Calcium L-methylfolate

Calcium L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate (L-5-MTHF-Ca) is a synthetic derivative of folic acid, the predominant, naturally occurring form of folate. It is synthesized by reduction of folic acid to tetrahydrofolic acid followed by methylation and diastereoselective crystallization (in water) of L-5-MTHF as its calcium salt. Levomefolic acid (INN) is the primary biologically active form of folate used at the cellular level for DNA reproduction, the cysteine cycle and the regulation of homocysteine. It is also the form found in circulation and transported across membranes into tissues and across the blood–brain barrier. It is synthesized in the absorptive cells of the small intestine from polyglutamylated dietary folate. It is a methylated derivative of tetrahydrofolate. Levomefolic acid is used to recycle homocysteine back to methionine by methionine synthase (MS). L-methylfolate is water-soluble and primarily excreted via the kidneys. levomefolic acid (L-methylfolate) taken with a first-line antidepressant may provide an adjunctive antidepressant effect for individuals who do not respond or have only a partial therapeutic response to SSRI or SNRI medication, and might be a more cost-effective adjunctive agent than second-generation antipsychotics.