Can Vitamin B2 help cancer cells stay alive? New research indicates that vitamin B2, also known as riboflavin, can shield cancer cells from destruction. “Vitamin B2 plays a crucial role in protecting cancer cells from ferroptosis, a special form of programmed cell death,” says PhD student Vera Skafar, who is part of the research team led by José Pedro Friedmann Angeli, Professor of Translational Cell Biology. The study was published in Nature Cell Biology in March 2026. According to the research, programmed cell death helps damaged or otherwise harmful cells die in a controlled manner without triggering inflammation in nearby tissue. Notably, Ferroptosis is one type of this process and has been linked to cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and other serious conditions.
However, this is not the first time that a link potential has been established. A 2025 study published in NCBI also noted that water-soluble B vitamins, mainly obtained through dietary intake of fruits, vegetables, grains, and dairy products, suggest that excessive intake of specific B vitamins may also contribute to cancer progression and interfere with therapy due to impaired metabolic and genetic functions. A 2016-NCBI study also noted that vitamin B2 metabolism also affects colorectal cancer risk. “Our prospective data do not support a beneficial role of vitamin B2 intake in lowering the incidence of CRC,” it noted.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.
To understand in detail, we reached out to an oncologist.
Dr Jeyhan B. Dhabhar, medical oncologist and cancer expert, Head Neck Cancer Institute of India (HNCII), responding to whether people should be concerned about consuming riboflavin-rich foods, asserted, “Not at all”.
“This is an important point to understand. Vitamin B2, or riboflavin, is a necessary nutrient for normal body function, energy production, and cell repair. The study does not say that eating eggs, milk, meat, or green vegetables causes cancer. Researchers have found that cancer cells may sometimes use normal biological processes, including those linked to vitamin metabolism, to protect themselves from stress and cell death. That is very different from claiming that vitamin B2 is harmful,” clarified Dr Dhabhar.
Modern oncology increasingly aims to understand how cancer cells survive, adapt, and resist treatment (Photo: Getty Images/Thinkstock)
What exactly have scientists discovered?
The study focuses on a process called ferroptosis, a specific type of programmed cell death. “In simple terms, healthy cells and cancer cells face oxidative stress all the time. Researchers discovered that molecules linked to vitamin B2 metabolism may help cancer cells defend themselves against this stress, enabling them to survive longer. This is scientifically exciting because if doctors can specifically weaken that defense system, cancer cells may become more vulnerable to treatment in the future,” Dr Dhabhar mentioned.
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Does this discovery change how cancer may be treated later on?
Potentially, yes. Modern oncology increasingly aims to understand how cancer cells survive, adapt, and resist treatment. “Instead of only attacking tumours directly, researchers now seek to disrupt the internal ‘survival machinery’ that cancers rely on,” he asserted.
The expert noted that this study opens a possible pathway where future drugs could trigger ferroptosis and lead cancer cells to self-destruction. “However, this research is still in the early stages. It will take years of clinical testing before these findings can become approved treatments for patients.”
What to note?
The public should avoid overinterpreting headlines about nutrition and cancer. “Vitamins are not “good” or “bad” on their own. The human body is extremely complex, and cancer cells often misuse normal biological pathways for their own survival.”
The real significance of this research is in enhancing our understanding of cancer biology. It provides scientists with another clue in the long effort to develop smarter, more targeted cancer treatments with fewer side effects.
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DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.