Over 3,000 years ago, shilajit was mentioned in ancient Sanskrit texts. Known as “conqueror of mountains and destroyer of weakness,” it has been one of the staples of traditional medicine (and an aphrodisiac) in a variety of Asian countries for thousands of years. Vaidya Charak, a famous ancient Indian in the first century A.D., is quoted as saying, “There is hardly any curable disease which cannot be controlled or cured with the aid of shilajit.”  

1. Provides Energy and Revitalization

For millennia, practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine have prescribed shilajit to boost energy and revitalize the body. Because of the level of importance these natural doctors put on this supplement, the body of confirmed scientific research on it is growing steadily.   One way shilajit helps provide the body with energy is the way it increases the function of mitochondria within the body. Mitochondria are organelles that serve as the “power source” of cells in the body because they convert oxygen and nutrients into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the substance that actually powers body cells. Shilajit encourages the function of mitochondria, helping them oxygenate more efficiently. Not only does it help mitochondrial function on its own, but it’s been found to create a powerful effect on mitochondrial oxygenation when combined with supplemented CoQ10, an antioxidant naturally found in all human cells.   As this substance helps increase the production of ATP, it increases overall energy and stamina. In fact, it’s commonly used to enhance athletic performance.  Chronic fatigue syndrome, a disorder classified by at least six months of inescapable fatigue, has been successfully treated with shilajit supplementation, also evidenced by the way it enhances mitochondrial function. In addition to mitochondrial efficacy, this herb revitalizes the body with its strong antioxidant properties. By fighting disease-causing free radicals, it repairs internal damage to the body caused by chemicals and other dangerous agents you’re exposed to, and it reduces the levels of fat in the blood.

2. Promotes Brain Health

Shilajit seems to have a targeted mechanism for protecting brain cells in particular. Initial studies show it has “distinct and marked neuroprotective activity.” In a 2013 study conducted by the Physiology Research Center at the Kerman University of Medical Sciences in Iran on the effects of shilajit on risk factors following a traumatic brain injury, researchers discovered that it has positive effects on the three most indicative factors of death following traumatic brain injury: brain edema, blood-brain barrier permeability and intracranial pressure.   This incredible nutrient may also present a novel treatment option for patients suffering from mild cases of Alzheimer’s disease. The presence of fulvic acid and a treatment protocol including administration with B complex vitamins have shown promising results in pilot studies.   In addition, shilajit exhibits anti-epileptic properties and potentially antipsychotic effects, as it adjusts GABA levels (a naturally occurring acid in the brain) to normal.

3. Regulates Hormones and Immune System

Another important function of shilajit is the way it regulates various body systems, such as your immune system and the balance of hormones. Many researchers agree that it impacts so much of the body because of the way it helps these systems remain in equilibrium.   In particular, shilajit affects reproductive hormone functions. In healthy males, supplementation increases blood testosterone and encourages the production of sperm. When tested in pilot studies involving rats, it was also associated with ovulation in adult female rats, indicating that shilajit powder or resin may be an agent to consider for those struggling with infertility.

4. Alleviates Pain Response

Ayurvedic medicine has long praised shilajit for its ability to reduce pain levels, but research has been limited until the last few years. Because of its interaction with GABA levels in the brain, this herb has a significant effect on orofacial pain (pain of the face, mouth or jaws), acting as a “sedating agent.” A 2015 study on mice found it to relieve and lessen chronic pain over the course of time, dependent on the size of the dose.   One feature that I’ll discuss more in depth in a moment is its interaction with medications. Regarding pain, shilajit interacts positively with morphine, minimizing the buildup of tolerance to morphine and, therefore, reducing the amount of this medication that one in serious pain would need to introduce into his or her system for effective pain relief.

5. May Help Manage Diabetes

Those with diabetes may be interested to know that shilajit can help reduce blood glucose and lipid profiles in diabetes patients, especially when taken in conjunction with diabetes medications.   Shilajit is a main ingredient in a supplement known as D-400, Diabecon or GlucoCare. This supplement is designed to combine the most powerful Ayurvedic natural treatments into one pill. D-400 reduces blood glucose levels and shows potential to repair damage to the pancreas caused by diabetes.

6. Helps Prevent and Protect from Cancer

Fascinatingly, shilajit has been found to be toxic to various of types of cancers, including lung, breast, colon, ovarian and liver cancer. Some researchers attribute its toxicity to these cancer to the presence and combination of heavy metals in the substance, making it a potential natural cancer treatment.   Also related to cancer is the ability shilajit has to protect certain body systems from dangerous radiation damage. A June 2016 study published in the Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics found that it greatly protected ovaries from radiation-related damage.

7. Fights Inflammation and Viruses

As part of a diet designed to fight disease-causing inflammation, you may want to consider using shilajit. Research finds that it’s effective in healing and preventing gastric ulcers and reducing the inflammation related to them.   Not only does it help alleviate inflammation, but it has “broad, yet specific” antiviral properties. One Italian lab study found significant antiviral activity against a number of herpes-related viruses and HRSV, a virus that causes respiratory tract infections, especially in children.

8. Supports Skeletal Health

Shilajit may even improve the health of your skeletal system. There is initial evidence that it helps bones regenerate, protecting from and slowing the process of osteoporosis. In a study of obese patients published in the Journal of Medicinal Food, supplementation greatly improved the function and regeneration of skeletal muscles.   9. Good for the Heart and Blood By exercising its antioxidant “muscles,” shilajit has been shown to protect the heart against damage resulting from drug-induced injury. A study published in Cardiovascular Toxicology performed on rats found that subjects given shilajit had less lasting damage visible on the heart.   The herb is also effective in treating anemia because of the high presence of iron found in one dose.   Preliminary research also indicates that shilajit can help, in certain doses, regulate heart rate. In smaller doses, it may lower a speeding heart rate. However, in large doses, it may have the opposite effect. If you have issues with irregular heartbeat or other heart-related problems, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor before beginning supplementation.   10. Aids in Breaking Addictions Because of its unique interaction with other drug substances, shilajit has a profound effect on the process of breaking addiction. When given to patients coming down from opioids, it reduces the actual addiction and minimizes withdrawal symptoms, better in many cases than common medications given to break dependence.   Similarly, this medicinal “herb” reduces addiction to alcohol and greatly diminishes the withdrawal experienced by alcoholics who stop drinking. It’s not surprising, then, that Eastern medicine has advised its use to break addiction for centuries.

Shilajit Nutrition Facts

Known by many names, shilajit is also called mineral pitch, mineral wax, black asphaltum, Asphaltum punjabianum (in Latin), shargai, dorobi, barahshin, baragshun, mumlai, brag zhun, chao-tong, wu ling zhi, baad-a-ghee, and arkhar-tash and mumiyo (variably transliterated as mumijo, mumio, momia, and moomiyo).   It’s a tar-like substance (known as a biomass) found in the Himalayan and Tibet Mountains. As lush forests were compacted as mountains arose, shilajit was formed. When the temperatures rise around these Indian mountains, this tar-like medical miracle substance oozes from crevices within the mountains. Ranging from yellowish-brown to pure black in color, the black variety is considered the most nutritional.   It’s not clear if shilajit is a purely biological or geological substance, as it does have a high presence of nutrients found in both categories. Some of the most often recognized nutrients within it are fulvic acid, humic acids and dibenzo alpha pyrones.     Although it’s likely that various types and brands contain different concentrations of some vitamins and minerals, this breakdown of the nutritional content of one brand helps give a starting point for the amounts of common minerals you might find. It’s commonly stated that shilajit, in pure form, contains about 85 different vitamins and minerals.   One serving of shilajit powder (about ½ teaspoon) contains about :

• 3 calories
• 5.4 milligrams iron (30 percent DV)
• 40 milligrams calcium (4 percent DV)
• 2.8 micrograms selenium (4 percent DV)
• 0.45 milligrams zinc (3 percent DV)