Vitamin B2 for dry lips
Do you often suffer from dry lips? From those cracks in the skin on your mouth and flaking? That in itself isn’t so strange at this time of year. The air is dry at the moment. So, apply a good film over your lips to prevent any moisture escaping from your skin. Sometimes Vaseline still works the best. I use it alongside my Repair Cream, which contains exactly the same oily substances that naturally occur in the waxy layer of your skin. But I’ve got another tip for you that you may not yet have considered: vitamin B2!
What does vitamin B2 do?
Have a look at how much vitamin B2 (riboflavin) you consume via food. This vitamin is important for supplying energy to your body. A deficiency can cause skin disorders in your mouth, tongue and nose, such as red, dry, split lips. Angular cheilitis can also occur. This is swelling in the corners of the mouth. In fact, you can unintentionally cause this problem yourself by licking your lips too often.
Who is at risk of having a vitamin B2 deficiency?
Vitamin B2 is found in a number of products. These include eggs, milk, mackerel, eel and beef. Vegetarians, vegans, and for instance people who don’t eat dairy for their skin, could therefore develop a shortage of vitamin B2. However, the vitamin is also found in almonds, mushrooms and green vegetables. So, try to include those products on your menu.
Which foods contain vitamin B2?
| Food per portion | Amount of vitamin B2 | % of the recommended daily amount for adults (1.6 milligrams/day) |
| Almonds a handful (25 grams) | 0.23 milligrams | 14,4 % |
| Egg boiled (47 grams) | 0.16 milligrams | 10,0 % |
| Mushrooms fried (100 grams) | 0,29 milligrams | 18,1 % |
| Broccoli raw (150 grams) | 0,17 milligrams | 10,6 % |
| Mackerel raw (100 grams) | 0,30 milligrams | 18,8 % |
| Eel raw (125 grams) | 0,44 milligrams | 27,5 % |
| Beef steak (150 grams) | 0,24 milligrams | 15,0 % |
Source: RIVM Nevo tabel (https://nevo-online.rivm.nl/)
What is the best way to take care of your lips?
What is the best thing to put on dry or cracked lips? I have made an interesting blog about that. You can read here about good lip balms, about good and not so good ingredients to put on your mouth and I tell you more about harmful substances that products contain. Furthermore, there is a great recipe for you to make at home. (You’ll need shea butter, coconut oil and beeswax) Read more in my blog Product advice for lip balms.
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