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Deficiency/Cognition/Heart

Vitamin B2

Water-soluble B vitamin that corrects low riboflavin status and may help migraine prevention in adults with low intake.

Vitamin B2

Vitamin B2

63
score
B
evidence
Safe
risk

Proven Benefits

01Corrects riboflavin deficiency
02Reduces migraine frequency
03Lowers homocysteine
04May lower BP in MTHFR TT
05May support iron status

Chemical Forms

Recommended
  • Riboflavin
  • Riboflavin-5-phosphate
Avoid
    Expert Note

    Plain riboflavin is the standard, clinically used form and is well absorbed at nutritional doses, though absorption saturates as doses rise. Riboflavin-5-phosphate is a valid alternative but has no clear evidence of better clinical outcomes for most adults.

    Protocol

    Amount
    5-25 mg
    Frequency
    Once daily
    When
    With food; if using high-dose riboflavin for migraine prevention, many people split it morning and evening.

    Condition-Based Dosing

    Healthy adults without deficiency signs
    1.1-1.3 mg daily total from food plus supplements
    Low dietary intake or mild deficiency signs
    5-30 mg daily for 2-8 weeks, then reduce once intake is adequate
    Adults with recurrent migraine
    400 mg daily, often split as 200 mg twice daily, for 8-12 weeks
    MTHFR C677T TT with elevated homocysteine or hypertension
    1.6-5 mg daily under clinician guidance

    Safety & Limits

    Upper Safe Limit
    No adult UL established (IOM/NASEM); 400 mg/day is a common studied dose for migraine prevention.
    Cycling
    Safe for continuous use

    Contraindications

    Pregnancy or breastfeeding — avoid migraine-level doses unless a clinician recommends them; routine nutritional doses are generally fine.

    Synergies

    Magnesium

    Magnesium and riboflavin target different migraine mechanisms—neuronal excitability and mitochondrial energy metabolism—so they are often paired in prevention plans.

    Folate

    Riboflavin is a cofactor for MTHFR, while folate supplies one-carbon units, so the pairing is more rational when the goal is lowering homocysteine.

    Vitamin B12

    B12 works with folate in methylation pathways downstream of riboflavin-dependent MTHFR activity, which may improve homocysteine response.

    Avoid Combining With

    • ✕Heavy alcohol use (can worsen B-vitamin depletion and blunt correction of low status)
    Updated Invalid Date