When I found Shilajit, I had any number of supplements in my cabinet but they all had one thing in common, quality.

If you are looking for a cheap substance up-sold as a panacea for every ailment under the sun with a bunch of questionable reviews, you should avoid Shilajit. This stuff is rare and valuable with some very specific and incredible benefits.

I don’t want to waste your time by pretending it is something it is not or by telling stories that can’t be backed up by science and real evidence.

I will say that if you find a source for genuine and quality live resin, you are in for a real treat. As someone that cares about quality over quantity, this resin can only be described as elite.

Health Benefits of Shilajit

These are some of the top shilajit benefits that I believe really set this resin apart from the crowd. Note: Check back soon as I’m currently doing research on the specific health benefits of shilajit for men and women.

1. Mood Stabilizing

This is the first thing I noticed when I started taking Shilajit. After the first week, my mood rapidly improved. A few days in I felt the edge coming off my anxiety, but over time the effect built up to the point where I rarely get anxious anymore.

This has been supported in studies where when tested against Xanax, shilajit showed similar results without any of the side effects associated with prescription benzodiazepine drugs like chlordiazepoxide (Librium), diazepam (Valium, Diastat Acudial, Diastat), estazolam, lorazepam (Ativan), oxazepam (Serax in the US), alprazolam (Xanax, Xanax XR), clobazam (Onfi), clonazepam (Klonopin), clorazepate (Tranxene), temazepam (Restoril) or triazolam (Halcion).

Apart from WebMD info and clinical studies, there’s a massive amount of anecdotal testimonials showing its benefits as a mood stabilizer and great aid in battling depression.

2. Antioxidant

Shilajit has a unique set of antioxidant properties that are well proven but difficult to explain. In short, it inhibits lipid peroxidation and reduces glutathione. In layman’s terms, it prevents the free radicals that cause oxidization in your blood.

3. Antibacterial

Shilajit has been tested and proven effective for fighting various bacterial infections including staphylococci and streptococci, proving it as a powerful antibacterial substance.

4. Alcohol Addiction and Withdrawal

When tested against Xanax in treating anxiety caused by alcohol withdrawal, Shilajit had comparable results to the prescription medication. It showed a significant reduction in depression and stress levels without producing side effects.

5. Immune System

It is a nonspecific immune stimulator. It has been proven to regenerate the immune system, boosting overall immune function and restoring your immune system to its natural rhythm.

6. Blood Sugar in blood disorders

Shilajit has been successfully shown to improve blood sugar levels in those suffering from blood disorders through the repair and regeneration of the pancreas gland.

7. Cognitive Enhancer (Nootropic)

Shilajit has been used traditionally to increase mental function, showing both effects in learning ability and memory. Modern science has supported this by demonstrating that the resin was able to slow the natural degeneration of neurons in your nervous system.

It’s quickly gaining popularity among the nootropics community for its benefits for the brain, mood, and depression. Reading the reviews is very interesting among those users.

There’s even a recently published study showing how effective it is as a high-altitude sickness remedy.

8. Tissue Repair and Regeneration

Multiple studies have shown the incredible regenerative effects of Shilajit. It was used as an anabolic agent by the soviet sports and military thanks to the extensive results it has shown when it comes to healing muscle and bone tissues.

One extreme example is a study that demonstrated supplementing this mineral resin doubled the healing time of broken bones in the test subjects. It has also been shown to protect neurons and help increase muscle mass after activity.

It has repeatedly shown to be able to restore the human body to its natural healthy state.

9. Sleep

There is one more thing that sets Shilajit apart.

I have heard a lot of adaptogens recommended to promote sleep but for me, it has a way of correcting my natural rhythm. I find myself tired at a reasonable hour, and I sleep very well, waking up earlier ready to go.

Maybe that just has to do with having less anxiety and depression, but I will take it happily. That’s why I like taking shilajit before bed.

I did a super in-depth analysis of the benefits of shilajit including all the citations for the benefits I listed above. You can find it here.

Background Information on Shilajit

Its Latin name is Asphaltum punjabianum, and shilajit is also known locally as barahshin, baragshun, shargai and dorobi. Alternative spellings are shilajeet and salajeet, and more uncommonly you might hear it referred to as mineral wax or mineral pitch. You can find out more about this sort of thing on WebMD.

History

All the way back to the 6th century, we find medical reviews and records detailing some of the many uses and benefits of Shilajit. Much of the foundation of Ayurvedic medicine is based on Shilajit.

It is a harmonizer that can improve the benefits of other botanical herbs while diminishing their potential side effects. The lack of a presence of genuine Shilajit has nothing to do with its efficacy but with its limited supply.

In areas where Shilajit is found in abundance, it is a staple in every medicine cabinet. As a friend of mine once said when I was talking to him about shilajit “I know that stuff! My grandma used to give it to me for everything, she just called it the medicine.”

Where Does Shilajit Come From?

It originates mainly in areas of Karakuram, Tibet mountains, Caucasus mountains, the Himalaya Mountains, Altai Mountains, Karakuram, Tibet mountains, Caucasus mountains, and mountains of Gilgit Baltistan. Strangely enough, a substance very similar was found all the way in Antarctica!

Ayurvedic Energetics

Function: Heating

Taste: Pungent, astringent, bitter and salty in taste

Gunas: Dry and Heavy

Works on: Soft Tissue, Nervous System

Where can you find shilajit in nature?

Shilajit pitch only forms under very particular circumstances in limited regions of Northwest China, Southern Siberia, and Northeast India. Because of this, the best shilajit resins have traded for their weight in gold for much of its long history.

Names for the resin vary from region to region and have many spellings depending on who did the translations, but some of the most common alternative names and spellings are Shilajeet, Mumijo Moomiyo, Shilajit and Black Asphaltum.

The Truth About Shilajit Powder

Shilajit powder is an interesting subject to me. It is always promoted with excessively high fulvic acid and mineral content.

Something you can buy as a fertilizer which interestingly looks a lot like shilajit powder.

I cannot legally tell you that Shilajit powder is not an authentic product, but that is only because anyone can sell cow manure under the label of Shilajit providing they furnish the right COAs that prove the substance is non-toxic.

What I can and will do is point you toward some of the patent applications that show you that Shilajit powder is being made using methanol, a wood-based alcohol that is “used for industrial and automotive purposes” –nih.gov

This is my opinion but here is the patent. The thing that triggers suspicion is in section [0027] with the procedure for extraction, genuine natural resins can be purified with just water and produce a totally safe, highly effective, and contaminant-free resin.

I see no reason to add the information in Section D “extracting the residue with a hot organic solvent, e.g. methanol” would be necessary if they were doing an extraction process on a genuine resin.

If someone can explain this to me I would love an answer, but as it stands they are working with some other substance acquired from sedimentary rock, and my vote is it is raw dirt.

Yes, dirt!

It’s puzzling how shilajit extract side effects are popping up when in its natural form it has none.

Shilajit Resins

When it comes to resins, you have similar quality control issues with companies taking powders and making them resinous by mixing in raw tree sap until they get something that has a close enough to pass off to an unsuspecting customer. You’ll find out about this as you read customer reviews and testimonials.

A good shilajit resin is something you can take in incredibly small doses and still experience a significant benefit. I have been recommended to take shilajit dosage from a grain of rice to a pea-sized ball.

I personally go for the latter, but my parents opt for a dose the size of a grain of rice. So when you tally up the cost of keeping a supply of resin, keep that in mind it is easy to make a 30g jar go for 3 months of daily use.

Where Is The Best Place To Buy Shilajit?

At the end of the day, you have to turn to brands and rely on them for quality control. I did a lot of research, tried a lot of products, read thousands of shilajit reviews and ultimately, I chose to take Lost Empire Herbs and absolutely love their product.

They have more quality control steps than anyone I have found and even take it as far as having unique serial numbers on each jar to prevent counterfeits. What really sealed the deal for me was all the reviews and testimonials.

Additional Reading on Shilajit

So, does Shilajit work? I say so! I hope you can benefit from the research and reviews I have done, and help spread awareness about the issues of counterfeiting in the supplement industry.

Lastly, before you go would you please post a comment or question below?



Got tips or opinions? Have you personally experienced some of the health benefits of shilajit or maybe even had an unexpected side effect? Have you found benefits from the Patanjali shilajit capsules?

We even have visitors asking us things like “is shilajit addictive?” and “can you smoke shilajit?” and “will shilajit get you high?” And experiences? I’d also like to hear any testimonials and reviews for oriens, mumijo and PrimaVie® Shilajit.

Oh, and what happens when you mix shilajit and marijuana?

Please share them in the comments. We’d love to hear from you.