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.

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]