Research and Reference

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Humate, an excellent source of mineral and organic compounds, is the most versatile natural substance ever known,
without it there would be no life. Humates are heterogeneous natural biopolymers that are contained in plant-based
substances derived from peat, brown coal and sediments, and are represented mostly by humic acids (HAs) and
fulvic acids (FAs).
HA is a long chain molecule with a high molecular weight, and is insoluble in water at pH values lower than 3.
Whereas FA is a short chain molecule with a low molecular weight, and is soluble in water even at low pH values. FA
is extracted from HA and the two compounds work synergistically.
HAs and FAs are hydrocarbons made up of an organic portion and an inorganic mineral portion. General properties
of both HAs and FAs relate to their elemental constituents, namely carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and small amounts of
sulfur and phosphorous, as well as oxygen-containing functional groups, such as hydroxyl, carboxyl, carbonyl,
phenolic and quinones. These give rise to their general chemical properties, such as the ability to react with ionic
particles in solution. HAs possess many active hydrogen bonding sites making them very chemically reactive. The
higher molecular weight of HAs relative to FAs affects solubility, carbon and oxygen content, pH, degree of
polymerization, and ion exchange capacity. The chameleon-like humates rapidly change their structures according to
surrounding conditions, such as pH and the metals present. HAs can change their configuration up to
10,000,000,000,000 times per second. They therefore behave more like living creatures than inert substances. Just
like snowflakes, it is impossible to find two humic molecules with the same structure. These amorphous aggregates
cannot be defined by any single molecular structure, or, due to their molecular heterogeneity, even a set of
structures; however, they do exhibit considerable uniformity when considered in terms of average properties.
HA has been used as a folk medicine in India and China for more than 3000 years, where they continue to be used
extensively for treatment of inflammatory-related and ophthalmological diseases, hepatic and viral diseases and
diseases of the gall bladder. As well as for various conditions such as gastric ulcers, acute gastroenteritis, anaemia,
hypercholesterolemia, dermatitis, psoriasis, cold stress, rheumatic pain, diabetes, kidney stones, heart ailments,
leprosy, and immune system diseases 1,2 . Owing to their numerous benefits, HAs were referred to as “Wujinsan”,
meaning “golden medicine” in China.
Regarding the internal use of HAs, research indicated that it is particular useful in the treatment of diarrhoea,
gastritis, stomach ulcers, dysentery, colitis, and diabetes mellitus. HAs have been reported in a number of studies to
exhibit anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and antimicrobial properties. It has also been shown to exhibit anti-
hypoxic, hepatoprotective, cardiovascular, and vasodilating activities. Humate has also been reported to be
radioprotective in rats 1 . Being rich in minerals which are easily assimilated in our body, they maintain growth and
vigour, with amazing anti-aging properties to add.

 

Clinical application
Nutritional benefits

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Modern farming practices have stripped the soil of humates and essential nutrients. With our top soils being
depleted in HA, phytonutrients, micro- and macro-minerals, our food products are devoid of these essential
nutrients, greatly impacting our health. HA and FA supplementation will replace these nutrients back into the diet.
Furthermore, HA and FA complexes enhance mineral and trace element uptake and digestion, while supporting
detoxification of toxic substances and heavy metals 3 .
FA acts as a chelator that carries the minerals, while HA functions as a dilator increasing the cell wall permeability,
which facilitates the transfer of minerals from blood to the bone and cells. Humic substances or their extracts are
medically proven to cause rehabilitation of muscles, bones and nerves, and in dealing with geriatric disorders, such
as arthritis, diabetes, allergic symptoms and dementia 4 . Literature reports additional transport of iodine from foods
into the thyroid gland and increased absorption of calcium and iron 3,5 .

 

Detoxifying and chelating properties
Humic extracts are unique in their chelating ability. When taken orally, they provide a natural chelation therapy for
removing toxins from the body. They attach to the toxins, such as heavy metals, pesticides, radioactive and
nanoparticles, and environmental carcinogens. The toxins are thereby neutralised and their cellular absorption
inhibited, consequently facilitating detoxification via urine, skin, lungs or in the stools. HAs were shown to be
effective in removing botulinum neurotoxins in sub-lethal chronic botulism, and the removal of lead and cadmium 3,4 .
The chelating ability of HAs and FAs are unique. The functional groups of HAs and FAs allow them to form
complexes/chelates with organic substances and cations, such as Mg2+, Ca2+ and Fe2+, therefore regulating
bioavailability of nutrient ions. They participate in ion exchange, undergo sorption on mineral surfaces, and
participate in redox reactions. Dissociated, negatively charged groups can form ionic bonds with polyvalent metals
resulting in the formation of different-sized complexes. When FAs chelate life sustaining minerals, they place an
electric charge on them to form a chemical ‘phyto-state’, so that they are readily absorbed by the cell or organism.
Toxic heavy metals are also chelated, but neutrally charged that prevents cellular absorption 3,4,6 .
HA contains hydrophilic groups that impart remarkable abilities to regulate environmental behaviours and toxicity of
nanomaterials. HA likely has the potential to significantly alter the nanotoxicity of graphene oxide in the
environment and in vivo. HA proofs to be a remarkable antidote to graphene oxide. HA has the potential to increase
the disordered structure and surface negative charges of graphene, thereby reducing its aggregation 7 . Furthermore,
decreased toxicity of graphene oxide in the presence of HA can be ascribed to the alleviation of oxidative damage, as
well as mitigation of surface envelopment and accumulation of graphene oxide 8,9 . HA has the ability to reduce the
interactions between GO and cell structures by regulating the morphology, structures and surface negative charges
of GO. Chen et al. found that HA altered the uptake and deposition of GO and decreased the aggregation of GO in
embryonic yolk cells and deep layer cells of zebrafish. Furthermore, HA mitigated the mitochondrial damage and
oxidative stress induced by GO 10,11 .
Chemically induced heart stoppage in frogs by using the drug strophantinum, was examined. Frogs that were given
humate continuously for 10 days prior to the drug, prolonged the time of heart activity with 48.7% in comparison
with the control group. Additionally, the protective property of humate was revealed when toxic doses of strychnine,
which inhibits metabolism in the central nervous system, were administered to test mice. Of those mice given
humate from 10 days prior to the strychnine treatment, 70% lived, while 100% of the control mice died 3 .
Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties
Humic substances are known to exhibit excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties by neutralising free
radicals. They are known to cure inflammatory diseases such as diabetes,
cardiovascular diseases, rheumatoid arthritis and colitis. Inside the cell,
FA can uncouple the electron transport chain in liver mitochondria, which is associated with lowering reactive oxygen species production. The ages-old FA-rich compound, Shilajit, is known to
reduce hyperglycaemia in diabetic animal models by increasing superoxide dismutase activity in pancreatic beta
cells, therefore preventing free radical damage to these cells. This property, as shown in several hospital studies,
stops the advancement and progression of diabetes, plus assists in the treatment. With FA treatment, diabetic
patients became more energetic and improvement in their neurological symptoms were observed 5 .
The various anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and radio-protective effects of HA seem to be associated, at
least in part, with their antioxidant and antiradical effects. HSs have proved effective in alleviating the adverse
effects of lethal doses of irradiation. The neuroprotective effect of HAs on a cerebral ischemia rat model and gerbil
Hippocampus, the therapeutic effects in renal ischemia reperfusion injury in rats, and protective effects in iron-
induced hepatotoxicity and cardiotoxicity in rats, have been associated with their antioxidant and free radical
scavenging properties. Administration of FA to rats for 4 weeks and fish for 60 days showed significant decrease in
lipid peroxidation and increase in the expression of antioxidant enzymes glutathione, superoxide dismutase and
catalase 4,5 . The reactivity of HAs have been attributed to the presence of phenolic and quinoid moieties, and HAs can
behave as electron donors or acceptors, depending on the redox state of the system. Thus, each HA macromolecule
contains multiple antioxidant sites, a property that makes them very attractive from the environmental and
biomedical point of view 1
A recent study has shown that FA can protect against homocysteine induced inflammation by targeting inhibition of
cyclooxygenase-2 expression in human monocytes. Furthermore, some studies also demonstrated that FA could
inhibit the aggregation of Tau fibrils associated with Alzheimer’s disease 4 . The neuroprotective effects of HA
administered intraperitoneally were described in a focal cerebral ischemia rat model, which might be due to its
antioxidant properties. It was speculated that HA may be applied as a preventive agent in patients with a high risk of
developing ischemia-induced brain injury and ischemic cardiomyopathy 2 .
Humates show clinical benefits in rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and musculoskeletal healing. Not only does
humates relieve swelling from joint inflammation, it has been shown to bond to the collagen fibers to aid in repair of
damaged tendons and bone. Tendon strength has been shown to increase by as much as 75% 3 . It was shown that
humates inhibit degranulation of phagocytes, as well as the activation and/or release of blood products associated
with inflammation, such as cytokines and superoxide dismutase, and the migration and adhesion of inflammation-
related cells to sites where allergic reactions and tissue damage take place. At high concentrations, FA also decreases
the release of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and inhibits nuclear factor kappa B activation. Humate
inhibited a delayed type hypersensitivity reaction in rats immunised with sheep red blood cells, a carrageenan-
induced oedema and a graft-versus-host reaction in rat models, as well as a contact hypersensitivity reaction in rats
sensitised with dinitrofluorobenzene. It was also found that immune-incompetent rats, induced with
cyclophosphamide treatment in the graft-versus-host experiment, did not suffer from the normal associated weight
loss when treated with humates, compared to rats treated with cyclophosphamide alone. Oral humates also showed
positive results in patients with allergic rhinitis and osteoarthritis, with decreased levels of C-reactive protein
observed 2,5 .
Seen that inflammation plays a role during viral and bacterial infections, autoimmune diseases, cancer, allergies,
Alzheimer disease, arthritis and cardiovascular conditions, it is understandable that humates show benefits with all
these conditions by effectively controlling the inflammation.

 

Immune support
Humic substances exert a beneficial effect on the immune system. Humates possess ability to bind sugars and
assemble them to form complex saccharides within the body, such as
glycoproteins, which function as modulators of intercellular interactions.
Glycoproteins bind to T cells and killer cells, keeping them in balance and thus, modulating the immune system. Excessive T cells may lead to development of auto-immune diseases, while
excess killer cells can
attack bone and joints causing arthritis. Medical studies have indicated that HSs prove more effective than several
currently prescribed immune regulatory drugs. Studies on mice have reported strong humoral immune stimulation
by HA and FA supplemented diets 3,5 .
Burn victims and those with radiation sickness experience immune system responses that attack the bodies’ dead
cells, increasing susceptibility to infections. Humates cause the immune system to recognize its own dead cells,
thereby reducing infection. Baylor Medical School researched humates both topically applied and internally dosed
for burn victims to reduce infections. Russian scientists are using the same principle for the treatment of radiation
sickness. Sodium humate has been found to increase the lifespan of mongrel rats exposed to lethal doses of cobalt
radiation 3 . HA’s ability to modulate the body’s immune responses is one of the reasons it has been successful in
treating and curing normally incurable diseases.

 

Antiviral properties
Antiviral properties of soil-derived humate materials have traditionally been known to humans and have been
studied experimentally since decades. Exploration into the mechanism by which humic substances inhibit viral
cytopathicity revealed that these substances attach to the viral envelope protein, thereby coating its receptor sites.
This further disables the virus from being able to bind and infect host cells, thus combating viral replication. Their
potential range of applications cover both naked and enveloped DNA viruses. Viral pathogens for which HSs have
been found effective include rhinoviruses, Coxsackie virus A9, herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2, human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV), influenza type A and B, cytomegalovirus (CMV) and vaccinia virus, as well as other
respiratory tract infections. Excellent multimodal anti-HIV properties of humic substances have been demonstrated.
Researchers are also underway to explore the potential of HSs against the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 3-5 .

 

Blood properties
Presence of humate increases the oxygen carrying capacity of red blood cells and improves blood circulation rate.
Improved rate of healing injuries might be linked to the extra content of oxygen in the body. FAs have shown
improved rate of absorption of iron, making higher concentrations available to bone marrow stem cells for blood
formation. Feeding animals a HA-rich diet has shown improvement in blood parameters, such as increased levels of
total protein, globulin and insulin levels, while blood urea nitrogen, cholesterol, non-esterified free fatty acids and
ketone body concentrations were reduced 3,5 . Treatment with humic extracts have shown noticeable results in
treating patients with normally incurable epidemic haemorrhagic fever. The extracts exhibited instant results in
arresting bleeding, restoring circulation rates, removal of clots, beside displaying anti-viral, and immune modulatory
properties 4 .

 

Cancer research
Conventional anti-cancer therapies like chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy and surgical approaches for
cancer treatment often result in adverse symptoms and recurrence of the tumours. During the procedures of cancer
chemotherapy and radiation therapy, large amounts of free radicals are generated, which also damage the normal
cells surrounding the tumour cell. Hence, there has always been a need for development of cancer management
approaches using non-toxic and natural products. The naturally occurring humic substances have known
anticarcinogenic properties. Naturally-occurring humic substances have proven antioxidant, anti-inflammatory,
antiviral, antimutagenic, heavy metal chelating, apoptotic and photo-protective properties. These properties make
them useful agents for cancer therapy and prevention. Another plus point is that when taken orally, HAs have no
reported side effects and can be administered as a nutritional and rejuvenating tonic in daily routine of the patient.
Numerous hospital studies have shown that humic substances have the
power to protect against cancer and related cancer-causing viruses. It
was found that humic extracts destroy cancer cells, as well as decrease cell proliferation and angiogenesis and thus, curb growth of the cancer. These positive results could be ascribed to
the excellent free radical scavenging and antioxidant properties of humates. This antioxidant activity increases with
increasing concentration of the humic extracts present in the compounds used in cancer therapy. The effect of FA on
three cancer cells lines, namely Hep3B, HT29 and PC3, at different concentrations of FA, revealed that FA inhibited
the proliferation of cancer cells, as well as upregulated the mRNA levels of apoptotic genes in all three cell lines. The
cytotoxic effect of HA with arsenic trioxide on human cervical cancer cells, FA on hepatic cell lines and HA on human
breast adenocarcinoma cells have been well documented 3,4 .

 

Microbial activity and gut health
Sufficient evidence link imbalances in the gut microbiome with many inflammatory and bowel diseases. Humic
substances promote microbial activity by favouring the growth of beneficial microbes in the gut and thus, enhance
nutrient absorption. Increased microbial activity improves fermentation and digestibility of nutrients. Furthermore,
HSs act as natural antibiotics, therefore promoting good microbes and inhibiting bad microbes. Species for which
natural humic substances have been shown to be inhibitory include Candida albicans, Enterobacter cloacae, Proteus
vulgaris, Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis,
and Streptococcus pyogenes. It also has amazing antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties 3,4 .
It was found that HA administered prophylactically to rats, reduced significantly the amount of gastric mucus damage
induced with the application of ethanol. HA also significantly accelerated the healing process of experimentally
induced ulcers 2,3 .
It was discovered that using humates decrease volatile ammonia in animal waste by 64%, reduce odour, and improve
the nitrogen to phosphorus ration in the waste. Observations from field trials on dairy animals indicate a more
complete digestion of feed as observed from the manure and urine. A similar effect has been observed on hogs.
Hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) has also been reduced by the addition of humate to the animal food mix 3 .

 

Overall growth rate and regeneration
Humic substances, with their miraculous anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, immunomodulatory, detoxifying, gut-
promoting and nutritional properties, help to improve overall growth and development 4 . The effect of HA on the
regenerative response of liver tissue has been examined in rats that have undergone two-thirds hepatectomy. Long
term application of HA resulted in the stimulation of ornithine decarboxylase, an increase in spermidine and
histamine, as well as DNA and RNA levels, and in overall liver mass. HAs and FAs have been shown to stimulate
respiration in rat liver mitochondria and increased the efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria in
vitro, particularly after contact periods of over 1 hour. Humates also takes an active part in liver metabolism,
therefore liver function 3 .

 

Body composition
It was demonstrated that dietary supplementation of FA significantly reduced mean back fat thickness of pigs, with
significant increases in serum levels of low-density lipoprotein, leptin, growth hormone, insulin, and triiodothyronine
4 .

 

Stress management
Humates block or reduce the production of stress causing hormones, therefore improving behaviour. They found
that humate-fed animals were less aggressive, least affected by external disturbances like heavy crowds, traffic or
during confinement in closed arenas. Humate supplementation in the diet ameliorated the adverse effects of
increased caging density in hen. This effect has also been noted in farm animals and even fish 3,5 .

 

Skin treatment and anti-aging

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Direct application of mud pack on skin, or as bath therapy, has shown successful results in treating painful body and
skin ailments. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties of FA and HA extracts present in mud help
combating the symptoms and treating the condition effectively. The extracts are found safe when applied in
amounts as high as 10 percent weight-by-volume. FA or humic extracts can be applied in the form of masks,
bandages, bath therapy or mud packs, as in balneotherapy done in various spas around the world. These extracts are
selectively absorbed via the skin and have a stimulatory response on the spontaneous contractile activity of smooth
muscle tissue. Hospital studies have shown effective use of HA in baths or packs used externally for the treatment of
hematoma, phlebitis, desmorrhexis, myogelosis, arthrosis, polyarthritis, osteoarthritis, and osteochondrosis, as well
as skin conditions such as eczema, dermatitis and psoriasis, including ulcers, common cold or flu. Patients exhibited
healing effects and were significantly relieved of pain and inflammation in a few sessions only 2 .
When FA were applied topically to allergic individuals, it significantly reduced a wheel and flare reaction after
intradermal allergen challenge, which was similar to that of hydrocortisone 2 . It was demonstrated that topically
applied FA can reduce the size of wounds infected with Staphylococcus aureus and other antibiotic-resistant
pathogens, thus stopping the progression of the infection 12 .
Anti-aging properties are due to HA’s regenerating properties, replacing dead skins cells with new elastic cells,
reducing wrinkles and black spots, as well as skin tumors.

 

Safety aspects
Humate is a safe material and exists in all soils, plants and animals. Industry has safely been using these products for
detoxification from industrial exposure to toxic heavy metals in both humans and in animals. Various studies have
been conducted on both animals and humans over several years to test the effectiveness and safety of HA and FA on
various human diseases. It has been demonstrated that the no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL) of FA from a
60-day study was determined to be the highest dose tested (5,000 mg/kg BW/day) 4 . In the human clinical toxicity
assessment study, FA is indicated to be safe in humans at a daily dosage of 1.8 g (equal to purified FA at 30
mg/BW/day). In a preclinical toxicity study, there was no adverse effect on the pups when pregnant female rats were
orally administered with HA at 500 mg/kg BW/day for 1 month. HA is a safe natural active substance and largely
nontoxic and nonteratogenic 2,4,13 .
Scientist at the Drepropetrovish Agricultural Institute in Mosco revealed humate harmless with respect to blood,
cardiovascular and endocrine system, and other vitally important organs using patho-histological and histochemical
methods. Humate does not cause allergic reactions, anaphylaxis (unexpected reactions) to other medicines; it is an
apyrogen. Humate does not have embryo-toxic properties. Current repeat toxicity studies indicated total safety of
HA at levels up to 1g/kg of body weight, whereas fulvic acid is safe in humans up to a daily dosage of 1.8g per adult
2,3 .

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