Kennedy asked
Can I take Fulvic and Humic Acid with Lo Loestrin Fe birth control pills? I spaced it by an hour apart just in case.
Answer
Fulvic Acid and Humic Acid are dietary supplements that are not reviewed by the FDA before being sold on the market. As such, it is not required for dietary supplements to undergo the testing that requires drug manufacturers to prove that the drugs being brought to market are safe and effective or report on such things as adverse reactions, drug interactions and correct dosing.
However, the dietary supplement business is thriving and expected to continue to grow. With this growing business, more research is being done to determine if some supplements do have health benefits and if they are safe and effective.
Information available depends upon the supplement. Some supplements have a lot of support for their use and others hardly any at all. Let's look at these two and see what, if anything, is known about them.
Fulvic Acid
Fulvic acid is formed from the decomposition of plant and animal material. It has been used orally for the following conditions:
- Alzheimer's Disease
- Respiratory infections
- Fatigue
- Cancer
- Eczema
- Heavy metal toxicity
Possible side effects that have been reported in a few studies include diarrhea, headache and sore throat.
It has been found from studies that Fulvic Acid may interact with immunosuppressants, anti-coagulants (blood thinners) and patients with thyroid disease. There is no mention of possible drug interactions between Fulvic Acid and oral contraceptives, like Lo Loestrin Fe.
Humic Acid
Humic Acid has been used to stimulate the immune system. It has been used in the following conditions:
- Flu
- Anti-viral
- Antioxidant
There is very little research on Humic Acid. What little research that is available has concentrated on the effects on the immune system in general. No research was found on any drug interactions or possible side effects.
Discussion
One of the challenges when taking dietary supplements is the lack of scientific research to use, in some cases, to draw conclusions from.
In the case of Fulvic Acid and Humic Acid, there is no research available that directly addresses any possible drug interactions with Lo Loestrin Fe. We do know that Lo Loestrin Fe is a rapidly absorbed drug, but this does not mean that there are no other potential side effects from Fulvic Acid and Humic Acid that may interfere with Lo Loestrin Fe.
If Lo Loestrin Fe is being used for the prevention of pregnancy, a back-up form of protection may be warranted to insure the effectiveness of the oral contraceptive.
