Riboflavin's blood pressure effects remain very uncertain
The review found too little reliable evidence to establish whether riboflavin supplements lower blood pressure in adults.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The evidence does not clearly establish a blood pressure benefit from riboflavin. The pooled systolic estimate was uncertain, while the diastolic estimate favored supplementation; both were rated very low certainty. Limited adverse-event reporting also leaves uncertainty about harms. These results do not establish whether supplements could reduce blood pressure medication needs.
Most studies had high risk of bias for most outcomes. No trial reported changes in antihypertensive medication use; adverse-event data were sparse.
What researchers found
Systolic blood pressure: mean difference
Riboflavin versus inactive control; assessment timeframe was not reported. Evidence certainty was very low.
Diastolic blood pressure: mean difference
Riboflavin versus inactive control; assessment timeframe was not reported. Evidence certainty was very low.
Reading the estimates
The systolic confidence interval included both lower and higher blood pressure with supplementation. The diastolic interval favored lower pressure, but the review still judged that evidence very uncertain.
Medication questions remain
Participants could continue their usual hypertension treatment during trials. Because medication changes were not reported, this review cannot show whether riboflavin altered the need for those medicines or their doses.
The original publication
Riboflavin supplements for blood pressure lowering in adults.
Bradbury KE, Coffey S, Earle N et al.
Cochrane Database Syst Rev · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 41123035
- Record checked
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