The Riboflavin-Folic Acid Youth Juice Advantage

The vitamin Riboflavin is also commonly referred to as vitamin B2.  This vitamin derives its name from ribose and flavin.  When riboflavin is exposed to light, it can be destroyed.  This vitamin is also crucial for the human body to work properly as it is involved in metabolizing fats, carbohydrates, ketone bodies and proteins.  There are several sources where B2 can be found in order for it to do its job.

Toxicity and Riboflavin

Despite this vitamin being water soluble, there is little to no chance that this vitamin is toxic when naturally taken.  There is a chance on toxicity when B2 is injected into the body.  High levels of riboflavin can be traced in the body when the urine appears very yellow.  This is due to the riboflavin’s color which between yellow and a yellow and orange coloring.  B2 is also used in food coloring.

Sources of Riboflavin

There are various riboflavin or B2 sources that one can consume naturally.  Such sources of riboflavin include the following: meat livers and kidneys, milk, soybeans, mushrooms, almonds, yeast, cheese, wheat bran, meat, bananas, asparagus, okra, chard, persimmons, fish, yogurt and cottage cheese.  B2 should be consumed on a regular basis.  The daily recommendation of riboflavin for men is 1.1mg and for women 0.9 mg.

Functions of Riboflavin

Riboflavin has various functions especially in relation to oxidative enzymes which can cause flavins to work as oxidizing agents.  When flavins are reduced, they become flavoproteins and extremely important in the metabolism process.  Here are some of the related functions:

• Help to carry out the functions of the electron transport chain
• Decarboxylation needed of pyruvate and alpha ketoglutarate
• The conversion of Vitamin A to retinoic acid
• Creates the primary coenzyme of the related vitamin, vitamin B6
• Reducing the oxidized form of glutathione

Riboflavin is an important part of the human daily diet.  One of the main functions of the B vitamin is its metabolic function.  Without sufficient supply of vitamin B2, the above mentioned functions would be unable to be processed.  However, with the delicious resources such as meat, eggs, milk and cheese, receiving the daily amount of riboflavins is easy to do.

Folic Acid is just one of the many B vitamins that make up the Vitamin B Complex group.  Vitamin B is an important nutrient that the body must have in order to function.  Many heart diseases come as a result of insufficient vitamin B in the bodily system, which includes folic acid.  Folic acid is also known as B9.

What Does B9 Do?

Vitamin B9 or folic acid plays a crucial part in numerous bodily functions.  If one suffers from a folic acid deficiency, many diseases and disorders may come as a result. Vitamin B 9 helps to repair cells, maintain healthy cells, plays a part in the amino acid metabolism and the synthesis of DNA as well as creating white and red blood cells.  From the creation of red and white blood cells, folic acid helps to prevent anemia but that is not all.

The Health Benefits of Folic Acid

Besides helping to prevent anemia, folic acid also prevents against heart disease and may possibly help to prevent certain cancers such as colon cancer.  Research has shown that there is a direct link between homocysteine and a deficiency of folic acid.  High levels of homocysteine in the blood create heart problems. Folic acid extracts and destroys the homocysteine that is in your blood. As a result, when a healthy diet consists of folic acid, the body is able to protect itself against heart disease.

Folic acid is also very important for reproduction purposes.  Within the first four weeks of pregnancy, women should consume good amounts of folic acid as this vitamin is needed in order for the brain, spine and skull to develop properly.  Many women usually take vitamins which contain folic acid in order to ensure the health of the baby and to prevent the baby from having deformations.  In this case women should consume anywhere from 600 to 800 micrograms of folic acid while pregnant.  Folic acid can also help fertility in men and women.

Sources of Folic Acid

There are many natural sources where one can receive his or her daily doses of folic acid.  Vitamin B9 can be found in the following healthy sources: lettuce, asparagus, spinach, keel, sunflower seeds, turnips, beans, peas, honeydew, strawberries, bananas, broccoli, corn, pasta, cereal, yeast and liver.

Consuming folic acid has a wide variety of health benefits for men and women.  Vitamin B Complex is important overall to have in a healthy diet.