Vitamin B2, Riboflavin Test

Vitamin B2, also called riboflavin, is important for energy production, enzyme function, and normal fatty acid and amino acid synthesis. It is also necessary for the reproduction of the antioxidant glutathione. Vitamin B2 is water-soluble like the reset of the B vitamins. It is not stored in ample amounts and excess is typically lost through urination, causing bright yellow urine, meaning a constant supply of vitamin B2 is needed. Deficiency in this vitamin is usually part of a multiple-nutrient deficiency and does not occur in isolation. The test of Vitamin B2 helps in checking the levels of Vitamin B2 in the body. Also, it would help recognizing Vitamin B2 deficiency, if any.

The client should fast for 10 to 12 hours maximum before the test. If the test is done on an infant, the blood needs to be draw before next meal. One can wear a half sleeve shirt or a sleeveless one too. Even if one is wearing a full sleeves shirt, he or she can roll it up for the test. For urine sample, one does not have to be prepared.

Vitamin B2 test results can have the following outcomes:

Test results that are low may indicate a B vitamin deficiency but will not reveal whether it is due to an inadequate supply or an inability to absorb or use available B vitamins. When someone is deficient, the person often has multiple vitamin deficiencies.

If test results are normal, then it is more likely that a person's symptoms are due to another cause. A high B vitamin level may be associated with vitamin toxicity. This rarely occurs and when it does, it is usually due to exposure to high doses of the vitamin.

There are two ways through which the levels of Vitamin B2 in the body can be checked:

• Blood Sample The test is a simple blood test where the blood is drawn after the person has fasted for 10 to 12 hours. The blood sample will be collected to get the patient’s blood plasma. The amount of blood that needs to be collected is either 0.25mL or 0.5mL. Apart from fasting there is nothing else that needs to be kept in the mind.
• Urine test A random urine test or a 24 hours urine test can also be used to derive the results. A 24 hours urine test is most likely to be recommended by the doctors because various substances in the urine changes during the entire day. By collecting all urine for 24 hours, the amount of the substance being measured in the urine can be averaged over the entire day and will give a better indication of what is going on in the body.