Humic Substances

The collective term for the family of complex organic macromolecules formed by the decomposition and transformation (humification) of plant and animal matter. Humic substances are the primary bioactive fraction of peat and the source of most therapeutic and cosmetic effects.

The Fractions

Humic substances are divided by solubility:

• Fulvic acids — Soluble at all pH values. Smallest molecules, highest bioavailability.
• Humic acids — Soluble at alkaline pH, insoluble below pH 2. Largest molecules, primary bioactive fraction.
• Hymatomelanic acids — Soluble in ethanol. Intermediate fraction, less studied.
• Humin — Insoluble at any pH. Structural role.

Why They Matter

Humic substances are not a single compound but a complex mixture of hundreds of molecules with diverse biological activities: anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiviral, immunomodulatory, chelating, and wound-healing. This multi-mechanism complexity is what makes peat therapy different from single-active pharmaceutical or cosmetic products.