What is shilajit?
Shilajit is a brown/black tar-like exudate that seeps from sedimentary rocks in mountainous regions worldwide, most notably in the Himalayas.[2] Accordingly, shilajit has been called “sweat of mountains” or “mountain blood”. Shilajit is formed through the gradual decomposition of plant and animal compounds by microorganisms, and its composition (and biological activity) can vary with geographic location and environmental factors.[3][4]
The main components of shilajit include fulvic acid, dibenzo-α-pyrones (DBPs) (also known as urolithins), DBP chromoproteins (DCPs), humic acid, and over 40 trace minerals; the first three are considered the principal active ingredients.[4] Shilajit is known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and has a long history of use in traditional folk medicine, where it is utilized for a wide range of ailments. In Ayurvedic medicine, shilajit is considered a rasayana, meaning it’s believed to enhance vitality and longevity.[2] Currently, there’s only a small amount of human research on shilajit.
What are shilajit’s main benefits?
Despite thousands of years of use in traditional folk medicine, human clinical trials examining the effects of shilajit are limited in number and generally of low methodological quality. Research (primarily in vitro and animal studies) suggests that shilajit may be an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and adaptogen, with anti-ulcer, anabolic, anti-diabetic, and immune-system-modulating properties.[4]
Preliminary research in humans has found positive effects of shilajit on various parameters of health, although these findings are generally based on just one or two trials and require confirmation by larger, high-quality studies. Shilajit might support: male fertility, through increases in testosterone[2][1] and improvements to sperm count and quality;[2] the integrity of various body tissues (e.g., muscle, connective, skin), through increases in the production of extracellular matrix proteins (e.g., collagen)[5][6] and/or tissue blood flow;[6] and bone health, through increases in bone mineral density and reductions in markers of bone turnover.[3] Shilajit seems to improve antioxidant status and reduce a biomarker of systemic inflammation (hsCRP).[3][7][8]
While shijalit seems promising on several fronts, there are too few studies to draw any conclusions at this time.
What are shilajit’s main drawbacks?
Given the nature of shilajit, there can be a lot of variability in its composition, meaning the results achieved in a particular study may not be replicable with a different product. Some trials did not determine the composition of the shilajit being used, while many others used a patented and standardized shilajit formulation, PrimaVie. However, while it is ideal to use a standardized product, all of the studies that used PrimaVie were partially or fully funded by the manufacturer.
Shilajit seems to be quite safe, with no evidence of toxicity based on the available human and animal data. However, using shilajit that has not been properly processed/purified is not advised, as it may contain mycotoxins, heavy metals, and other potentially harmful compounds.[4]
How does shilajit work?
Exactly how shilajit works in the body is largely unknown, but it appears to involve various mechanisms. The principal active compounds in shilajit — fulvic acid, DBPs, and DCPs — are potent antioxidants that seem to enhance the body’s antioxidant capacity and reduce oxidative stress, which may be behind many of the observed effects of shilajit.[4] For example, shilajit has been found to increase blood levels of antioxidant enzymes (e.g., superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase), increase levels of the body’s own antioxidants (e.g., glutathione, vitamin C, vitamin E), and reduce malondialdehyde.[7][4][3][8] Shilajit seems to support tissue integrity at least in part by inducing the expression of genes involved in the production of extracellular matrix proteins (e.g., collagen, elastin, fibronectin) and blood vessel formation.[5][6]
What are other names for Shilajit
- Mineral Pitch
- Jew's Pitch
- Mineral Wax
- Salajeet
- Brag-shun
- Shilajita
- Moomio
- Mumie
- Mumijo
- Mumiyo
- Salajit
- Primavie
- Ozokerite
Dosage information
Shilajit is usually processed into a powder or taken in a purified resin form. The exact composition of shilajit can vary based on geographical region, which may also impact its biological effects.[1] Ideally, a product should be standardized to contain a certain amount of fulvic acid, DBPs, and DCPs. For example, PrimaVie — a patented, purified shilajit extract used in many trials — is standardized to contain ≥50% fulvic acid and ≥10.3% DBPs/DCPs.
In clinical trials, shilajit dosing has ranged from 200 to 2000 mg daily, although the most commonly used dosing regimen seems to be 500 mg daily, split into two daily doses. Research on shilajit is in the early stages; therefore, optimal dosing regimens for particular outcomes still need to be determined.
Frequently asked questions
Shilajit is a brown/black tar-like exudate that seeps from sedimentary rocks in mountainous regions worldwide, most notably in the Himalayas.[2] Accordingly, shilajit has been called “sweat of mountains” or “mountain blood”. Shilajit is formed through the gradual decomposition of plant and animal compounds by microorganisms, and its composition (and biological activity) can vary with geographic location and environmental factors.[3][4]
The main components of shilajit include fulvic acid, dibenzo-α-pyrones (DBPs) (also known as urolithins), DBP chromoproteins (DCPs), humic acid, and over 40 trace minerals; the first three are considered the principal active ingredients.[4] Shilajit is known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and has a long history of use in traditional folk medicine, where it is utilized for a wide range of ailments. In Ayurvedic medicine, shilajit is considered a rasayana, meaning it’s believed to enhance vitality and longevity.[2] Currently, there’s only a small amount of human research on shilajit.
Despite thousands of years of use in traditional folk medicine, human clinical trials examining the effects of shilajit are limited in number and generally of low methodological quality. Research (primarily in vitro and animal studies) suggests that shilajit may be an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and adaptogen, with anti-ulcer, anabolic, anti-diabetic, and immune-system-modulating properties.[4]
Preliminary research in humans has found positive effects of shilajit on various parameters of health, although these findings are generally based on just one or two trials and require confirmation by larger, high-quality studies. Shilajit might support: male fertility, through increases in testosterone[2][1] and improvements to sperm count and quality;[2] the integrity of various body tissues (e.g., muscle, connective, skin), through increases in the production of extracellular matrix proteins (e.g., collagen)[5][6] and/or tissue blood flow;[6] and bone health, through increases in bone mineral density and reductions in markers of bone turnover.[3] Shilajit seems to improve antioxidant status and reduce a biomarker of systemic inflammation (hsCRP).[3][7][8]
While shijalit seems promising on several fronts, there are too few studies to draw any conclusions at this time.
Anecdotally, shilajit has been reported to improve energy and endurance; however, this is currently not supported by strong evidence.
In mice, shilajit was found to increase muscle ATP levels,[9] and fulvic acid has been shown to stimulate mitochondrial energy production in vitro.[10] One human clinical trial reported that shilajit supplementation minimized the decline of muscle strength following a fatiguing exercise.[11] Beyond this, the effects of shilajit on exercise performance are entirely unexplored.
Historically, shilajit has been used to improve memory and cognition, which has led to the promotion of shilajit for conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. Currently, there is no strong evidence to support this recommendation.
In vitro research has provided possible mechanisms for such an effect, including enhanced cholinergic signaling (important for memory and learning)[12] and the ability of fulvic acid — one of the principal active compounds in shilajit — to disassemble and prevent the formation of tau protein aggregates[13] (clusters of proteins thought to contribute to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s). Despite this, the available evidence in human clinical trials to date has been unconvincing.[14][15]
Given the nature of shilajit, there can be a lot of variability in its composition, meaning the results achieved in a particular study may not be replicable with a different product. Some trials did not determine the composition of the shilajit being used, while many others used a patented and standardized shilajit formulation, PrimaVie. However, while it is ideal to use a standardized product, all of the studies that used PrimaVie were partially or fully funded by the manufacturer.
Shilajit seems to be quite safe, with no evidence of toxicity based on the available human and animal data. However, using shilajit that has not been properly processed/purified is not advised, as it may contain mycotoxins, heavy metals, and other potentially harmful compounds.[4]
Exactly how shilajit works in the body is largely unknown, but it appears to involve various mechanisms. The principal active compounds in shilajit — fulvic acid, DBPs, and DCPs — are potent antioxidants that seem to enhance the body’s antioxidant capacity and reduce oxidative stress, which may be behind many of the observed effects of shilajit.[4] For example, shilajit has been found to increase blood levels of antioxidant enzymes (e.g., superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase), increase levels of the body’s own antioxidants (e.g., glutathione, vitamin C, vitamin E), and reduce malondialdehyde.[7][4][3][8] Shilajit seems to support tissue integrity at least in part by inducing the expression of genes involved in the production of extracellular matrix proteins (e.g., collagen, elastin, fibronectin) and blood vessel formation.[5][6]
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