Evidence supporting the use of: Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
For the health condition: Headache (tension)

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 3

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) has some scientific support for its use in the prevention of certain types of headaches, most notably migraine headaches, rather than tension-type headaches. Several clinical studies have shown that high-dose riboflavin supplementation (typically 400 mg per day) can reduce the frequency and intensity of migraine attacks in some individuals. The proposed mechanism relates to riboflavin’s role in mitochondrial energy production; some evidence suggests that people with migraine may have impaired mitochondrial function, and riboflavin, as a key cofactor in energy metabolism, may help correct this deficiency and stabilize neuronal function.

However, the evidence regarding riboflavin’s efficacy for tension-type headaches is limited. Most studies and clinical guidelines discuss riboflavin in the context of migraine prophylaxis, not tension headache, which has different underlying mechanisms. There is little direct research specifically addressing riboflavin for tension headache prevention or treatment. Therefore, while riboflavin is scientifically validated for migraine prevention, its use for tension-type headaches is not strongly supported by current research, and any benefit may be extrapolated rather than directly studied.

In summary, riboflavin has moderate scientific evidence for migraine prevention but lacks targeted evidence for tension headaches. Its use for tension headache specifically is not well-established in the scientific literature, resulting in a moderate evidence rating for this indication.

More about Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
More about Headache (tension)

Other health conditions supported by Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

Burning Feet or Hands
Cataracts
Fatigue
Headache (general)
Headache (tension)
Migraine

Products containing Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

We currently have no products on Vitabase that contain this ingredient.