Your Nutrients

Vitamin B2 is a water-soluble vitamin needed to process amino acids and fats, activate vitamin B6 and folic acid, and help convert carbohydrates into the fuel the body runs on adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Under some conditions, vitamin B2 can act as an antioxidant.

Dairy products, eggs, and meat contain significant amounts of vitamin B2. Leafy green vegetables, whole grains, and enriched grains contain some vitamin B2.

Vitamin B2 deficiency can occur in alcoholics. Also, a deficiency may be more likely in people with cataracts or sickle cell anemia. In developing countries, vitamin B2 deficiency has been found to be a risk factor for the development of preeclampsia in pregnant women. People with chronic fatigue syndrome may be deficient in vitamin B2.

Anemia (if deficient) Migraine headaches Canker sores Cataracts High homocysteine (for people with a specific genetic makeup) Parkinson’s disease Preeclampsia Sickle cell anemia

At supplemental and dietary levels, vitamin B2 is nontoxic. Vitamin B2 works with vitamin B1, vitamin B3, and vitamin B6. For that reason, vitamin B2 is often taken as part of a B-complex supplement. Certain medicines may interact with vitamin B2. Refer to drug interactions for a list of those medicines.

The ideal level of intake is not known. The amounts found in many multivitamin supplements (20–25 mg) are more than adequate for most people.

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) is the active coenzyme form of vitamin B3. It plays an essential role in the energy production of every human cell.

NADH is found in the muscle tissue of fish and poultry and cattle, as well as in food products made with yeast. However, it is not known whether the NADH from these sources can be efficiently absorbed or utilized by the body. It is also available as a nutritional supplement.

NADH deficiency is known to occur only in the presence of vitamin B3 deficiency, which is rare in Western society except in some alcoholics.

Chronic fatigue syndrome Parkinson’s disease Alzheimer’s disease Depression

Clinical studies of NADH using oral or intravenous administration have reported no side effects with up to one year or more of use. Longer-term use has not been evaluated. At the time of writing, there were no well-known drug interactions with NADH.

Researchers have used 10 mg per day, taken with water only, on an empty stomach.

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) is the active coenzyme form of vitamin B3. It plays an essential role in the energy production of every human cell.

NADH is found in the muscle tissue of fish and poultry and cattle, as well as in food products made with yeast. However, it is not known whether the NADH from these sources can be efficiently absorbed or utilized by the body. It is also available as a nutritional supplement.

NADH deficiency is known to occur only in the presence of vitamin B3 deficiency, which is rare in Western society except in some alcoholics.

Chronic fatigue syndrome Parkinson’s disease Alzheimer’s disease Depression

Clinical studies of NADH using oral or intravenous administration have reported no side effects with up to one year or more of use. Longer-term use has not been evaluated. At the time of writing, there were no well-known drug interactions with NADH.

Researchers have used 10 mg per day, taken with water only, on an empty stomach.

L-carnitine is made in the body from the amino acids lysine and methionine, and is needed to release energy from fat. It transports fatty acids into mitochondria, the powerhouses of cells. In infancy, and in situations of high energy needs, such as pregnancy and breast-feeding, the need for L-carnitine can exceed production by the body. Therefore, L-carnitine is considered a “conditionally essential” nutrient.

Dairy and red meat contain the greatest amounts of carnitine. Therefore, people who have a limited intake of meat and dairy products tend to have lower L-carnitine intakes.

Carnitine deficiencies are rare, even in strict vegetarians, because the body produces carnitine relatively easily. Rare genetic diseases can cause a carnitine deficiency. Also, deficiencies are occasionally associated with other diseases, such as diabetes and cirrhosis. Among people with diabetes, carnitine deficiency is more likely to be found in persons experiencing complications of diabetes (such as retinopathy, hyperlipidemia, or neuropathy), suggesting that carnitine deficiency may play a role in the development of these complications. A carnitine deficiency can also result from oxygen deprivation which can occur in some heart conditions. In Italy, L-carnitine is prescribed for heart failure, heart arrhythmias, angina, and lack of oxygen to the heart.

Angina Congestive heart failure (propionyl-L-carnitine) Heart attack Intermittent claudication (propionyl-L-carnitine) Anemia (for thalassemia) Attention deficit–hyperactivity disorder Chronic fatigue syndrome Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Erectile dysfunction (in combination with acetyl-L-carnitine) High triglycerides Infertility (male) Intermittent claudication (L-carnitine) Sprains and strains (for preventing exercise-related muscle injury) Type 1 diabetes Type 2 diabetes Athletic performance (for ultra-endurance only) Beta thalassemia major Cardiomyopathy (only for children with inherited cardiomyopathy) Chemotherapy-induced fatigue High cholesterol Liver cirrhosis Mitral valve prolapse Raynaud’s disease Weight loss

L-carnitine has not been consistently linked with any toxicity. The body needs lysine, methionine, vitamin C, iron, niacin, and vitamin B6 to produce carnitine. Certain medicines may interact with L-carnitine. Refer to drug interactions for a list of those medicines.

Most people do not need carnitine supplements. For therapeutic use, typical amounts are 1–3 grams per day. It remains unclear whether the propionyl-L-carnitine form of carnitine used in congestive heart failure research has greater benefits than the L-carnitine form, since limited research in both animals and humans with the more common L-carnitine has also shown very promising effects.