girls 14–18 years: RDA 1.0 mg
women age 19 and older: RDA 1.1 mg
men age 19 and older: RDA 1.3 mg
pregnant women: RDA 1.4 mg
breastfeeding women: RDA 1.6 mg
Sources of riboflavin
People need a continuous supply of riboflavin
from their diet because very little riboflavin is stored
in the body; any excess is excreted in urine. Almost all
healthy people in the United States get enough ribo-
flavin from their diet and do not need to take a ribo-
flavin supplement. In the United States starting in
1943, riboflavin, along withthiaminand niacin, has
been added to flour. Other good sources of riboflavin
include brewer’s yeast, whole grains, wheat germ, and
dark green vegetables. Some breakfast cereals are also
fortified with riboflavin.
Exposure to light breaks down riboflavin in foods.
For example, milk stored in a clear container and left
in sunlight for two hours will lose about half of its
riboflavin content. Foods containing riboflavin should
be stored in opaque containers to prevent breakdown
of the vitamin by light. Consumers should select milk
in paper cartons rather than glass bottles. Prolonged
soaking or boiling also causes foods to lose riboflavin.
The following list gives the approximate ribofla-
vin content for some common foods:
spinach, cooked, 1/2 cup: 0.21 mg
asparagus, cooked, 1/2 cup: 0.11 mg
broccoli, steamed 1/2 cup: 0.09 mcg
milk, 2% 1 cup 0.40 mg
milk, nonfat 1 cup: 0.34 mg
yogurt, low fat: 1 cup: 0.52 mg
egg, boiled, 1 large: 0.27 mg
almonds, roasted, 1 ounce: 0.24 mg
salmon, broiled, 3 ounces: 0.13 mg
chicken, light meat, roasted, 3 ounces: 0.10 mg
chicken, dark meat, roasted, 3 ounces: 0.18 mg
beef tenderloin, broiled, 4 ounces: 0.35 mg
tempeh, cooked, 4 ounces 0.4 mg
bread, whole wheat, 1 slice: 0.07 mg
bread, white, enriched, 1 slice 0.09 mgRiboflavin deficiency
Most healthy people in the United States get enough
riboflavin in their diet because riboflavin is added to
many common foods such as bread. Althoughdietary
supplementscontaining large amounts of riboflavin
do not appear to cause negative health effects, they
also do not appear to improve health or athletic per-
formance. Excess riboflavin is simply removed from
the body in urine. Riboflavin deficiency, also called
ariboflavinosis, rarely occurs alone. People who are
riboflavin deficient usually also have deficiencies of
other B vitamins. Those who are more likely to develop
riboflavin deficiency include:
newborns who receive light therapy for jaundice
people with alcoholism
people with anorexia nervosa (self starvation)
people with celiac disease who cannot eat products
containing gluten (e.g. wheat flour, bread, pasta)
people who are lactose intolerant or who do not eat
dairy products
older, low income individuals who eat a poor diet of
highly processed foods
Symptoms of riboflavin deficiency tend to be
fairly mild and include sore throat and tongue,
cracked skin around the mouth and lips, skin inflam-
mation, and eye problems such as excessive sensitivityKEY TERMS
Antioxidant—A molecule that prevents oxidation.
In the body antioxidants attach to other molecules
called free radicals and prevent the free radicals
from causing damage to cell walls, DNA, and
other parts of the cell.
Dietary supplement—A product, such as a vitamin,
mineral, herb, amino acid, or enzyme, that is
intended to be consumed in addition to an individ-
ual’s diet with the expectation that it will improve
health.
Enzyme—A protein that change the rate of a chem-
ical reaction within the body without themselves
being used up in the reaction.
Jaundice—A condition in which bilirubin, a waste
product caused by the normal breakdown or red
blood cells, builds up in the body faster than the
liver can break it down. People with jaundice
develop yellowish skin and the whites of their eyes
become yellow. The condition can occur in new-
borns and people with liver damage.
Vitamin—A nutrient that the body needs in small
amounts to remain healthy but that the body cannot
manufacture for itself and must acquire through diet.
Water-soluble vitamin—A vitamin that dissolves in
water and can be removed from the body in urine.Riboflavin