What is Fulvic and Humic Acids and Their Food Sources

What Does Fulvic Acid Do For Your Body?

From plant life to animal life, fulvic acid plays an extensive role in transporting nutrients in and out of cells, facilitating biological trash removal, “digesting” inorganic compounds and balancing cellular electrolytes. It acts as a go-between by converting inorganic substances into their organic bioavailable forms.

Fulvic acid can do this because it has a high affinity for ionic particles, forming complex ionic trace mineral bonds between them. One molecule of fulvic acid is capable of holding up to 60 other ionic particles or trace minerals!

Inside the human body, this translates to significantly improved absorption of trace minerals and other essential nutrients. Apart from this, Fulvic Acid also alters a cell’s membrane, making it more permeable and allowing more nutrients to pass through. Furthermore, it helps the gut to be more hospitable to probiotic bacteria, ensuring more nutrients can be processed and produced by them, in turn providing more for us as a whole.

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Did You Know: Folic Acid and Fulvic Acid Are Not the Same Thing!

Fulvic acid is completely different from folic acid. Folic acid is vitamin B9, an essential nutrient derived from grains that is important for neurological health.

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The affinity fulvic acid has for trace minerals is what allows it to bind and facilitate nutritional recycling back into nature via decomposition.

1. Due to its richness and wide array of minerals, fulvic acid is perhaps one of the most powerful natural electrolytes.

Another feature that makes fulvic acid so rejuvenating is that it is the most powerful natural electrolyte. Electrolytes are needed for the maintenance of wellness in any organic body. They restore each individual cell to its ideal chemical balance, effectively lengthening the cell’s lifespan. When this electrochemical potential is exhausted, the cell dies.

Weird Fact: Nobody Truly Knows How Fulvic Acid Does It

In spite of the many anecdotal testimonies, traditional uses and scientific observations regarding fulvic acid, nobody actually understands how it works!

Many studies have been done to try and get a grip on what fulvic acid looks like on a molecular level to try and find its pure underlying structure – but to no avail33.

Every time fulvic acid is extracted from a natural source, it looks different, and every time it is exposed to a new environment with different ionic particles, it changes in make-up and structure.

In fact, it is so tricky to ascertain fulvic acid’s nature that sending the same sample of organic matter to multiple laboratories will give you a different reading each time.

For the same reasons, nobody can give an exact amount of how much fulvic acid is inside a substance at any given time; they can only give an indication.

This counts for anything it comes into contact with, whether dirt, water, plants or animals – fulvic acid just seems to know what’s required for well-being at the cellular level in any given situation!

There is a good chance that science will never understand how it works, what its pure form looks like or how to artificially make it.

All we know at this point is that all life on Earth would suffer without it, which is why it is important to ensure we include it in our diets.

Fulvic Acid is a Key Ingredient for Wellness

Asking why we need fulvic acid is essentially the same as asking why we need nutrients, as fulvic acid plays a big role in helping us to absorb trace minerals. We need both in the right quantities to feel well and thrive. The simplest way for us to obtain nutrients is by consuming natural, plant-based foods, which contain an abundance of vitamins, trace minerals and more. Doing that alone might be not enough, however!

A Brief History of Fulvic Acid in Medicine

Dating far back through history, peloids such as peat, shilajit and nutritious soils were used for all sorts of conditions, as it was believed they had an positive effects.

These ancient soils were a rich source of fulvic acid, which is likely to be one of the reasons our predecessors benefited from them.

Shilajit is the oldest documented remedy that contains fulvic acid, with an impressive track record dating back more than 3,000 years. Ayurvedic practitioners still use it today as part of their approach for every kind of condition.

Early Modern Use

The Chinese were among some of the first to have recorded using peat from the 15th century, followed by the Europeans who favored mud baths for wellness. Today mud baths are still used in spas as a part of balneotherapy for the body.

Re-Emerging Practices

This practice lost popularity through advances in medicine until just recently. Scientists are now beginning to come full circle after doing more research on fulvic acid. A few of these research papers show promising results that suggest fulvic acid and soil-based organisms may boost immune function. Presently, however, fulvic acid is used mainly as a nutritional supplement.

In spite of a rich history rooted in traditional medicine, there is inconclusive evidence to confirm that fulvic acid potency. There is, however, a small, growing body of supportive data that is opening the gates toward further discussion, new research and perhaps a brighter future!

Why Trace Mineral Absorption is Important

Trace minerals are part of the raw base materials our cells use to build or create anything in the body on a microscopic level. They are used to catalyze reactions, produce everything from new tissues to energy and are also required as coenzymes for the absorption of other nutrients like vitamins.

While we need to make sure to get enough minerals, the most challenging part of optimizing our nutrition is its delivery into the cells. All nutrients have to bypass our immune system, be processed by our gut bacteria and get through cellular membranes, or they will not be absorbed at all.

Our ancestors used to consume ultra trace amounts of fulvic acid on a daily basis in the form of organic produce which, unbeknownst to them, would enhance the way they absorbed dietary nutrients.

Unfortunately, poor modern farming practices such as pesticides, chemical fertilizers, overproduction and erosion, have encouraged the Earth's soils to suffer from both severe mineral depletion and a loss of healthy bacterial diversity. The ground is exhausted, barren and sick. Thus, plants lack the necessary components that support nutritional absorption, such as fulvic acid.

Due to these modern conditions, it has become a fact that we do not get enough trace minerals from the food we eat and thus a fulvic acid supplement might be desirable for optimal well-being.

Chemical Properties of Fulvic Acid

Even though scientists are a bit clueless about fulvic acid's chemical formula, they do know how to identify it based on its unique yellow color (once extracted) and also due to a few chemical properties that only it can display.

Fulvic Acid's Ionic Nature & Ultra-Tiny Size

Fulvic acid is composed of particles that are much smaller than humic acid. All the particles in fulvic acid are ionic by nature, which is not strictly the case with humic acid or humin, even though they also do tend to have charged particles and also contribute to the mineral holding capacity of soils.

The ionic nature of fulvic acid makes it incredibly easy for ions to bind to it or be exchanged for other ions. This is what contributes to the way it holds nutrients in the soil, but more importantly to how it interacts at the cellular levels in our bodies. Our cells are designed to absorb ionic particles with a charge along an electric-potential gradient, meaning that ions with the right charge (usually also bound to a substance) are propelled to move to an area lacking that charge to achieve an electro-chemical balance (i.e. inside the cell).

Scientists are starting to look seriously at fulvic acid as a carrier molecule for drug delivery due to its ionic nature and incredibly high biocompatibility. Cells allow fulvic acid inside of them very easily due to its ionic nature. This is also why fulvic acid substances like shilajit have been used in holistic preparations for centuries, as it increases the effects of anything it is paired with by making it easier for cells to absorb.

Is Fulvic Acid Colloidal or Ionic?

Fulvic acid is ionic and not colloidal. It should be noted that humic acid is comprised of a mixture of both ionic and colloidal particles. Contrary to popular belief, colloidal particles also have a charge, however, the charge is a lot weaker than ionic particles as colloids are already contained within a strong bond, suspension or crystalline structure, as opposed to ionic particles which are more free (or loosely bound as seen in fulvic acid), charged and easily exchangeable.

How is Fulvic Acid Produced?

Scientists have found it impossible to synthesize fulvic acids in a laboratory from scratch due to their complexity. With names like “10H-pyrano(4,3-b)(1)benzopyran-9-carboxylic acid”, who can blame them?

This is because fulvic acid is composed of a series of ionic trace mineral bonds and tends to change its structure and function depending on what elements it’s exposed to. Only nature could produce such complicated substances! Therefore, the only way to produce it commercially is to extract it from an organic substance that already contains natural fulvic acid.

Adsorption & Complex-Forming Ability

Adsorption

Both fulvic and humic acid have a high affinity for binding to compounds in soil and water, keeping them subdued and essentially rendering them chemically inert. This is similar to chelation, however in chelation, only the atomic binding sites on the ion are "plugged up" with a suitable charge, whereas adsorption covers the entire particle. Fulvic acid and humic acid can do both, effectively acting as the universal janitors of the environment!

This same ability is also what allows these compounds to exchange beneficial mineral ions and form the amazing trace mineral complexes that they are famous for in both the agricultural community and natural supplement world.

Opposites Attract

You may be wondering how these substances seem to allow for the good mineral ions (like potassium, magnesium, etc) to be exchanged, while trapping the bad ones. Scientists are still trying to get a grip on fulvic acid's nature and ascertain exactly how it is able to do this, however, the most likely answer at this point lies within the charge of the ions it possesses.

If you take a trip back to chemistry class, you may remember that all atoms have an outer shell with electrons and that some atomic shells have only a few electrons (giving them a positive charge), while others have more and are looking to complete their outer shell (negative charge).

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Did You Know: There are more than 50 methods of extracting concentrated fulvic acid, but they all end up with the same result.

To get a concentrated fulvic acid, humins, humic acids, impurities and other components must be removed from the source, whether it’s peat or something similar. Most methods of extracting fulvic acid involve the use of chemicals, but these chemicals are eventually neutralized and removed. The end result is a pure fulvic acid product.

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Organic life forms are made to interact with ions that their cells can use, which means that the cell already has a way to bind with what it can use and not with what it can't. For example, oxygen binds to the iron-based heme protein in hemoglobin in blood to be transported around the body; without being bound, oxygen would cause tremendous damage to our cells. So without anything to contain "destructive" ions, they become a problem - either by trying to pluck electrons from cells to complete their outer shell or by having loose electrons that effect damage to our cells.

An Elusive Theory

Even though this picture likely covers many scenarios in theory, it still does not explain how fulvic acid works in its entirety. Fulvic acid has a somewhat unpredictable nature and tends to act differently depending on what environment it is in and the substances it is exposed to. Furthermore, our cells are capable of making mistakes - such as adsorbing the wrong mineral ion with the same charge - which is not accounted for in this theory. However, in the majority of cases, it appears that fulvic acid works to balance the environment it is in through finding an electro-chemical balance.

What is Cation Exchange Capacity?

Cation exchange capacity (CEC) is the ability of a soil to store positively charged ions (cations) such as potassium, calcium and magnesium3. Organic matter in the soil is known to have a very high CEC, as many charged particles get released during its breakdown via mineralization. This high electro-chemical attraction is the exact mechanism that allows organic matter in soil to hold nutrients intact like a sponge, allowing plants and soil organisms to thrive. You also get Anion Exchange Capacity (AEC), which also occurs in soil but much less than CEC. In unhealthy soils with lots of erosion and loss of nutrients, there is very high AEC and low CEC.

Why Does Fulvic Acid Have a Greater Cation Exchange Capacity?

Fulvic acid has a greater CEC than either humins or humic acids because it works on a much smaller scale and specifically only with ionic particles. Humins, for example, contain a wide variety of large particles that still need to be broken down further before they have a charge suitable enough for attracting and holding cations; however this breakdown helps to fuel the process and contributes to a long-lasting CEC.

pH Scale / Wikimedia Commons

pH & Water Solubility

Fulvic acid is water soluble at any pH from 1 to 14, according to one science paper on the matter.

Both humic and fulvic acids show a gradual increase in negative charge with increasing pH due to the dissociation of protons. It is now well-established that the carboxylic-type groups are mainly responsible for this behavior over the lower pH range, say below a pH of 7. The phenolic-type groups that are also known to be present are expected to contribute more to the charging behavior at higher pH values.

This means that as the pH increases, fulvic and humic acids will donate protons and therefore become slightly more negatively charged, which is a property of some weak acids that tend to alkalinize substances. However, it is also seen that different sources of fulvic acid react differently to one another and therefore it is difficult to make any direct statement about how it will function at any pH.

Does Fulvic Acid Alkalize Water?

It is difficult to say for sure whether fulvic acid alkalizes water. As it is observed to release more protons with increasing pH, and alkaline substances accept/have protons, there is a good chance it will alkalize your water. Due to its tricky nature, factors such as where the fulvic acid was extracted and what else it may be bonded with may affect the way it interacts with water, which is why one can't be 100% sure about this.

Fulvic Acid as a Carrier for Bioactive Molecules

Humic and fulvic acids are not only ionic and water soluble by nature, but they are also potentially capable of carrying a whole host of other substances, allowing them to cross cellular membranes and also be water soluble to a certain degree (even if these substances do not have a strong charge or are usually insoluble in water). The secret behind this phenomenon lies in micro pores (or holes) found prolifically throughout the structure of both humic and fulvic acid. When other substances like fats are stored in these micro pores, they can then also easily pass through membranes and dissolve in water alongside the ionic minerals in both organic acids, remaining contained neatly inside their structure.

Melting Point

Both humic and fulvic acids have melting points of over 572°F (300°C). However, if exposed to temperatures above 102°F (39°C), any enzymes present inside these molecules will begin to denature and their quality will be destroyed. Prolonged exposure to any heat above that temperature will also begin to destabilize ionic bonds and may also start to oxidize the substance, potentially causing free radicals to be released in the process.

Fulvic Acid Food Sources

It is clear that many of us are deficient in nutrients and fulvic acid and that we should be consuming more of each to ensure that we have enough fulvic minerals in our body. So now the question remains: where can we get more fulvic acid?

Fulvic Acid-Rich Foods

Foods highest in fulvic acid will be those found growing in healthy soils, as well as sea vegetables or foods grown in large bodies of natural water. These include:

• Root vegetables: beetroots, carrots, turnips, parsnips, radishes, potatoes, dandelion roots, ginger, turmeric, arrowroot, maca, any other edible roots.
• Bulb vegetables: onions, spring onions, leeks, shallots, garlic.
• Sea vegetables: seaweed, nori, kelp, dulse.
• Other: blackstrap molasses.

Leafy green vegetables and any other vegetables grown very low to the ground or that touch the soil may also contain very small amounts of fulvic acid.

Essentially organic foods will have the highest concentration of fulvic acid as pesticides and chemicals kill off the beneficial soil bacteria that produce it. Incorporating more of the above raw foods into your diet will also help keep the fulvic acid intact, as heating it may destroy some of its properties. Non-GMO produce and whole foods (i.e. eating the whole plant vs one part of it) typically both contain a larger quantity and balanced variety of nutrients, which complements fulvic acid's actions and boosts our overall well-being.

Fulvic Acid Supplements

Fulvic acid is available in a concentrated form in some health shops and online. Out of all the options available this is the easiest go-to option, but it can also be the most unbalanced. After all, we are designed to take fulvic acid in very small quantities when we eat plant-based foods grown in thriving soils and not so much in large artificial concentrations.

Furthermore, the concentration of fulvic acid in any medium is just as much a mystery as its chemical structure! Any two laboratories will give a different percentage for the amount of fulvic acid contained within a sample, even if the same methods were used, meaning that you can't ever be sure of how concentrated your fulvic acid supplement is. There is no such thing as a 100% pure concentrate, and any figure you see regarding a set amount of fulvic acid is more of an educated guess that will differ depending on who you ask.

The source of fulvic acid is another consideration to keep in mind. Some fulvic acid (known as oxifulvic acid) is derived from coal, while other fulvic acid is derived from lakes that have possibly toxic levels of pollution.

It is better to use a natural supplement like humate or shilajit alongside a healthy diet rich in organic produce to get your fulvic acid fix. However, if you are dead set on a fulvic acid "concentrate", then there are ways to source a good quality supplement.

Fulvic Acid in Shilajit

Shilajit is found in the serene surroundings of mountains, and it is the only natural source of fulvic acid ready for human consumption. By geographical origin, shilajit is mostly found in Siberia and the Himalayas. To know what is the difference between these two types of shilajit, read our article Altai shilajit vs Himalayan shilajit. Shilajit is known to have the highest content of fulvic acid over any other source found in nature. Moreover, there are a lot of shilajit benefits for wellness.

Therefore, one of the best ways to obtain fulvic minerals supplementally is to use shilajit, as the proportions are naturally balanced and work appropriately with our biology.

What is a Shilajit Fulvic Acid Complex?

What is Shilajit? Shilajit is the culmination of hundreds to millions of years of organic matter decomposition and geological "digestion", resulting in a highly stable, nutritious substance that is loaded with humic and fulvic acids, trace minerals and many other beneficial components like amino acids and healthy fats. Fulvic acid's high affinity for trace minerals is what allows for nutritious substances like shilajit to come together, creating a powerful cocktail of trace minerals that easily bypasses cellular membranes.

How Much Fulvic Acid is Naturally in Shilajit?

Shilajit contains 5%-60% fulvic acid depends on the shilajit type, region, and particularly the method or analysis. If it has been exposed to excessive heat or oxygen during purification, it may contain less, so be sure to purchase one that has been properly processed. If a product is said to contain more, then likely additional fulvic acid has been included artificially. However, it is best to consume shilajit as is, as somehow nature’s creation is perfectly balanced and our bodies respond best to this.

Check the Shilajit Prices

Other Sources of Fulvic Acid

Aside from including fulvic acid in your diet through the above sources, one can also receive it through the skin while immersing in nature. Since fulvic acid is naturally found in soil and large bodies of water, the following activities will boost your exposure to this wonderful nutrient:

• Swimming in the ocean, a natural lake, river or hot springs
• Gardening or playing in the dirt
• Taking an interactive walk through a forest or similar natural setting
• Gardening or playing in the dirt
• Using bentonite clay mud mask or bath

Of course, the above activities will not be as potent as ingesting fulvic acid from food sources, yet at the same time, one does not need much of it to make a difference. A little bit of nature truly goes a long way toward our vitality and well-being!

How to Take Fulvic Acid

There are many ways how you can take fulvic acid.

1. Consume diluted in a beverage since fulvic acid supplements primarily come in the form of a powder or a liquid.
2. Soak your food in it to clean the food and add extra nutritional value to your diet.
3. Adding raw fulvic acid to food in very small quantities will also work, as long as you follow the dosage guidelines on your supplement and do not go against the contraindications mentioned in the safety section below.

What is the Best Way to Take Fulvic Acid?

The best way to take a fulvic acid concentrate is simply by diluting it in distilled or reverse osmosis water and drinking it as well as consuming a healthy diet rich in the organic foods listed above under the dietary sources section.

In terms of taste, fulvic acid on its own tends to have a sharp flavor, and so some like to mix it with their favorite beverage instead. Never mix it with alcohol, pharmaceutical drugs or any substances that you might react to because it will enhance your absorption of those substances and therefore the side effects. Tap water and halogens like fluorine and chlorine will also react with it to form toxic by-products, so never drink it with tap water.

Fulvic Acid Recipes

For those of you who are open to experimenting, here are some great recipes to use for incorporating more fulvic acid into your diet!

Fulvic Honey Mustard Lemon Salad Dressing

Preparation time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

• Olive oil - 1/4 cup
• Lemon juice - 1/4 cup
• Honey - 2 tbsp
• Stone-ground/smooth mustard (make sure there is no alcohol in the ingredients) - 2 tbsp
• Snipped fresh thyme (optional) - 1 tsp
• Pink Himalayan or sea salt - 1/4 tsp
• Ground black pepper - a pinch
• Turmeric (optional) - a pinch
• Fulvic acid concentrate (or 1 dose as per instructions) - 2-3 drops

Valeria Boltneva / pexels

Method:

Adapted from Diabetic Living Magazine at EatingWell.com

Anna Tarazevich / pexels

Fulvic Chocolate Ganache Truffles

Preparation time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

• Dark chocolate or vegan chocolate of choice, broken in pieces - 1/3 cup (200g or 7oz)
• Heavy whipping cream or coconut cream - 1/2 cup
• Cocoa powder or raw cacao powder - 1/2 cup
• Shilajit or fulvic acid concentrate - 1 dose

Method:

1. Finely chop chocolate and place in a heat-proof bowl.
2. Heat cream in a saucepan till it begins to simmer and is hot to the touch, but do not let it boil.
3. Immediately pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 3-5 mins before whisking till smooth. The ganache part is ready!
4. At this point it shouldn't be too hot to touch. Whisk in the shilajit or fulvic acid till fully incorporated. PRO TIP: If using powder, sieve it in to avoid lumps. If using shilajit resin, melt it in ±2 tsp warm water so that it matches the consistency of the chocolate ganache and blends in smoothly.

5. Cover and place in the fridge to set (±1-2 hours). If you live in a cold climate or have a cold fridge, check on it after every 30 mins as you don't want it to become rock hard. It should be a similar consistency to cookie dough and easy to work with in your hands.
6. Sieve the cocoa or cacao into a mixing bowl.
7. Scoop out evenly sized balls with a cookie scoop or use a tablespoon and judge with your hands - one truffle should fit snugly in the palm of your hand, using ±1 tbsp ganache. Roll the balls smooth with your hands before immersing them in the cocoa and giving them an even coating all over.
8. Store in the fridge and enjoy!

Adapted from SweetestMenu.com

Does Fulvic Acid Need to Be Refrigerated?

Fulvic acid does not necessarily need to be refrigerated. It needs to be stored in a dark, cool place below 104F (40C) in an airtight container away from heat and light. If you live in an area that has a room temperature higher than that on average, then you ought to store it in the fridge.

Does Fulvic Acid Have an Expiry Date?

Fulvic acid does not have a known expiry date when stored under the right conditions, away from heat, light and oxygen. Exposure to halogens (like chlorine in tap water) and plastic may also degrade the quality of the fulvic acid, allowing for it to "spoil". Manufacturers often give their fulvic supplements an expiry date of 2-5 years on average, although most of them will tell you that it's more for safety and the water part than the fulvic part.

3 Other Ways How to Use Fulvic Acid

Aside from taking it internally for a nutritional boost or basking in it externally, fulvic acid has several other practical applications.

#1 Gardening

The bacteria at the roots of plants need moisture to flourish but also so that they can create fulvic acid and multiple other enzymes. These organic acids and enzymes work continuously to break down minerals into ions so that both the bacteria and plants can absorb them. In turn, the plants also "sweat" out nutrients to keep feeding the bacteria. In dead soils, fulvic acid supplemented in VERY SMALL amounts helps to shift the soil pH favorably so that these bacteria can thrive as well as promoting the quick breakdown of organic matter and nutrients. This in turn helps plants to thrive.

Be careful though. Too much fulvic or humic acid can cause root deformation and is not healthy for the plants, capable of causing either root burn, soil sterilization or a bacterial overgrowth.

Moist, well-nourished soil will benefit from occasional fulvic acid supplementation since it promotes the growth of soil bacteria, which produce more humic acid and fulvic acid. So space out the feedings with fulvic acid and use it sparingly.

How to Make Fulvic Acid in the Garden

Soil bacteria make fulvic acid all the time, as do the colonies present in a healthy thriving compost heap!

Making compost is one of the easiest ways to incorporate fulvic acid back into the garden.

1. For the best results, use plant-based kitchen scraps, grass trimmings, and wood cuttings.
2. Make sure the compost heap is piled high (not wide) and remains perfectly moist at all times (but not soggy).
3. Chopping up the ingredients helps incorporate more air, as does flipping the compost heap every now and then. Soil bacteria need small pockets of air to thrive as much as they do water and organic matter, allowing them to feed and produce fulvic and humic acid.

How to Make Fulvic Acid at Home

For those of you who can't make compost but still wish to supplement your plants with some fulvic acid, there is another way to make it at home.

Essentially, placing plant-based organic matter in a non-transparent, airtight container and leaving it for 6-8 months in a cool, dark place will generate a bunch of organic acids, including humic and fulvic acids. This is pretty much small-scale composting that can be done inside the home.

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Did You Know: Agricultural fulvic acid powder and the fulvic acid used as a supplement are different!

The fulvic acid meant for human consumption is much more pure. Do not consume agricultural fulvic acid powder!

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The end result is NOT fit for human consumption, however, it is really good for the garden!

We recommend being very patient and waiting out the full time to avoid any unpleasant smells along the way. If your container does not seal properly, wrap it in a black bag and store it outside away from sunlight and heat or in an area where it will not be bothered or bother anybody (such as your basement or attic).

Using leafy green vegetables that have a high moisture content works best as these are loaded with water, nutrients and fiber that allow the bacteria to do their thing. Other kinds of organic matter also work but may take longer.

You'll know it's ready by the following indications:

1. It smells neutral with a slight earthiness to it.
2. Any organic matter that was there will have completely turned into a dark brown or black liquid. If there are any particles left, they should resemble healthy dark brown-black compost and can just be added to the soil as is.

Once ready, dilute the liquid into water until the water becomes clear again and proceed to feed your plants.