23 Potent Benefits of Shilajit Supplements: The Ancient Panacea for Energy, Skin, Weight Loss, Testosterone & More

Around the world, few substances have a more illustrious history than shilajit.

For millennia, this supplement was called “black gold”, “nectar of the gods”, “destroyer of weakness”, a “panacea”, and considered a staple in the ancient Indian medical practice of Ayurveda.

Indeed, Ayurveda considers shilajit “tri-doshic” meaning it supports every bodily constitution type. Just about every bodily function and condition too.

Top yogis kept it secret to hoard the benefits amongst themselves.

But it wasn’t just India. This substance became a centerpoint globally. Russia and China quickly incorporated it into their medical practices too.

It supports your body in incredible ways, from stress relief to ionic trace minerals, cellular detoxification, energy production, hormones, and beyond.

You’re about to learn the wide-ranging benefits of supplemental shilajit and why it became my favorite daily adaptogen years ago.

This goes way beyond the TikTok trend, showing tremendous promise, glowing case studies, and is backed by impressive science.

Understanding Shilajit

Shilajit is a sticky black resin extracted from rocks in the Himalayas or Siberia. The best shilajit comes from the highest reaches of those regions, up at 16,000–c18,000 feet above sea level.

Shilajit is decomposed plant material, 50+ million years old. As a result, it ferments and concentrates vital minerals, humic and fulvic acids, and other bioactive substances.

What’s in it?

The actual contents of shilajit are mindblowing.

According to a 2004 analysis, shilajit is made up of [R]:

• Humidity: 14-20%
• Minerals: 18-20%
• Proteins: 13-17%
• Lipids: 4-4.5%
• Steroids: 3.3-6.5%
• Nitrogen-free compounds: 18-20%
• Carbohydrates: 1.5-2%
• Alkaloids, amino acids, & other compounds: 0.05-0.08%

It’s believed to contain about 84 herbs, minerals, and trace minerals. Shilajit also contains 20 amino acids (notably Glutamic acid, D-aspartic acid, and glycine), and triterpenes.

Fulvic and humic acids are the super-nutrients here. They enhance your ability to absorb and assimilate other nutrients while still stimulating cellular detoxification.

That is, if you get real shilajit. Most supplements have two glaring issues:

• Major dilution of active ingredients
• Heavy metals and other contaminants

Prices range from $20 up to $20,000 per kilogram. Don’t be fooled by dirt cheap counterfeit shilajit!

So, even more important than with other supplements, you want to choose one of these best shilajit brands to make sure you’re not getting inert, useless goo.

Shilajit vs fulvic or humic acid extracts

If you’re like me, perhaps you’re wondering…

If fulvic acid and humic acid are the key constituents powering the benefits and health outcomes of shilajit, why not just supplement with an extract?

Indeed, you can find a bunch of fulvic/humic acid extracts on the market. Here’s the thing…

They simply don’t work as well and don’t have as outstanding a safety profile. There’s likely a synergy between the active ingredients that we still haven’t fully uncovered.

Having personally tried several reputable brands and talking to others, the general consensus is that these fulvic/humic acids are far better than nothing but a large step down from shilajit.

Ideal dosage

Before we get into the benefits, you may want to know how to use shilajit.

Again, there are different forms to consider:

For dosing, the general recommendation is to consume 300-1,000mg once or twice per day. Animal studies suggest larger doses are safe too [R].

Generally, in the morning and later in the afternoon (instead of coffee). Avoid taking it too late, as it can disrupt sleep for some people.

Also, if you choose a liquid product, make sure they were not processed with chlorinated water.

Top Shilajit Uses & Health Benefits

Traditionally, Russian medicine used shilajit for diabetes, angina, jaundice, digestive disorders, nervous diseases, chronic bronchitis, anemia, osteoporosis, and more.

Ayurveda recommended it for:

• Anti-aging purposes
• Ulcers
• Bronchial asthma
• Gastrointestinal infections
• Liver diseases
• Geriatric problems
• Sexual dysfunction
• Wound healing

Despite millennia of use and reverence by multiple cultures, surprisingly little research has investigated the full range of shilajit’s health benefits.

Many of the purported health benefits come from indirect mechanisms. Leaving room for speculation.

Some of the chief benefits people report from supplementing with shilajit include:

• Increased energy & mitochondrial function
• Holistic metabolic support (blood sugar, cholesterol)
• Potent nutrition & enhanced delivery into cells
• Cell rejuvenation & detoxification
• Boosted testosterone, hormones, libido, & fertility
• Slower biological aging & improved healthspan
• Brain health & protection
• Beauty, skincare, nails, & increased collagen production
• Enhanced learning, memory, & mental performance
• Steadying the mind, emotions, & decision-making
• Boosting athletic performance
• Protection against altitude sickness
• Stronger immune system
• Decalcifying the pineal gland

It’s an especially helpful tonic for coffee, tea, and matcha drinkers as it reduces bodily acidosis and provides instant yet smooth energy. All while saturating the blood and bones with key minerals.

As you can probably tell by now, I’m a huge fan.

This study nicely summarizes a few of shilajit’s effects:

“…an amelioration of a series of afflictions and may act also as an antimicrobial, antiviral, antitumor, antiallergic, immunomodulating or anti-inflammatory medicine, similar to the active compounds from mushrooms, or of Propolis, or “Kampo” compounds as well as of Arabic medical herbs”

Mumijo Traditional Medicine: Fossil Deposits from Antarctica (Chemical Composition and Beneficial Bioactivity)

Now, let’s explore the wide-ranging health benefits and uses of supplemental shilajit.

Potent super mineral complex

Shilajit is one of nature’s “Super Supplements”. A multivitamin and multimineral complex, each nutrient in it is in the maximally-absorbed ionic form.

Something manmade supplements cannot replicate [R].

Humans need about 90 nutrients to maintain optimal health. Shilajit contains 84+ minerals, as well as a fulvic acid complex, humic acids, and vitamins [R].

On that note, it’s one of the richest natural sources of fulvic and humic acids too.

The minerals within also improve hair, skin, and nail health.

Additionally, shilajit improves nutrient intake into cells via several mechanisms. First, humic and fulvic acids are strong chelators that help rid cells of toxins and heavy metals.

Next, it provides the necessary cofactors to transport vital nutrients directly into cells. Making shilajit a potent source of bio-usable nutrition.

Nutrient amplifier

In addition to the vast array of nutrients within itself, shilajit also enhances the bioavailability of everything you consume [R].

It magnifies the benefits of food, supplements, and nootropics—delivering stronger effects from the same or lower doses you take [R].

Essentially, shilajit makes foods, drinks, and supplements more medicinal.

This is an innate indicator of a quality natural fulvic and humic acid complex.

In fact, ancient Ayurvedic remedies would often pair herbs like Ashwagandha with shilajit to enhance their efficacy [R].

Since our foods lack micronutrients, supplementing shilajit can help the body more effectively use the raw materials it’s given.

Blood sugar, cholesterol, & digestion

Shilajit also benefits several key biomarkers associated with metabolism.

Animal research suggests that it reduces LDL (”bad”) cholesterol levels, increases HDL (”good”) cholesterol, and helps balance blood sugar [R, R, R].

Shilajit reduces fatigue at the root. It also improves energy levels naturally by improving food digestion [R].

Better digestion translates into more nutrients available for mitochondria to convert into cellular energy.

Athletic sports performance & endurance

The energy boost, anti-fatigue, hormone balancing, and improved exercise tolerance effects have made shilajit a standout supplement among athletes, the Russian military, and bodybuilders.

It’s a natural anabolic that (weakly) emulates the growth effect of steroids to build tissue, enhance muscle mass, and boost physical performance. But without the side effects [R].

Shilajit improves nutrient transport into muscle and bone, while also increasing nucleic acid synthesis.

Siberian shilajit is known for its ability to increase strength and muscle mass while also accelerating recovery. That’s why it has been a staple used by the Russian military and cosmonauts since the 1970s.

Overall, shilajit improves many facets of physical performance [R]:

• Muscle growth
• Energy
• Endurance capacity
• Recovery
• Hormones (testosterone)

Making it an ideal supplement for anyone looking to improve their baseline fitness level.

Aphrodisiac, fertility, libido

Shilajit is a legendary sexual health adaptogen.

It can boost male fertility, increase sperm count, help with erectile dysfunction, and some claim that it increased their penis size (I am doubtful about that last one) [R].

It also benefits female sexual health. According to research, women taking Shilajit regularly experience greater [R]:

• Estrogen balance
• Fertility
• Period pain and cramp relief
• Menstrual cycle regularity

In both sexes, it acts as a powerful aphrodisiac, increases libido, and improves reproductive health.

It has a long history as an invigorating tonic. This is especially needed in our post-industrial endocrine-disrupting environment.

Some of these effects are likely due to shilajit’s ability to rebalance hormones.

Testosterone booster

Men often discover shilajit when researching natural testosterone boosters that work.

Many testosterone supplements only work in men with abysmally low testosterone. That may not be the case with shilajit.

Indeed, several studies have shown that shilajit increases testosterone in healthy men.

90 days of supplementation increased multiple markers of sex hormones including total testosterone, free testosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEAS) — as much as 20.45%!

Clinical evaluation of purified Shilajit on testosterone levels in healthy volunteers

Although these men started the study with low testosterone, low testosterone is also widespread today.

It’s thought to work primarily by:

• Increasing production of luteinizing hormone
• Reducing cortisol (a stress hormone that suppresses testosterone levels)
• Increasing testosterone synthesis by enhancing mitochondrial energy production
• Protecting against inflammation and oxidative damage

Traditional medicines commonly used it to revitalize and restore life force. As well as rebalance testosterone and overall hormones. It’s also supposed to help improve the menstrual cycle for women.

Memory, learning, & brain function

Shilajit has profound nootropic effects on the mind and benefits overall cognition.

It shows great potential to improve memory, brain function, intellect, learning, and neuroprotection.

Acting on both the cellular and molecular levels, shilajit reduces toxic over-stimulation of the brain and nervous system (by increasing levels of GABA and glycine receptor activation) [R].

The other major cognitive benefit is its ability to stabilize the mind and emotions throughout the day. External events often disrupt our cognition and shift us into a beta-brainwave, sympathetic dominant state.

Remaining calm allows us to stay in the flow state and use the full potential of our minds. Rather than succumbing to tunnel vision.

Current research is investigating shilajit’s potential role in preventing Alzheimer’s, dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases [R]. It also may help untangle beta-amyloid plaques and tau proteins.

Unlike many pseudo-nootropics, smart drugs, and medications, it has an impressive safety profile.

Healthspan & anti-aging

Shilajit possesses many indirect longevity-lengthening properties.

For one, the myriad of other benefits establish its ability to keep humans healthy. Ancient cultures around the world used shilajit as a staple to slow the aging process.

Ayurveda sees it as a cornerstone to extending the lifespan of humans. Not just lifespan, but the quality of those years (called healthspan).

Fables from tribes like the Charaka Samhita state that regular shilajit users will “witness one hundred summers on earth, free from disease and decay”. Larger and more frequent doses lead to longer lifespans.

Modern science is beginning to validate the anti-aging benefits of shilajit.

Some of the core mechanisms come from more efficient energy production and antioxidant power, but also reducing oxidative stress and providing crucial micro-nutrients.

Since it helps shield from cellular damage and provides key nutrients, shilajit helps the organs repair and operate more efficiently.

Anti-inflammatory, autoimmunity, allergies, asthma, & pain relief

Pain and inflammation are intricately linked. Shilajit possesses inflammation-quelling properties, which also makes it useful for pain management.

We typically think of inflammation as a phenomenon visible to our naked eye. The result of a bruised or a sprained ankle, bee sting, or other injuries.

It’s a tightly regulated process that the body uses to recover and heal.

Research demonstrates that shilajit is a potent anti-inflammatory [R]. The fulvic acid alone is a great aid to allergies, asthma, and autoimmune conditions.

Shilajit use supports healthy levels of inflammation, apparent in biomarkers like hs-CRP. It also offsets the inflammation caused by abnormal hormone fluctuations.

Other research shows that it improves inflammatory biomarkers like IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-10, adipokine and resistin, and HOMA-IR [R, R].

Thus, as you’d now expect, preliminary research studies show shilajit can reduce pain also by acting as a mimetic of GABA and glycine [R, R].

Stress relief & mood

Stress has become an inescapable component of modern living, affecting every facet of our health. Physical, mental, emotional, and beyond.

Shilajit is known for its profound stress-relieving adaptogenic properties.

Shilajit helps your body more effectively adapt and respond to stress. Unlike many stress relievers, it does so without sedating you

Instead, shilajit helps alleviate stress by dampening the production of stress hormones (like cortisol) while increasing resilience neurohormones like testosterone, oxytocin, and dopamine.

A study on rats has shown that it works as a safe dopamine booster to reduce stress and anxiety without impacting stress hormones like noradrenaline [R].

Since it also mimics the calming effects of glycine and GABA, shilajit exhibits overall mood enhancing benefits [R].

Immune system booster

Products promising to boost the immune system have flooded the supplement market since 2020.

Yet over-activating the immune system is also dangerous and causes all kinds of issues. Such as autoimmunity, food intolerances, and much more.

Shilajit has a special role as an immunomodulator. Meaning that it strengthens weak immune systems, and downregulates over-active immune systems.

Essentially, rebalancing immunity and restoring equilibrium.

Another exciting immune benefit is shilajit’s ability to stimulate macrophages. These cells destroy pathogens and send out chemical signals to recruit microphages to speed up healing.

By supporting a healthy immune response, shilajit protects the body from illness while also aiding healing.

Anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal

Preliminary trials suggest shilajit has anti-microbial properties.

Researchers speculate that fulvic and humic acids paired with a broad spectrum of minerals bolster bodily defenses against viruses [R].

At the same time, it shows potential anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties when exposed to UV light (as quality shilajit should be) [R, R].

Liquid extracts seem to be more anti-microbial likely due to greater levels of fulvic acid, benzoic acid, and other bioactive components [R, R].

Observed to work against multiple strains of some common bacteria, including Streptococci (”strep throat”), Staphylococci (”staph infection”), and Coliform [R].

Shilajit even seems to have anti-fungal properties too. Effective against Candida albicans (the cause of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth AKA S.I.B.O) and Penicillium chrysogenum [R].

Anemia aid

If your bone marrow does not produce enough red blood cells or the oxygen-carrying components within them (hemoglobin), this can cause a medical condition known as anemia.

This leads to reduced oxygen delivery to bodily tissues.

Common symptoms of anemia include:

• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Cold hands
• Cold feet
• Weakness
• Pale skin
• Shortness of breath
• Other symptoms

Anemia’s usually caused by diet-induced iron deficiency although genetics can influence susceptibility. Bone marrow disorders or chronic diseases can also cause anemia.

Shilajit can help address iron-deficient anemia directly [R, R]. It contains iron, metabolites of iron and key phytochemicals like fulvic and humic acids which boost iron absorption. Helping deliver it into bone marrow.

Weight loss, strength & muscle gain

Shilajit is not “exercise in a pill”. But it does seem to augment the benefits of training.

After all, it’s nicknamed the “destroyer of weakness”.

For one, it helps people lose weight by naturally suppressing appetites and sensitizing them to insulin.

This helps keep their blood sugar steady and reduces unhealthy cravings (similar to the wildly popular GLP-1 drugs albeit safer).

Shilajit also activates genes that help the body rapidly adapt to new workouts and regenerate faster [R].

Faster adaptation, combined with less fatigue and soreness allow you to work out again sooner. Leading to greater strength over time.

Plus, since the fulvic acid delivers more oxygen to tissues, you can workout larger, harder, and with greater power.

Several studies investigating the impact of shilajit on exercise performance found improvements to [R, R, R, R]:

• Muscular strength
• Nitric oxide by 20% or more
• Heart rate
• Visual and auditory reaction times
• Alertness
• Connective tissues adaptation

Including, improvements in fatigued states too.

Overall, shilajit shows promise to recompose your body.

Accelerated healing

Shilajit has a long history of use as a healing remedy.

While we await more clinical trials, reported healing benefits of shilajit include:

• Joint health
• Wound healing
• Cellular rejuvenation
• Detoxification
• Collagen synthesis
• Immune modulation

Shilajit seems to improve recovery outcomes while also accelerating healing time.

Bone density

Another potential benefit and one of the common ancedotes around shilajit supplementation is its impact on bone health.

Oxidative stress, nutrient deficiency, inactivity, and inflammation all damage bone tissue and contribute to degeneration.

Since the humic and fulvic acids deliver minerals and bioactive substances directly into bone, it stands to reason that it can help increase bone mineral density…

That’s while simultaneously offsetting the factors that break down your bones.

A 2020 Randomized Double-Blinded Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial concluded that it accelerates recovery from tibia fracture surgery [R].

Another clinical trial found that shilajit increased bone mineral density [R].

For bone health benefits, I’d stack it alongside one of these high-quality absorbable magnesium supplements.

Altitude adaptation panacea

The best shilajit grows at high altitudes, and it confers those adaptations to humans. This principle is often referred to as the Doctrine of Signatures.

Traditional medicine practitioners often use shilajit to help patients adapt to high altitudes faster. As well as to relieve symptoms of altitude sickness (like pain, fatigue, congestion, lightheadedness, insomnia, hypoxia, and even nausea).

These symptoms arise from the rapid change in atmospheric pressure, low oxygen levels, solar radiation, and other factors.

Researchers aren’t sure exactly what components of shilajit cause the relief, but the effect is so reliable that a study concluded…

“Thus, Shilajit can be given as a supplement to people ascending to high-altitude areas so that it can act as a ‘health rejuvenator’ and help to overcome high-altitude related problems.”

Shilajit: A panacea for high-altitude problems

That same study broke down all the properties and effects that shilajit exhibits that let it work as a high-altitude panacea

• Photoprotective
• Antioxidant
• Adaptogen
• Nervous, gastric, and cardiac systems tonic
• Rejuvenator
• Analgesic
• Immunostimulant
• Anxiolytic
• Anti-inflammatory
• Anti-septic
• Anti-stress
• Anti-epileptic
• Anti-asthmatic

Shilajit is key to helping humans adapt to extreme environments.

Heart health & cardioprotection

Shilajit increases mitochondrial ATP generation and cardiac cells have extremely dense concentrations of mitochondria in the body [R].

Shilajit protects and benefits the heart [R].

In a rat experiment, shilajit controlled blood sugar and normalized lipid profiles (cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, LDL, etc) [R].

A human study found…

“a signification reduction in Serum Triglycerides, Serum cholesterol with simultaneous improvement in HDL Cholesterol was seen, besides Shilajit also improved antioxidant status of volunteers”

Shilajit: evalution of its effects on blood chemistry of normal human subjects

Normal doses of shilajit also appear to reduce heart rate, at least in animal models [R].

This supplement improves various biomarkers of cardiovascular health in both humans and animal models.

Natural source of carbon 60 (C60)

Carbon 60 (C60) supplements have skyrocketed in popularity thanks to the recent boom of the longevity industry.

One animal study found that C60 extends mouse lifespan by 90% [R]!

Other follow up studies show less impressive yet still significant lifespan and healthspan increases from C60.

What few people realize, however, is that shilajit is one of the few natural sources of carbon 60 [R]. It’s probably insufficient to replace a dedicated C60 supplement, but still significant nonetheless.

It’s quite possible that many of the benefits falsely attributed to fulvic and humic acids actually come from an interplay with C60.

Pineal gland regeneration

According to Ayurveda, shilajit has spiritual benefits too.

It does this two main ways:

• Enhancing cellular detoxification
• Bioenergetic restoration

First, the 85 trace minerals are potent natural detoxifiers from heavy metals, environmental toxins, and other endocrine disruptors. Shilajit encourages healthy production of melatonin at night and circadian rhythm stability.

At the same time, it provides the antioxidant ellagic acid, plant sterols (plant hormones), and fatty acids. All of which improve the health of the endocrine system and help decalcify the pineal gland.

Your pineal gland is often referred to as the “Third Eye” and is associated with light, perception, and intuition.

Secondly, shilajit can help you attain a spiritual awakening/enlightenment. It does this by rebalancing and energizing your pineal gland bioenergy center (“Third Eye Chakra”).

Beauty, skin, joints, ligaments

Although it hasn’t trended on TikTok for this yet, shilajit has an emerging role as a beauty and skincare enhancer.

First, shilajit promotes collagen synthesis, supports the skin, and enhances connective tissue health [R]. Making it a great complement to collagen supplements.

Users often remark that their skin shows fewer wrinkles and fine lines and actually stays tighter.

That’s because it improves skin microvascular, extracellular matrix mechanisms, and encourages overall skin repair [R].

Plus, the phytochemicals within it naturally help the body eliminate toxins and maintain the skin’s natural oils.

Finally, the photoprotective properties mean shilajit acts like a sunscreen to help shield you from the sun’s damaging UV rays.

Cellular detoxification

Fulvic acid within shilajit is considered one of the premier cellular detoxification agents simply because it does not bind to, chelate, and excrete important micro-nutrients from the body.

Most powerful detoxification substances like activated charcoal, EDTA, DMPS, and even zeolite can inhibit your ability to absorb essential nutrients.

Shilajit, and specifically fulvic acid appear to help rid the body of:

• Pesticides, herbicides, rodendacides, fungicides [R, R]
• Heavy metals (lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium) [R]
• Graphene oxide
• Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) [R]

One 2024 study, remarked,

“However, humic substances in Shilajit actively detoxify around 12 heavy metals”

Hazardous or Advantageous: Uncovering the Roles of Heavy Metals and Humic Substances in Shilajit (Phyto-mineral) with Emphasis on Heavy Metals Toxicity and Their Detoxification Mechanisms

Since it’s gentle on the body and contributes micro-nutrients, shilajit is a great addition to a thorough cellular detoxification protocol.

Benefits I Noticed From Using Shilajit Supplements

I’ve now taken thousands of doses of shilajit resin, powder, liquid, capsules, and just about every form.

It’s one of my most consistent daily supplements I’ve taken for years. Shilajit is certainly my favorite adaptogen.

While most of the benefits are sub-perception, I do note a few prominent effects from taking it:

• Steady energy
• Slightly reduced hunger
• Uptick of “male hormones”
• Better athletic performance
• Mental clarity

It definitely potentiates the effects of brain supplements (nootropics) and pre-workout products. I either use smaller dosages and get the same effect, or a larger effect from the same serving size.

More and more pre-workout supplements have added shilajit because it has multi-factorial sports performance benefits.

I can exercise for about 5-10% longer without my intensity decreasing. I also seem to recover slightly faster from grueling sessions.

When I go backpacking at high-elevation, I notice a significant difference when stacking a few supplements together like shilajit and rhodiola

It takes me longer to feel winded and fatigued, which makes a huge difference.

I also love taking long sessions in infrared saunas and traditional radiant heat saunas.

Previously, I had to limit my session duration and frequency because all the sweating on top of my exercise routine caused massive muscle cramping and depleted my body of electrolytes and minerals.

Since adding in shilajit, I no longer get cramps. Likely indicating better mineralization.

I’ve only gotten sick once since then (COVID), and the symptoms lasted 24 hours. Recent bloodwork showed very high iron levels, likely due to my heavy shilajit intake combined with iron-rich animal products.

For whatever reason, on days I use shilajit, any cravings feel slightly muted. I’m not sure if this is an effect of the fulvic and humic acids or something to do with mitochondrial efficiency.

Either way, shilajit makes adhering to a clean diet easier.

Of course, I cannot discern many of the benefits listed previously in the science section of this article.

Shilajit: The Forgotten Health Optimization Super Supplement?

Shilajit is one of the best adaptogenic super nutrient supplements on Earth.

Although TikTok and social media have brought this substance back into vogue, its original use actually dates back thousands of years to ancient medical systems.

These ancestral medical systems praised (high-quality) shilajit as a panacea, calling it a “cure-all”.

Whether to protect against chronic disease, rev up metabolism and cellular energy, optimize testosterone and other hormones, as a nootropic cognitive enhancer, nutrient super amplifier, or as an ultimate longevity and anti-aging supplement.

I previously took a cheap shilajit product and noticed nothing. This industry has tons of counterfeits and contaminated products. When I changed, I quickly noticed a difference.

Check out this article I wrote on the best shilajit supplements to make sure you’re getting a legit product.

Have you noticed any health, longevity, or performance benefits from shilajit? Drop a comment below and let me know.

And if you found this article helpful, please send it to a friend or share it on social media. That’s how I know what else to create for you.

Thanks!