Riboflavin intake and kidney health: population evidence and mechanistic insights from NHANES and molecular docking analyses

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) constitutes a significant global public health challenge, with emerging evidence suggesting that riboflavin may confer renoprotective effects. However, the association between dietary riboflavin intake and CKD risk remains inadequately elucidated. To investigate this, we analyzed National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005–2018 datasets using weighted multivariate logistic regression, interaction testing, stratified subgroup analyses, and curve fitting. Additionally, network pharmacology and molecular docking simulations were employed to identify and validate potential therapeutic targets. Our results showed that patients with CKD exhibited significantly lower riboflavin intake than their non-CKD counterparts (1.98 vs. 2.21 mg/d, p