Fulvic Acid
Also known as: fulvic acid, FA, humic and fulvic acid complex, humic fulvic blend, FeedMAX 15
Effective Dosage
No established dose for humans based on provided studies
What the Science Says
Fulvic acid is a natural compound formed from the breakdown of organic matter in soil, peat, and low-rank coal. In animal studies, it has shown antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties — one rat study found it reduced liver damage caused by a common antibiotic by lowering oxidative stress markers and reducing cell death signals. A cattle study found modest improvements in daily weight gain and feed efficiency when fulvic acid was added to feed. Human clinical evidence is essentially absent from the available research.
What It Doesn't Do
No human clinical trials support the popular claims that it 'detoxifies' the body, boosts energy, or enhances nutrient absorption in people. No evidence it improves gut health or immunity in humans. The animal growth data does not translate to human performance benefits. It did not fix diarrhea caused by high-sulfate water in pigs. Most of the published research on fulvic acid involves soil science, water treatment, and environmental chemistry — not human health.
Evidence-Based Benefits
In a rat model, fulvic acid at 100 mg/kg/day attenuated antibiotic-induced liver injury by reducing oxidative stress markers and proapoptotic signaling (PMID: 41494743). In animal agriculture, a humic and fulvic acid complex improved average daily gain and feed conversion efficiency in feedlot cattle (PMID: 18271826), and dietary fulvic acid supplementation improved growth performance and gut microbiota composition in fish under heat stress (PMID: 41196432). No human clinical trials are represented in the provided papers.
Weak EvidenceEffective at: No established dose for humans based on provided studies
Source: auto-research
Absorption & Bioavailability
Unknown — no human pharmacokinetic or absorption data in the provided studies
Red Flags to Watch For
- No human clinical trials in the provided evidence base — all health-relevant studies are in animals (rats, cattle, fish)
- Fulvic acid is sourced from coal, peat, and soil — quality, purity, and contaminant levels vary widely by extraction method and raw material
- Widely marketed for detox and energy with essentially no human evidence to support these claims
- Animal doses used in studies are not directly translatable to human supplement dosing
- Some environmental research links humic substances to formation of toxic disinfection byproducts in water — long-term safety in humans is unstudied
Products Containing Fulvic Acid
See how Fulvic Acid is used in these analyzed products:
Research Sources
- PubMed
- NIH DSLD
This information is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement regimen. Last updated: 2026-04-06