Letter to the Editor: Author Response.

No Abstract Available.

Folate Supplementation in Fertility and Pregnancy: The Advantages of (6S)5-Methyltetrahydrofolate.

Folate plays an essential role in the metabolic regulation of amino acids and nucleic acids, and in one-carbon metabolism. Folate must be obtained from the diet, and supplementation is strongly recommended in populations at risk for deficiency due to specific conditions. Folic acid is the synthetic form of the vitamin, usually incorporated into foods and supplements. In the body, it must be reduced into the bioactive folate derivative (6S)5-MTHF by cell metabolism. Folate deficiency is related to many health issues such as neurological disorders and can increase cardiovascular disease risk. Women of childbearing age and pregnant women, as well as individuals with MTHFR polymorphism, are the main populations at risk for folate deficiency. Folate supplementation is widely used for fertility, for the inhibition of embryonal neural tube defects (NTDs) in pregnancy and is important for lowering homocysteine levels. (6S)5-MTHF supplementation during pregnancy is preferred over folic acid for its ability to bypass the block in folic acid metabolism linked to enzymatic polymorphism. The use of (6S)5-MTHF can overcome the concerns about the risk for deleterious effects of Unmetabolized Folic Acid (UMFA) related to the use of a supraphysiological dose of folic acid.

Recovery of Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-3856 in Vaginal Samples of Healthy Women after Oral Administration.

Bacterial vaginosis and vulvovaginal candidiasis are common causes of impaired health and quality of life for women. Although antimicrobial agents remain the main strategy for the treatment of vaginal infections, their repeated use involves high rates of resistance and recurrence. Alternative approaches such as probiotics are studied. Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-3856 already demonstrated beneficial effects in experimental models of vaginal infections. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study was performed to evaluate the recovery of S. cerevisiae CNCM I-3856 in vaginal samples in healthy women after oral consumption. Sixty healthy women were randomized to receive a daily dose of S. cerevisiae CNCM I-3856 or a placebo for 4 weeks. Subcultures and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) were used to detect the strain in vaginal and stool samples. A safety assessment was carried out throughout the study. Fifty-seven women completed the study. Over the 4-week supplementation phase, S. cerevisiae CNCM I-3856 has been detected in the vaginal samples of 21% of women (n = 4/19) in the 500 mg Probiotic group and 16% of women (n = 3/19) in the 1000 mg Probiotic group. The strain was detected in the faeces of 90% of women consuming the probiotic. This is the first clinical study demonstrating the migration of yeast from intestine to vagina where it may exert its benefits.