Some Humifulvate® Science - Chapter 4: Conclusion

Humic substances exist in all environments including soils, groundwater, streams, estuaries, and oceans. They are very reactive and are important participants in many geo-chemical reactions and processes. The functions they perform are multiple and varied and include, but are not limited to, the mobilisation and transport of metal ions, contribution to the cation-exchange capacity of peat, soil, and water and binding of various organic molecules such as carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins. Furthermore, they may also reduce the toxicity of certain toxic compounds found in soils and waters. These characteristics provide a good basis for the substantiation of the role that these substances can have in animal and human health.

However, the data on humic substances and an accepted conceptual framework of their role in the environment remain to be rather complex issues. Therefore, further research is needed to discern their actual physiological significance. It seems that the observed differences and variable results in the literature may be due to differences in humic substances or the experimental conditions used in the collecting of data. Such differences emphasise the care that must be used in attempting to draw conclusions from data collected by different workers using different humic substances and experimental conditions. Thus, it is imperative to characterise humic substances in terms of their origin and environment, rather than in definite terms of chemical composition and/or properties; especially when investigating their potential therapeutic activity in vitro, in vivo, and in human clinical trials. This is why so much emphasis has been placed on the particular origin and environment of the standardised Humifulvate complex.

Based on the available data on humic substances and HFC it can be concluded that these compounds have physicochemical properties that may lend them to be beneficial agents in the health and well-being of animals and humans. Due to the formation and chemical structure of humic acid and fulvic acid from plant lignins, polyphenolic compounds contribute partly to the functional capacity of these humic substances. Polyphenols are known chelators of various metal ions and promoters of the utilisation of essential minerals and trace elements in the body. Their combination with a bound multimineral complex was shown to restore iron and copper levels and haemopoietic profiles as well as reduce blood levels of heavy metals. In addition, this standardised HFC showed positive effects in regenerating hair loss, treating chronic eczema, and roborating individuals with serious illness and disease, which may be attributable to its ability to restore the necessary minerals that are lacking in these conditions. Minerals and trace elements bound to this standardised HFC are certainly absorbed very efficiently as compared to inorganic mineral supplements. This has been attributed to their binding with the organic compounds humic acid and fulvic acid, which support the function of transport proteins in the body; thereby promoting the effective uptake of these nutrients into cells and tissues.

The available literature on the safety of HFC for its use in dietary supplements appears very promising. Studies with the standardised HFC provide documentation on the safety of this product in respect to toxicology and mutageneseis. The diseases endemic to China (Blackfoot disease and Keshan Beck disease) appear to be related to an accumulation of other factors rather than just humic substances acting alone. Furthermore, the source of Humifulvate used in HFC is different in respect to its origin, amount ingested and the lack of combined toxic elements that are found in humic substances in the endemic regions in China.

Expert opinions have documented the safety of the standardised Humifulvate mulitmineral liquid concentrate based on in vitro an in vivo research. A number of human clinical trials should be considered as important data justifying the use of HFC as a dietary supplement. Furthermore, the effects of this standardised HFC on the long-term use in paediatric patients and those with cancer are promising. The available literature on the standardised HFC confirms the safety and efficacy of this new dietary supplement as a source of essential minerals and trace elements as well as a facilitator of the proper utilisation of these nutrients.

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Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3