Vitamin B2 (VB2)

Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B₂, is an easily absorbed micronutrient with a key role in maintaining health in humans and animals. It is the central component of the cofactors FAD and FMN, and is therefore required by all flavoproteins. As such, vitamin B₂ is required for a wide variety of cellular processes. Like the other B vitamins, it plays a key role in energy metabolism, and is required for the metabolism of fats, ketone bodies, carbohydrates, and proteins.

Milk, cheese, leafy green vegetables, liver, kidneys, legumes such as tomatoes, yeast, mushrooms, and almonds are good sources of vitamin B₂, but exposure to light destroys riboflavin.Riboflavin is best known visually as the vitamin which imparts the orange color to solid B-vitamin preparations, and the yellow color to vitamin supplement solutions.