Fulvic and humic acids are organic acids extracted from humus, the well-decomposed fraction of soil organic matter formed via microbial decomposition of plants and animals [1]. Soil microorganisms break down plant and animal matter and convert it into inorganic minerals through mineralization (the minerals are released by oxidation) [2]. The stable portion of organic material that does not undergo mineralization is termed humus. Fulvic and humic acids fall under the tripartite umbrella of humic substances, and they differ in molecular weight, oxygen and carbon content, and degree of polymerization [3]. Fulvic acids have a low molecular weight and are soluble in both acidic and alkaline solvents, while humic acids have a higher molecular weight than fulvic acids and are only soluble in water under alkaline conditions [4]. For convenience, fulvic and humic acids are often spoken of in the singular: fulvic acid and humic acid.
However, the traditional view of humification has been challenged with the argument that soil organic matter, as it exists naturally, does not simply consist of distinct, seriately-developed humic substances, but instead stands as “a continuum of organic fragments that are continuously processed by the decomposer community towards smaller molecular size” [5]. Thus, fulvic and humic acids, in their natural state and environment, might be defined plainly as aggregate soil constituents. And with particular regard to fulvic and humic acid supplements, it’s important to understand that “fulvic and humic acid functions should be expected to have a spectrum of properties depending upon the type and amount of inorganic impurities,” as expressed by Malcolm in his 1976 paper [6]. So a fulvic or humic acid supplement sourced from one location can have a markedly different composition than a fulvic or humic acid supplement sourced from a different location. Of course, purification processes can be used to better isolate fulvic and humic acids from humus samples, but the extent of and method used for purification by supplement manufacturers is tough to ascertain [7]. Also, organically-grown root vegetables should contain at least a small amount of fulvic and humic acids [8]. Now that we know what humic substances are, we can move on to looking at the possible benefits that could be derived from a fulvic or humic acid supplement, examining some risks along the way. Fulvic acids have a strong chelation capacity, and normally help deliver utilizable minerals to plants while thwarting the uptake of toxic metals. In a porcine model, fulvic acid supplementation was able to decrease the toxicity of copper, suggesting that humic substances may be able to sequester problematic metals [9]. However, humic substances may interfere with the availability of minerals like iron, zinc, and manganese in humans, even though they typically do a great job of facilitating nutrient uptake in plants [10] [11]. Undeniably, humic substances are excellent environmental detoxifiers, and they can skillfully bind to toxic metals like lead, mercury, aluminum, and cadmium, as well as pesticides and other toxicants [12] [13]. Fulvic and humic acids can also enhance the water solubility of pesticides and organic pollutants, which should facilitate their excretion from the body [14]. Fulvic and humic acids can form chelate complexes with bacterial and fungal toxins too [15]. Accordingly, in supplemental form, fulvic and humic acids have as their most touted asset their detoxification potential. The problem is that the detoxification potential of humic substances depends upon their source, quality, and purity – huge wildcards in the current, very non-standardized market of humus extracts [16]. Humic substances can activate macrophages and stimulate the activity of neutrophils and T cells, but their immunomodulatory action appears to be complex and conditional, so it’s hard to say whether supplementation with humic substances is likely to improve immune function or aggravate it [17]. Though humic substances have been seen to exert anti-inflammatory effects via inhibiting cytokine release and activation of the complement system (which is probably why they can suppress delayed hypersensitivity reactions), in addition to curbing homocysteine-induced COX-2 expression in human white blood cells [18] [19]. Homocysteine is an amino acid metabolite of methionine, and COX-2 is an enzyme associated with the making of proinflammatory prostaglandins (fun fact: vitamin D3 can also suppress the COX-2 enzyme) [20]. In a study conducted by Ansorg and Rochus, humic acids have exhibited antimicrobial action against such microbes as Streptococcus pyogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans, but the authors stated that “The spectrum and degree of activity…” varied “according to the origin and extraction mode of the natural humic acids” [21]. An antiviral potential of humic acids has also been observed [22]. In plants, humic substances have been described as agents which can mitigate the impact of environmental stressors, but it would be a little bold to assume that the same function would be seen in humans upon ingestion [23]. Moreover, humic substances often behave as conjurers of stress themselves [24]. Humic substances serve as free radical carriers for the plants they relate with, and humic acids carry a greater quantity of free radicals than fulvic acids do. The delivery of prooxidants to the body by way of humic and fulvic acids may decrease selenium concentrations and increase lipid peroxidation in cell membranes [25]. On the other hand, humic acids have exhibited antioxidant activity when administered to chickens, and have strongly scavenged hydroxyl radicals in rat liver mitochondria [26] [27]. Fulvic and humic acids can increase the efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation inside mitochondria, and it seems fulvic acids do a better job of this [28]. Animal and human data have supported the use of fulvic and humic acid-containing shilajit (a resinous exudate found in sedimentary rock) for enhancing physical performance and relieving fatigue, but native shilajit is often contaminated with microbial debris and heavy metals [29] [30]. Shilajit does have a very long history of use though, and is quite venerated in Ayurvedic medicine [31]. Furthermore, shilajit is one of only a few supplements that can trigger skeletal muscle adaptation to exercise via upregulation of extracellular matrix-related genes associated with muscle tissue elasticity, repair, and regeneration – cool beans [32]. A combination of fulvic and humic acids has demonstrated desmutagenic action in the fava bean plant, meaning that it reduced the capacity of an administered compound to cause genetic mutation [33]. And humic acids have been said to stabilize the intestinal microbiota and improve nutrient utilization in pigs [34]. Fulvic acid does seem to have anti-ulcerogenic properties in that it can bolster the stomach’s mucosa and prevent against the unwanted shedding of mucosal cells [35]. In an in vitro model of Alzheimer’s disease, fulvic acid demonstrated an ability to inhibit the aggregation of tau proteins and disassemble what are termed ‘paired helical filaments’ [36]. Tau proteins normally help stabilize the cytoskeleton of CNS cells, but when they become tangled they can twist and basically suffocate brain cells to death. Fulvic acid has been used successfully in the topical treatment of eczema, with a slight and temporary burning sensation being the only side effect reported (though there was a statistically significant elevation in the liver function marker aspartate transaminase or AST) [37]. Now here’s a big one: consuming fulvic acids in combination with chlorinated municipal water can lead to the formation of chloroform and other trihalomethanes, adding to the degree of trihalomethane exposure as these toxins will already be present in chlorinated drinking water [38] [39]. Granted, none of us should be drinking unfiltered tap water, but doing so in combination with the ingestion of supplemental humic substances is definitely not recommended. Fulvic acid supplementation has been shown to degenerate articular cartilage and cause irregular bone formation in mice [40] [41]. Furthermore, humic acid has caused growth arrest and apoptosis in human fibroblasts (connective tissue cells), forestalling wound repair [42]. Evidence suggests that fulvic acid may also have a mild hypothyroid effect when introduced to the body, even though humic substances can contain iodine [43] [44]. In conclusion, a few hundred years ago the occasional use of a carefully collected and purified sample of already clean shilajit was likely quite therapeutic. But today, in my opinion and with few exceptions, humus extracts are probably more suited for use in agriculture than medicine. Frankly, there exist safer detoxification aides, as well as safer and more effective antioxidant and mineral sources, so justifying the use of fulvic and humic acid supplements is difficult given their riskiness. I hope this research was useful. Have a great day. References:
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AuthorDenton Coleman is an Exercise Physiologist and Medical Researcher. Archives
October 2023
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