It’s understandable to wonder about the science behind vitamin supplementation and its relationship to health. The vitamin industry is regulated differently from pharmaceutical drugs. In the U.S., dietary supplements, including vitamins, are regulated by the FDA; however, they are not approved for safety or effectiveness before they are marketed, unlike prescription drugs. This sometimes leads to concerns about the scientific backing of their claims.
A recent article in Nature, Scientific Reports, relating vitamin B2 (riboflavin) intake and dementia recently caught my attention. In this study, 2,900 elderly individuals across the U.S. were queried as to their dietary intake of riboflavin. They then underwent testing to determine their cognitive abilities (i.e. thinking, learning, understanding, remembering). The results were interesting in that there was a very significant correlation between high riboflavin dietary intake and good cognitive skills.
In other words, the better the diet the better the brain. In fact, those that took more than the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for riboflavin performed the best on the memory tests. The study also highlighted a serendipitous finding that physical activity contributed to better cognitive abilities, reinforcing the idea that a holistic approach – diet and exercise – benefits mental health.
For your reference, the RDA for riboflavin is 1.3 mg per day for adults. The average American diet already exceeds this with around 4.5 mg daily. Foods rich in riboflavin include whole grains, dairy products and eggs. Importantly, riboflavin is water-soluble, and the body excretes any excess, meaning toxicity is rare even with higher intake levels.
This study, while promising, suggests that consuming more than the RDA of riboflavin, from diet or supplements, might further benefit cognitive function, especially in aging populations.
You can read more detailed information about riboflavin from the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements here: Riboflavin – Health Professional Fact Sheet.
Dr. Barnett is a contributor at KnoxTNToday with a weekly column, DocTalk, providing his expertise on health and wellness management.