The fulvic, humic, shilajit, and trace-mineral terminology used across every Nutrinect research article, alphabetized and defined in plain English. Each term links to the deep-dive article it comes from.
Eleven core definitions, updated 30 July 2026. Use the table of contents below to jump to a term, then follow the source link at the end of every entry for the full article.
Bioavailability is the fraction of an ingested nutrient or compound that reaches the bloodstream and target tissues in an active form. Fulvic and humic acid supplements vary widely in bioavailability because molecular size, source purity, and chelation state all change how much survives digestion.
Deeper reading: fulvic acid purity testing →Chlorhexidine is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial chemical used for fifty years as the dental standard in prescription anti-gingivitis mouthwashes. It is highly effective against plaque bacteria but causes brown tooth staining, taste disruption, and mucosal irritation with long-term use.
Deeper reading: humic acid vs. chlorhexidine →Electrolyte minerals are charged mineral ions such as magnesium, potassium, calcium, and sodium that conduct electrical signals in the body and regulate hydration, nerve transmission, and muscle contraction. Fulvic acid chelates these minerals into bioavailable forms that cross cell membranes more efficiently than unbound salts.
Deeper reading: mineral transport →Fulvic acid is the low molecular-weight, water-soluble fraction of humic substances that is naturally yellow to golden in color and bioavailable when taken orally. It chelates minerals into plant-ready complexes, shuttles electrons through mitochondrial membranes, and supports cellular detoxification.
Deeper reading: fulvic acid benefits →Fulvic-iron chelation is the binding of iron ions to fulvic acid's carboxyl and hydroxyl functional groups, producing a stable, water-soluble complex that the gut absorbs more efficiently than inorganic iron salts. This same chelation mechanism underlies fulvic acid's role in heavy-metal detoxification.
Deeper reading: fulvic acid heavy-metal detox →Humalite is a freshwater-deposited humic substance mined in Alberta, Canada that is geologically younger, higher in oxygen-to-carbon ratio, and richer in carboxyl functional groups than leonardite or marine-sourced humic acids. It is the source material for Vitalité Humalite at Nutrinect.
Deeper reading: Humalite — purest and most potent source →Humic acid is the high molecular-weight, alkaline-soluble fraction of humic substances that forms during the microbial decomposition of organic matter over thousands to millions of years. It is less bioavailable orally than fulvic acid but exerts distinct gut-binding and mineral-delivery effects.
Deeper reading: fulvic vs humic acid →Humic substances are the broad family of organic compounds formed by the microbial and geological decomposition of plant, soil, and freshwater organic matter, traditionally subdivided into humin, humic acid, and fulvic acid by their solubility at different pH levels.
Deeper reading: humic compounds and soil health →Humin is the insoluble fraction of humic substances that does not dissolve in water at any pH and represents the most recalcitrant, oldest, and most condensed fraction of soil and sediment organic matter. It is the residual fraction left after humic acid and fulvic acid are extracted.
Deeper reading: humic compounds and soil health →Shilajit is a black-to-brown mineral-rich resin that oozes from cracks in high-altitude mountain rocks across the Himalayas, Altai, and Caucasus, and consists of roughly 30 to 50 percent fulvic and humic compounds mixed with rock minerals and small organic acids.
Deeper reading: standardized vs raw Shilajit absorption →Trace minerals are dietary minerals required in milligram-to-microgram quantities such as iron, zinc, copper, selenium, manganese, chromium, iodine, and boron that act as enzyme cofactors, electrolyte salts, and structural components. Fulvic acid chelates trace minerals into complexes that cross cell membranes more readily than ionic salts.
Deeper reading: trace mineral transport →