As many of you know, I am fortunate to spend 3–4 months each year in my beloved France. Each year I pack my daily vitamin supplies for the months ahead. Normally a B complex, a probiotic, magnesium, vitamin B2 plus and a herbal anti-viral, such as Andrographis, plus a little zinc.

For two weeks this year I was travelling a bit, somewhat out of my normal routine and absentmindedly forgot or let’s be honest, got slack, and did not take my B complex and extra B2 for those two weeks on the road.

Low and behold, cracks began to appear at the corners on my mouth, angular cheilitis to be exact. Rather uncomfortable, rather unsightly and making it difficult to fully open my mouth to clean my teeth. Self-inflicted deficiency, needless to say.

I have not had this problem since I was 10 years old, when my very sensible mother took me to a health food shop where the proprietor prescribed B vitamins. Perhaps that was the beginning of my interest in nutrition?!

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), is found in many of the foods that contain other B vitamins, but it is not found in high amounts in very many foods. For this reason, diet deficiency is fairly common, and supplementation often helps to prevent problems.

Brewer’s yeast is the richest natural source of B2, liver, tongue and other organ meats are also excellent sources. Oily fish, nori seaweed, milk products, eggs, shellfish, millet and sunflower seeds also contain some B2. As a vegetarian, not many of the above feature in my diet!

Other foods with moderate amounts of riboflavin are dark leafy green veggies, whole grain products, mushrooms and avocados. In France most breads are made with white flour and although I eat avocados daily in Melbourne, in France they are not as prolific as they are in Melbourne.

So, hardly surprisingly I was besieged by uncomfortable cracks in each corner of my mouth.

To action! Back onto B2, 50 mg twice daily together with my B complex, yoghurt every morning and a thick application of pawpaw ointment as often as possible.

Within 6–7 days, cracks had disappeared and my tooth brushing returned to its normal vigour. Lesson to self, keep up my daily supplement regime … especially when overseas when our diets are often a little different than at home.

Note: Other symptoms of a B2 deficiency include a red, sore tongue, eye redness or sensitivity to light, burning eyes, dry scaly skin and fatigue.