The Vitamin B2 or Riboflavin as it is more commonly known is one of eight B vitamins. B2 vitamin is a water- soluble vitamin that was actually first detected in 1879 when scientists noticed a fluorescent yellowish-green substance in milk. It wasn’t until over 50 years later, however, that researchers identified this compound as the second vitamin B in what is we now known as the B-complex, the family of vitamins.
All types of B vitamins play a crucial role in energy metabolism. You know, as with its seven counterparts, the B2 vitamin helps the body to convert proteins, fats and carbohydrates into a viable energy source for other metabolic functions. Especially, research has found that vitamin B2 converts to several coenzymes, flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and flavin mononucleotide (FMN). It is through these coenzymes that B2 or riboflavin is able to attach to the electron transport chain responsible for producing cellular energy. The FAD is also a vital coenzyme required for the production of ATP, a substance needed to transport energy to cells for such biochemical processes as muscle contractions. This is also necessary to the Krebs cycle, a process in which highly specific chemical reactions produce high-energy phosphate compounds that subsequently serve as the main source of cellular energy. These B complex vitamins and the energy source they produce for the body is essential for the development of the body.
Riboflavin is also essential for proper immune system functioning, reinforcing the body’s natural antibody reserves, which are basically the first line of defense against viruses and infection. This vitamin is also role player in red blood cell production. These cells contain close to 90 percent hemoglobin, a protein chemical that is bright red in color and is responsible for carrying oxygen from the blood to other cells throughout the body. Vitamin B2 plays a significant role in tissue healing and as such, is a key factor in the recovery time from burns, wounds, surgery and other injuries.
