Doctor Reviews: Shilajit

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Shilajit is a traditional medicinal substance from the Himalayas, formed from decomposed plant, animal, mineral, and microbial material. Essentially, it’s a type of natural soil. Its composition can vary based on where it’s found, but the main components of crude shilajit are humic and fulvic acids. Additionally, it contains small amounts of vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and amino acids.

The key active ingredient is fulvic acid, an organic compound created over time from the breakdown of plants and animals. This compound is believed to have antioxidant properties, contributing to shilajit’s potential health benefits, including its traditional use as an adaptogen in Ayurvedic medicine.

Benefits of shilajit

Why do people take shilajit? Most shilajit supplements are marketed for boosting energy and reducing stress, similar to other adaptogens like ashwagandha. It’s also promoted for improving fertility, enhancing muscle strength, and addressing various other health conditions. But does it really work? And what does the research say about the benefits of shilajit?

Most of the research on shilajit has been conducted on cells and mice, not humans. This means that any benefits observed in these studies are theoretical and not proven to work in people. Studies on cells and mice don’t directly apply to humans due to differences in our physiology, metabolism, and how we react to substances. So, while these preliminary findings on shilajit are intriguing, we need human clinical trials to confirm its effectiveness and safety before using it for conditions like stress or fertility.

Research on shilajit

Are there any human trials that examine shilajit or its main active compound, fulvic acid? Yes, there are, but the quality of this evidence is very weak. Let’s review the medical conditions that have been studied in relation to shilajit and fulvic acid.

Shilajit for Energy and Stamina

Shilajit is commonly used as an adaptogen to boost stamina and energy. In a small clinical trial, adults with above-average strength took 500 mg of shilajit daily for eight weeks. The results showed a slight reduction in muscle fatigue after exercise. However, this effect wasn’t seen in adults with below-average strength, and the study only included male participants.

Shilajit and Fertility

Preliminary research on adults with oligospermia (low sperm count) showed that taking 100 mg of shilajit twice daily for 90 days increased total sperm count by 61% and sperm motility by at least 12% compared to baseline. However, the study lacked a placebo group, which limits its validity.

Cognitive Benefits of Shilajit

A small trial tested shilajit on adults with Alzheimer’s disease. Participants took 200 mg of shilajit daily, along with folate and vitamins B6 and B12, for 24 weeks. The results indicated a slight slowing of cognitive decline compared to a placebo. However, the study’s methodology and findings were not fully detailed, making its validity weak.

Shilajit for Bone Health

In a trial with postmenopausal adults with osteopenia or osteoporosis, taking 500 mg of shilajit daily for 48 weeks slightly increased bone density in the spine and neck compared to a placebo. However, the study excluded men and those already on conventional osteoporosis medications, limiting its applicability.

A study on adults recovering from surgery after a tibia fracture found that taking 500 mg of shilajit twice daily for 28 days shortened the average healing time to 129 days, compared to 153 days for those on a placebo. However, the high dropout rate, with less than 40% of patients completing the trial, weakens the findings.

Fulvic Acid Research

Research on fulvic acid is even more limited. In people with allergic rhinitis, a study found that taking a 3.8% fulvic acid solution, 40 mL twice daily for seven days, slightly reduced the size of hives from pollen prick tests compared to baseline. But, like other studies, it lacked a placebo group, which greatly limits its validity.

Summary

So, what can we really say about the proven benefits of shilajit? For studies without a control group, we can’t draw solid conclusions because any observed benefits could be due to the placebo effect. In Alzheimer’s research, the study used a mix of nutrients, making it unclear if the effects were from shilajit, other ingredients, or the combination.

This leaves us with only two potential benefits: a slight increase in bone density or faster healing from fractures in people with osteoporosis, and slightly reduced muscle fatigue after exercise. Beyond these conditions, shilajit and fulvic acid haven’t been thoroughly studied for other medical issues. Many other advertised benefits, such as boosting immunity, improving metabolism, enhancing vitality, slowing aging, detoxifying the liver, or improving cognitive or athletic performance in humans, are either completely made up or weakly inferred from animal and cellular studies. These claims haven’t been confirmed in human clinical trials.

There are two key takeaways from the research. First, even for the conditions mentioned, only one small study exists for each, making the evidence extremely weak. This contrasts sharply with other supplements like L-carnitine, which have multiple, larger independent studies showing their benefits.

Safety of shilajit

When looking at the safety of shilajit, it’s crucial to know that nearly all studies use a specialized, proprietary form called PrimaVie. This form is purified and standardized to contain specific components like fulvic acid, dibenzo-alpha-pyrones (DBPs), and DBP-chromoproteins. If you’re considering trying shilajit, it’s important to choose a purified and processed form. Not only is it likely more effective, but it’s also safer. Raw, unprocessed shilajit often contains heavy metals, microbial debris, and other harmful compounds, making it unsafe for consumption.

Additionally, there’s concern about water polluted with high concentrations of fulvic acids, similar to those in shilajit. This pollution could be linked to Kashin-Beck disease, a chronic disorder affecting joints and bones, primarily in children and adolescents. This disease is prevalent in regions like China, Tibet, and Siberia, where shilajit is commonly harvested. It causes severe arthritis, bone deformities, pain, restricted movement, and stunted growth.

Now, I’m not saying that shilajit will cause these issues, but it’s important to be aware that consuming a supplement not thoroughly studied in humans may expose you to unknown risks. Always opt for a purified form and consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplement.

Should you take shilajit?

At the end of the day, shilajit is a poorly studied nutritional supplement. Its main claim to fame is that it comes from the Himalayan mountains, which supposedly gives it mystical properties. Nutritionally, it’s quite similar to peat, an organic soil made up mostly of fulvic and humic acids. It also contains trace amounts of minerals and organic acids, although their usefulness is questionable at best. While shilajit has a history of traditional use, there’s no strong human evidence to support its supposed benefits.

Supplements like shilajit are not new. Fulvic and humic acid supplements have been sold as liquids in the past, often marketed with claims of improving vitality and other dubious health benefits. These supplements have also been problematic, sometimes containing high levels of heavy metals. Although most shilajit supplements today strive to remove the heavy metals, the questionable health claims and dubious benefits remain.

Top alternatives to Shilajit

• Shilajit – 2 to 4 caps / day

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