Neufol(L-Methylfolate)

LMF is highly bioavailable source of folic acid. It is the natural, active form of folic acid which is an integral component of prenatal care, homocysteine management, depression treatment, dementia and cardiovascular concerns. LMF is a vitamin essential for reproductive health.

Folic Acid• Folate is the natural (complex) form found in

foods such as dark-green leafy vegetables, broccoli, asparagus, lentils, beans, peanuts, strawberries, kiwi, orange juice, liver.

• Folate in foods can be lost through processing and cooking, reducing the amount of available folate.

• A diet rich in folate is important, however the average daily intake of folate from foods is about 200 micrograms.

• Efficacy of folate absorption is estimated at 50%.• So, of the 200 micrograms that are eaten, only

about 100 micrograms are actually used by the body

Recommended Daily Value

• Adults (14-years and older) 400 mcg/d

• Pregnancy (all ages) 800 mcg/d

• Breastfeeding (all ages) 400 mcg/d

• Previously affected pregnancy 4000 mcg/d

Institute of Medicine• Recommends all women of

reproductive age (capable of becoming pregnant) consume 400 mcg/d of folic acid from supplements or fortified foods, in addition to a diet rich in food folate.

• For women who have had a previous affected pregnancy, folic acid supplementation of 4 mg/d is recommended (under physician supervision).

Functions

L-Methylfolate contributes to  •Maternal tissue growth during pregnancy•Normal amino acid synthesis•Normal blood formation•Normal homocysteine metabolism•Normal psychological function•Normal function of the immune system•Reduction of tiredness and fatigue•Process of cell division

Neural Tube Defects

Estimated 4,000 affected pregnancies yearly.

About 2,500 babies born yearly. 1,500 babies born with spina bifida. 1,000 babies born with anencephaly.

About 1,500 fetuses are miscarried or terminated after diagnosis.

• Neural Tube Defects (NTDs) are birth defects of the brain and the spinal cord.

• They occur when the neural tube, which later becomes the brain and the spine, fails to close properly.

• This happens very early in pregnancy, between the 17th and the 28th day after conception.

After the egg and the sperm unite, cells divide and multiply to form an elongated structure as seen in day 22.A “zippering” effect closes the groove or the tube beginning in the center and going both up and down as seen in day 23.

• A defect may occur in the upper or lower portion of the neural tube.

• If the tube fails to close properly on the upper portion of the neural tube, a brain defect called anencephaly or another called encephalocele occurs.

• If it fails to close properly along the lower portion of the neural tube, a spinal defect called spina bifida occurs.

Anencephaly

Encephalocele

Spina Bifida

Additional Birth Defects

• Researchers are studying other potential benefits of multivitamins containing folic acid.• Heart Defects• Cleft Lip/Cleft Palate• Limb Defects• Urinary Defects

Folic Acid Knowledge

2003 Folic Acid Knowledge (All women 18-45y)

79%

21%10%

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

Aware of folic acid Know it prevents birthdefects

Know to take it beforepregnancy

March of Dimes Folic Acid Survey conducted by The Gallup Organization, August 2003

• L-Methylfolate is the biologically active form of folic acid• L-Methylfolate is the natural, active form of folic acid used at the

cellular level• It bypasses several metabolic steps in the body as it is already

present in the absorbable form• L-methylfolate is a Novel form of Folate• More effective than folic acid• L-methylfolate is a high absorbable form of folic acid• L-methylfolate is the bioactive form of folic acid ready to use at

cellular level.• Unlike regular folic acid, L-methylfolate does not require

enzymatic conversion to L-methylfolate in the body• L-methylfolate is 7 times more bioavailable than folic acid• L-methylfolate is less likely to mask a vitamin B deficiency

compared to folic acid• L-methylfolate increases RBC folate better than folic acid

Advantages of L-Methylfolate

Clinical ApplicationsThe active form of folate, LMF has been linked to benefits of augmenting anti-depressant effect, addressing early memory loss, improving sensation with diabetic peripheral neuropathy and reducing the risks of neural tube defects.

 Infertility and conception support•LMF Deficiency precipitates hyperhomocysteinemia, a pro-inflammatory state that is linked with poor sperm and oocyte quality, thereby augmenting male and female infertility•Supplementation of LMF in periconceptional period has been demonstrated to improve sperm concentration and pregnancy rates in studies involving assisted contraception.•Genetic polymorphism of MTHFR enzyme has been observed in infertile couples.•LMF assures the optimal folate levels for conception in infertile men and women where failure rates are very high

Cardiovascular HealthFolate is involved in critical enzymatic reactions throughout the body. Deficiency of folate in the body systems can lead to development of a substance called homocysteine, responsible for cardiovascular decline. LMF benefits cardiovascular health by reducing the levels of homocysteine

Diabetic Neuropathy: Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) has been estimated to affect roughly half of all patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Elevated levels of homocysteine and reduced bioactivity of nitricoxide induce endothelial dysfunction, endothelial injury, and may impair vasodilation in patients with diabetic neuropathy. LMF has been shown to be more bioavailable and effective in lowering homocysteine levels than naturally occurring folic acid when combined with methylcobalamin and pyridoxal 5 phosphate. In this combination, LMF has been found to be effective for alleviating signs and symptoms of DPN, including anaesthesia, motor neuropathy,and autonomic neuropathy.

Depressive disordersLower systemic levels of folate can result from poor dietary intake, diabetes, various gastrointestinal disorders, hypothyroidism, renal failure, nicotine dependence,alcoholism, and a particular genetic polymorphism prevalent in 70% of depressed patients

Folic acid may prevent hypertension

• Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston found that women who consumed high levels of the B vitamin from food and supplements significantly reduced their risk of developing hypertension.

JAMA. 2005;293:320-329.

L-Methylfolate References

• Depressed patients with low RBC folate are 6 times more likely not to respond to antidepressant therapy and less likely to achieve remission.

  Journal Clin Pharmacology 2003

PsychiatryResearch,2005;140(3):301-7 

• Low serum or low red blood cell folate levels have been reported in 15%-56% of depressed patients.

Nutrition Reviews, 1997 Journal of Psychopharm; 2005

 

• The severity of a depressive episode, length of an episode, and later onset of clinical improvement are inversely correlated with RBC folate levels. J of Affective Disorders, 1989

 

• Depressed patients with low RBC folate are associated with impairment in the synthesis and release of monoamine neurotransmitters: serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine

  Bottiglieri T, Prog in Neuro-Psychopharm & Bio Psych, 2005 

• Higher folate levels in patients taking SSRIs and TCAs predicted a better response, but the trend was stronger with SSRIs

  Journal Clin Pharmacology 2003

• Methylfolate in depressed patients show significant Methylfolate in depressed patients show significant improvementimprovement

 ((Guaraldi et al., 1993; Di Palma et al., 1994;

Glória et al., 1997; Passeri et al., 1993)