What Is Shilajit? Uses, Research, and How to Choose a Clean One

What is shilajit?

Shilajit (known in other regions as mumie or moomiyo) is a natural exudate: a tar-like substance that oozes out from between layers of rock. Its color runs from pale brown to nearly black, and its texture varies from soft and sticky to hard. It is collected in many mountain ranges, with the Himalayas and the Hindu Kush the best-known sources (Agarwal et al., Phytotherapy Research, 2007).

Scientists describe it as a complex mix of humic substances (the dark organic matter that forms as plants decay), along with plant and microbial compounds and minerals. Two groups of compounds get the most attention:

• Fulvic acid, one of the humic substances. Some purified extracts are standardized to at least 50% fulvic acid (Keller et al., 2019).
• Dibenzo-alpha-pyrones, often shortened to DBPs, which researchers consider among the key active compounds (Stohs, Phytotherapy Research, 2014).

Shilajit also carries a broad spread of minerals, including calcium, potassium, magnesium and iron. Unfortunately, the same rocks can also contribute unwanted metals, which is why sourcing and purification matter so much (more on that below).

How shilajit is used in Ayurveda

In Ayurveda and the related Siddha system, shilajit is classed as a rasayana, a rejuvenator meant to prevent illness and improve quality of life (Wilson et al., Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2011). That review found shilajit listed in 20 classical formulas, used for a wide range of complaints. Other reviewers describe its long traditional role as a rejuvenator and adaptogen (Agarwal et al., 2007). Our Ayurveda basics guide explains the wider tradition.

The same review was blunt about the science: despite a very long history of use, shilajit had little rigorous evaluation, and claims about immune effects did not hold up to close scrutiny.

What does the research say about shilajit?

Human studies are few and small:

• Testosterone in healthy men. Men aged 45 to 55 took 250 mg of purified shilajit twice a day, or a placebo, for 90 days. Total and free testosterone and DHEA-S rose more in the shilajit group, while the pituitary hormones LH and FSH stayed steady (Pandit et al., Andrologia, 2016).
• Sperm counts. In 28 men with low sperm counts who completed 90 days of 100 mg processed shilajit twice daily, total sperm count rose about 61% and motility improved compared with their own starting values (Biswas et al., Andrologia, 2010). There was no placebo group, so some of that change could have happened anyway.
• Muscle fatigue. In 63 recreationally active young men, 500 mg a day of a purified extract for eight weeks helped the stronger half of participants keep more strength after a tiring leg workout. A 250 mg dose did no better than placebo (Keller et al., J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 2019). The study was funded by the company that makes the extract.
• Bone density. In 60 postmenopausal women with osteopenia, those taking 250 or 500 mg of a shilajit extract daily for 48 weeks lost less bone density than those on placebo (Pingali and Nutalapati, Phytomedicine, 2022).

A 2023 systematic review of so-called testosterone boosters rated purified shilajit as "possibly effective" for men with age-related low testosterone, while most other products in the review failed (Morgado et al., International Journal of Impotence Research). Most of these trials come from two small research groups, and at least one was funded by the extract's maker, so the results need independent confirmation. Other herbs studied for similar goals include tongkat ali and black maca.

Shilajit resin vs capsules vs powder

How to choose a clean shilajit

Because shilajit comes out of rock, it can pick up whatever metals are in that rock. When researchers analyzed shilajit samples from India and Pakistan with three different lab methods, they found lead, arsenic, mercury, chromium and other toxic elements at levels above standard limits (Aldakheel et al., Biological Trace Element Research, 2022). A 2024 review counted around 65 metals reported in shilajit; most studies found levels within limits, but some did not (Hussain and Saeed, 2024). Another team found thallium, a toxic metal, in both natural shilajit and finished supplements, sometimes at higher levels in the supplements (Kamgar et al., BMC Chemistry, 2025).

Tips for buying:

• Choose "purified" or "processed" shilajit rather than raw resin of unknown origin.
• Look for a brand that tests every batch for heavy metals and will share results.
• Prefer products that state fulvic acid content, so you know what you are getting.

Who should be careful with shilajit

Purified extracts were well tolerated in the short trials above, and liver and kidney tests did not change in the sperm study. Long-term safety is not well established.

• Pregnancy and breastfeeding. No trials have included pregnant or breastfeeding women, so it is best avoided.
• Hormone-sensitive conditions. Because shilajit may raise testosterone, talk to your doctor first if you have a hormone-related condition or take hormone therapy.
• Medications and medical conditions. Check with your doctor or pharmacist before adding it, especially if you have a chronic health condition.

Find it at William's

We carry shilajit in capsules, the form closest to what has been studied:

• Youtheory shilajit, 60 capsules: made with PrimaVie, the purified, branded extract used in the muscle-fatigue trial described above.
• Planetary Ayurvedics shilajit extract 500 mg, 60 veg capsules: the maker states it is tested for heavy metals and mold, and the capsules avoid shilajit's strong taste.
• Planetary Ayurvedics shilajit extract 500 mg, 120 veg capsules: the same product in a larger bottle.

The shilajit resin we list online is currently out of stock; call the store to check what's on the shelf.

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