Recommended Dose of Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) for Adults
For healthy adults, the recommended daily dose of riboflavin is 1.3 mg for males and 1.1 mg for females, with enteral nutrition providing at least 1.2 mg per day in 1500 kcal. 1
Standard Dosing Recommendations
General Population
- Males: 1.3 mg daily
- Females: 1.1 mg daily
- Pregnant women: 1.4 mg daily
- Lactating women: 1.6 mg daily
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has established similar values, with Population Reference Intakes (PRIs) of 1.6 mg/day for adults 2.
Supplementation Forms
- Standard oral supplementation: 2 tablets once daily as prescribed 3
- Riboflavin is available in multivitamin preparations and as a standalone supplement
Therapeutic Dosing for Specific Conditions
Riboflavin Deficiency
- Mild to moderate deficiency: 5-10 mg/day orally until recovery 1
- Severe clinical deficiency: IV administration of 160 mg for 4 days may be necessary 1
Special Clinical Situations
- Parenteral nutrition: Should provide 3.6-5 mg riboflavin per day 1
- Multiple acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MADD): 50-200 mg/day 1
- Migraine prophylaxis: 400 mg daily has shown effectiveness in reducing attack frequency and headache days 4
Signs of Deficiency to Monitor
Riboflavin deficiency manifests with:
- Oral-buccal lesions (cheilosis, glossitis, angular stomatitis)
- Seborrheic dermatitis of the face, trunk, and scrotum
- Ocular symptoms (itching, burning, dryness, corneal inflammation, photophobia)
- Normochromic, normocytic anemia and marrow aplasia 1
Populations at Risk for Deficiency
- Patients with malabsorption (short bowel syndrome, celiac disease)
- Those with thyroid dysfunction or diabetes
- Patients with renal disease (pre-dialysis, hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis)
- Individuals with alcoholism
- Pregnant and lactating women
- Elderly individuals
- Patients after surgery, trauma, burns, or fractures
- Those taking psychotropic drugs, tricyclic antidepressants, or barbiturates
- Patients with anorexia nervosa who avoid dairy products 1
Assessment of Riboflavin Status
- Assessment is only required when clinical deficiency is suspected
- Glutathione reductase activity in red blood cells is the preferred measurement method
- Red blood cell FAD is another validated method, especially during inflammation 1
Safety and Toxicity
Riboflavin is generally well-tolerated with minimal side effects:
- Standard doses typically only cause yellow-colored urine
- Pharmacologic doses >100 mg may potentially form toxic peroxides when exposed to light
- High doses can form tryptophan-riboflavin adducts with potential hepato- and cytotoxic effects 1
Clinical Applications Beyond Deficiency Prevention
Recent research has identified potential therapeutic applications:
- Riboflavin supplementation (1.6 mg/day) may lower systolic blood pressure in hypertensive patients with MTHFR 677 TT genotype 1
- High-dose riboflavin (400 mg/day) shows promise in migraine prophylaxis with excellent tolerability 4
- Riboflavin has demonstrated anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-nociceptive properties 5
When considering riboflavin supplementation, it's important to note that deficiency is often associated with other B vitamin deficiencies, particularly pyridoxine, folate, and niacin, which may require concurrent supplementation 1.