Causes and Clinical Sequelae of Riboflavin Deficiency.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review without systematic search or meta-analysis
PubMed 37603429 · doi:10.1146/annurev-nutr-061121-084407
What was done
This narrative review summarizes available evidence on the causes, detection methods, and clinical and subclinical consequences of riboflavin (vitamin B2) deficiency across the life cycle, alongside related public health and research priorities.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical data. It notes that severe riboflavin deficiency causes cheilosis, angular stomatitis, glossitis, seborrheic dermatitis, and severe anemia with erythroid hypoplasia, while subclinical deficiency is associated with anemia and hypertension throughout life but typically goes undetected due to infrequent biomarker measurement.
Why it matters
It highlights that subclinical riboflavin deficiency may represent an underrecognized contributor to the global disease burden in both low- and high-income countries, underscoring the need for routine biomarker surveillance.
Limits
As a narrative review, the abstract details no systematic search strategy, pooled sample sizes, quality appraisal of included studies, or quantitative effect estimates.
Cited by
- supports B vitamin deficiency can cause cracked lips.