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Is it safe for pregnant or breastfeeding women to take vitamin B2?

On Wednesday, February 13, 2019
If you are going to take a separate B2 (riboflavin) vitamin supplement during pregnancy or lactation, you should do so because of your doctor’s recommendation – i.e. recommended for a specific clinical condition such as migraines. Otherwise you will get all the B2 you need from a normal diet and your prenatal multivitamin and mineral formula (PMVM). Most PMVMs contain between 2-4mgs of riboflavin, which can deliver all your body and the developing fetus needs under normal conditions. Vitamin B2 is an essential compound that helps your body produce energy. It promotes growth, good vision, and healthy skin, and it's necessary for your baby's bone, muscle, and nerve development. B2 (riboflavin) is a water-soluble vitamin, meaning the body won’t store it and therefore you need to get enough each day. Food sources are milk, cheese, bananas, organ meats, yeast, green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, almonds and fortified cereals/breads. Although there is no evidence of riboflavin toxicity, even at levels as high as 400mgs/day (generally used for migraines), unless you are specifically instructed by your doctor, you should only consume the amount in your prenatal/multivitamin & mineral formula during pregnancy and lactation.