From NIH.gov Groups at Risk of Riboflavin Inadequacy The following groups are among those most likely to have inadequate riboflavin status. Vegetarian athletes Exercise produces stress in the metabolic pathways that use riboflavin [20]. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine state that vegetarian athletes are at risk of riboflavin deficiency because of their increased need for this nutrient and because some vegetarians exclude all animal products (including milk, yogurt, cheese, and eggs), which tend to be good sources of riboflavin, from their diets [21]. These associations recommend that vegetarian athletes consult a sports dietitian to avoid this potential problem. Pregnant and lactating women and their infants Pregnant or lactating women who rarely consume meats or dairy products (such as those living in developing countries and some vegetarians in the United States) are at risk of riboflavin deficiency, which can have adverse effects on the health of both mothers and their infants [2]. Riboflavin deficiency during pregnancy, for example, can increase the risk of preeclampsia [22]. The limited evidence on the benefits of riboflavin supplements during pregnancy in both developed and developing countries is mixed [23-25]. Riboflavin intakes during pregnancy have a positive association with infant birth weight and length [26]. Infants of mothers with riboflavin deficiency or low dietary intakes (less than 1.2 mg/day) during pregnancy have a higher risk of deficiency and of certain birth defects (such as outflow tract defects of the heart) [24,27]. However, maternal riboflavin intake has no association with the risk of orofacial clefts in infants [28]. In well-nourished women, riboflavin concentrations in breast milk range from 180 to 800 mcg/L and concentrations of riboflavin in breast milk increase over time [29,30]. In developing countries, in contrast, riboflavin levels in breast milk range from 160 to 220 mcg/L [29]. People who are vegan and/or consume little milk In people who eat meat and dairy products, these foods contribute a substantial proportion of riboflavin in the diet. For this reason, people who live in developing countries and have limited intakes of meat and dairy products have an increased risk of riboflavin deficiency [31,32]. Vegans and those who consume little milk in developed countries are also at risk of riboflavin inadequacy [33-37].
