Search Results for: blog why does my body need vitamin b2

Sores in the Corners of the Mouth

The last few winters have brought me a new problem: the corners of my mouth dry out and crack open. It’s painful, it looks ugly and makes me self-conscious, and I’m having a hard time healing it. If I open my mouth too wide (like for a yawn), anything that has healed cracks open again. It’s very frustrating! You know what that means: time to do some research and write an article. There are a few names for this sort of problem. According to Columbia University’s Go Ask Alice health site, this is known as angular cheilitis, angular stomatitis, or … Continue reading →

How Do Vitamins Work?

Lately, I’ve been looking at different vitamins and what they do for the body. Vitamin A helps your vision; vitamin D helps build strong bones. Other vitamins promote healing (like vitamin C and vitamin E) or energy production (the B-complex vitamins). Every vitamin does something different… but how do they work? There are two different types of vitamins. Some vitamins are fat soluble — like vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K. This means the vitamins are stored in the fat tissues in your body — especially in the liver. They wait until your body needs them, and … Continue reading →

Why Does My Body Need Vitamin B2?

Oh, so many B vitamins… folic acid, B6, B12… And our bodies need them all! Vitamin B2 was discovered by accident in the early part of the 20th century when nutritionists were looking for an enzyme that promoted growth in food. What they found instead was a yellow substance that we know now as riboflavin — also known as vitamin B2! Along with the other B-complex vitamins, vitamin B2 helps your body make energy from carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Riboflavin especially promotes the production of energy in the brain! Researchers believe that vitamin B2 may be able to help bring … Continue reading →