We’re constantly bombarded with so much information about various types of supplements – it can be hard to figure out what we need and what we don’t.
Many of the supplements we hear about have very little or very poor scientific research to back them up – and it’s these questionable supplements that we need to be weary of.
Although the kind of supplements that you take will largely depend on your nutritional needs, training schedule and performance goals, there are those supplements that are crucial for each athlete to maintain a strong, healthy and capable body that can deliver optimum training and performance levels and, we may have just discovered another to add to the jar – fulvic acid.
You may have heard of humic and fulvic acid being used interchangeably but, we’ll be focusing on fulvic acid in particular which, due to its lower molecular weight and significantly large component of oxygen, has become of particular interest to the sporting and scientific community.
What is Fulvic acid?
Fulvic acid is a naturally occurring component in organic matter that is released by the action of decomposition. In simple terms, it’s created in fairly small amounts by the action of millions of microbes and contains a range of hormones, ketones, flavanoids, vitamins, minerals as well as anti-oxidents, prebiotic and probiotic bacteria, which all combine to create a super-potent nutrient that we’re only beginning to understand. Super high in electrolytes, antioxidants and a long-list of other beneficial minerals, it simply seems too good to be true – but is it?
Where does Fulvic acid come from, and what does it contain?
Fulvic acid is composed of five elements namely, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur, with oxygen and carbon making up 95%. Although as it stands, research on this nutrient is limited, one thing’s for sure, it’s contains a hoard of amazing properties and has more promise, particularly for athletes and sportspeople, than anything we’ve ever seen before. The latest research suggests that if fulvic acid is ingested regularly a dramatic improvement in performance, resistance and recovery times for sportsmen and athletes can be experienced. It has not been highly commercialized because to date, chemists still have not been able to synthesize fulvic acid as a result of its highly complex composition, so securing a patent is virtually impossible meaning that large medicinal corporations are not able to profit heavily - which is also the reason so little research has been done on it. As a result of the inability of chemists to synthesize fulvic acid – the majority of research has been coming from Eastern Europe and India, where synthesized products are not the primary aim. China, a country which is known for its alternative medicine and healing practices, has been using falvic acid since the 15th century and still does today. The Chinese call it wujinsan – and it’s a very common treatment for a variety of different aliments. It’s anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties has been recognized for a long time and has been used in the form of mud-masks and baths to treat skin conditions such as acne and eczema in most parts of the world. It’s also been used for many years in compost to improve the condition of crop soil but, research into benefits to humans has only recently started taking off. South Africa’s medical and scientific community have also begun inquires into the nutrient. The Westville hospital in Durban recently began running clinical trials on patients using fulvic acid and we’re excited to see what they conclude.
Although there is still a huge gap in the scientific information and research available regarding fulvic acid, research on various animals have proved to be quite successful in proving its benefits. A study conducted on dairy cows showed that after 8 weeks of fulvic acid supplementation the cows had no viral or bacterial infections and those who had existing infections recovered within 24 hours. Germany has shown a great interest in fulvic acid’s potential to contribute to longevity and although the research has not yet been concluded, it seems to be a promising fountain of youth. This ties into a study where mice who were given regular doses of fulvic and humic acids showed a much lower concentration of stress hormones in their systems than mice in the control group who were not.
What we know for sure
What we do know for sure is that it contains more than 70 minerals and trace elements as part of its molecular composition, which is all present in a form that can be easily absorbed by our cells. In addition, research also shows that fulvic acid assists in enzyme production and helps our bodies utilize the vitamins and minerals that it could otherwise not absorb. This, as mentioned before is due to its low molecular weight which enables it to bond with and, dissolve various minerals and elements quite remarkably.
Since fulvic acid occurs naturally in the environment, we can begin to understand how supplementation can benefit us by looking at its function in nature. Fulvic acid is water soluble and plants absorb it to make the process of absorbing various vitamins and minerals possible. This is perhaps the most enduring quality it possesses; its unique ability to increase the absorption of various crucial vitamins and minerals in both plants and humans. Fulvic acid is critical to maintaining cell balance, as it can easily react to both positively and negatively charged unpaired electrons – meaning that we can use it counteract harmful free-radical activity in the body. Free-radicals are atoms that essentially have unpaired atoms – they can cause serious damage when interaction with DNA or cell membranes occur and can only be “repaired” with antioxidants which are readily available in fulvic acid.
Fulvic acid for Athletes: Improve performance & endurance.
Apart from these amazing benefits fulvic acid has the remarkable ability to improve performance and endurance in athletes. When we exercise the levels of carbon dioxide and lactic acid in our bodies increases and, once the levels are too high, we can no longer continue. During exercise the buildup of carbon dioxide in the body is essentially the reason we begin to breath rapidly – and are limited in our ability to continue. If the levels of carbon dioxide in the body increases, cell functionality is reduced and our endurance reduced. Lactic acid is partly responsible for the pain that we often feel in our muscles after strenuous exercise. Many athletes combat this by performing the critical “warm down” after a workout which essentially re-introduces oxygen into the cells. Fulvic acid does the same thing because since it’s made up of roughly 45% oxygen that is present in a form which can easily introduced into cells. The buildup of lactic acid is therefore minimized before and, reduced after exercise. By consuming fulvic acid before and during such strenuous exercise you're essentially giving your body an edge that will allow you to train and compete for longer periods of time without incurring a nasty build up of both carbon dioxide and lactic acid. In addition to the negative effects that carbon dioxide and lactic acid can have on performance and endurance, our bodies also produce oxidants during exercise. These oxidants are produced by our metabolisms which can then cause severe damage to cells and tissues as it tries to become stable again. An increase in anti-oxidants is crucial to allow these oxidants to repair themselves without having to damage other cells in the process. Fulvic acid contains anti-oxidants that are by far more powerful than the better-know anti-oxidants of vitamins A, C and E.
All athletes and sportspeople know that supplementing with creatine is one of the most common ways to improve endurance and increase muscle mass however, prolonged usage can have sever side effects which include kidney damage, stomach pain, leg pain and muscle cramping. Fulvic acid on the other hand can be used as a replacement for creatine and also help alleviate many of the negative side effects caused by the use of creatine. Fulvic acid also has the ability to remove heavy metals from the body such as mercury, lead and aluminum. Another important characteristic of fulvic acid is its ability to dissolve vegetal silica which is used by our bodies to produce collagen. It has been demonstrated that almost all patients with any form of degenerative disease will have a lack of silica. Silica essentially allows us to build and maintain strong ligaments and tendons which in the case of highly active individuals, take on a lot of repetitive strain. In addition any injuries to tendons or ligaments can be healed at a significantly faster rate when vegetal silica is taken in combination with fulvic acid. Fulvic acid is crucial in ensuring that nutrients and minerals are absorbed easily while also maintaining optimum cell respiration. This magical natural supplement increases energy levels, works as an antioxidant, prevents free radical damage, improves immune system, and provides us with nutrients and minerals in a bio-available form.
Fulvic acid & Electrolytes
Fulvic Acid contains an extremely potent mix of electrolytes in addition to about 75 different types of minerals. The electrolytes and minerals found in fulvic acid are all in such a form that can be easily absorbed by our cells when needed – particularly during periods of prolonged exercise. Electrolytes are simply charged ions that help keep our cells hydrated – sportspeople lose an excessive amount of electrolytes when they’re training through sweat – which is why electrolytes are one of the major components of any sports drink however which are usually in the form of sodium and potassium. Most sports drinks do not contain sufficient amounts of electrolytes but fulvic acid does.
These electrolytes are important in maintaining strong activity of brain neurons and will also aid in RNA and DNA synthesis. In addition, fulvic acid preparations can be used topically to treat skin conditions such as eczema due to its inherent inflammatory properties. A popular paper discussing the properties and benefits of fulvic acid reports that there are 37 different diseases and symptoms which have been effectively treated with regular use and these include, anemia, angina, high blood pressure, muscle cramps, hemorrhoids, ulcers and migraines just to name a few.
Now, since this is a naturally occurring we can expect our fruits and veggies to carry the fulvic acid into our systems but unfortunately, the overly strained agricultural lands of today are simply lacking the minerals and microbes necessary to create any significant amounts of fulvic acid due to the heavy use of pesticides and chemicals. Organically grown food will certainly contain a great deal more fulvic acid, and is certainly a better source of quality vitamins and minerals than all the commercially grown foods however, it’s unrealistic to think that we can ingest a sufficient amount of fulvic acid from our regular foods. This is even truer for athletes and sportsmen who naturally have higher nutritional needs that have to be met to enable them to stick to their rigorous training programs and demanding schedules.
So where can we can get it then?
The best option is from South Africa’s first brand of Fulvic Black Water - developed and introduced by owner of the MiWater Brand, Reinhardt Fourie. After experiencing significant positive results after only a week of using a US brand of black water, Reinhardt realized that the product could make a huge difference to the lives of people suffering from bad nutrition, joint pain and diabetes and simply had to find a way to make it readily available here at home. In preparation for commercializing the product, Reinhart worked closely with his supplier in the US who has a P.HD in bio-science while making sure various home-based tests were conducted to ensure the quality of the product was maintained. MiWater Fulvic Black Water tastes exactly like regular water even though it is charcoal-black and the fulvic acid that rests inside each bottle has the potential to give every athlete on earth the advantage nature intended them to have. Apart from ensuring athletes get the electrolytes and hydration they need, MiWater Fulvic Black Water helps oxygenate muscles, reduce lactic acid buildup and help your body carry nutrients into cells.
Reinhardt has said that since the launch of the product MiWater has seen a month on month increase in sales and attributes this to the amazing results it delivers to consumers. Many of the people who have made MiWater Fulvic Black Water a part of their everyday lives have all seen major improvements and feedback has been nothing short of amazing. He’s been told that the product resulted in an unparalleled feeling of hydration, fast training recovery times, less pain in both muscles and joints and a significant improvement in various diabetes symptoms. In addition, MiWater Fulvic Black Water has also proven to be invaluable in the fast and effective recovery from hangovers – something many sportsmen would really be pleased with!
After testing the water myself and seeing the results the light went on and i realised that this could have a huge impact on millions of people who suffer from bad nutrition, joint pain, diabetes etc.
No other fulvic supplement can match MiWater Fulvic Black Water when it comes to extraction and purification process which is why Fulvic Black Water is superior to all other fluvic supplements available on the market and the results speak for themselves. If you’d like to find out more about his amazing product visit the MiWater website.
In summary, fulvic acid should be seen as a critical part of any athlete or sportsman’s health and fitness program. We have to remember that fulvic acid’s major benefit is not only it’s minerals or nutrients but its ability to allow our bodies to utilize these minerals and nutrients efficient. Fulvic acid is critical to maintaining proper cell balance, health and functioning. From reducing the impact of excess carbon dioxide and lactic acid build up, speeding up recovery times after high-intensity training, ensuring our bodies remain adequately hydrated, to enabling our bodies to absorb silica to maintain joint and ligament strength and providing our bodies with the oxygen it needs to perform at its best and heal fast when it’s at its worst – fulvic acid does it all.
