Can I take multivitamins with B2 with another B2 pill?

January 2, 2009 2:57 PM

I bought some B2 vitamins because they were on sale. Each pill contains 2,6mg of B2 riboflavin (162% ADT) and my multivitamin pills also contains B2 riboflavin, and its 1,6mg (100% ADT). Would I risk anything by taking multivitamins with 100% B2 and then taking another pill with 162% B2 in the morning?
posted by madcow20 to health & fitness (8 comments total)

ADT is the danish word for RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance). Forgot to translate that port :)
posted by madcow20 at 3:04 PM on January 2

Word*
posted by madcow20 at 3:05 PM on January 2

I have a pill right here that has 588% of the ADT of riboflavin. I think you're fine.
posted by Mr. President Dr. Steve Elvis America at 3:06 PM on January 2

B2 is water-soluble. Whatever you don't process you'll piss out. Go to it, I'd say.

IANAD
posted by TypographicalError at 3:06 PM on January 2

Wikipedia:

Riboflavin is not toxic when taken orally, as its low solubility keeps it from being absorbed in dangerous amounts from the gut. Although toxic doses can be administered by injection, any excess at nutritionally relevant doses is excreted in the urine, imparting a bright yellow color when in large quantities.

As the above post mentions, the real danger is fat-soluble vitamins (e.g. Vitamin A) because the body can't excrete the excess, so they build up.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 3:16 PM on January 2

If you're not expecting bright-yellow urine, I suppose it might freak you out a little.
posted by box at 3:32 PM on January 2

I think you'll be fine. Stores sell, and I have routinely taken, multivitamins with over 4000% (yes, 4000) of the RDA of B2. It's water-soluble, plus the RDA numbers were developed as the minimum sufficient amount of nutrients for health, not a maximum dose.
posted by needs more cowbell at 3:50 PM on January 2

My vit-B drops (not pills) have a dose of 16,000%.

You're fine. As people have said, you excrete the excess in urine.
posted by Netzapper at 4:12 PM on January 2