Shilajit: A compilation of scientific literature supporting potential health effects

Shilajit, a revered adaptogenic substance used for centuries in traditional Ayurvedic medicine, has been growing exponentially in the near past.

Here is a compilation of all available scientific papers suggesting the potential health benefits of Shilajit.

*Disclaimer* - None of the following information is medical advice. Information provided on this website is for education and research purposes only.
None of the following statements haveΒ been evaluated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration. Any products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat or prevent any disease. Please consult your medical professional before commencing any health protocol.

Science-Supported Potential Health Benefits of Shilajit

  • May presentΒ antioxidant properties [2][7][13][14][23][27][31][32][45][54][58][59]
  • May presentΒ anti-ageing properties [29][30]
  • May increaseΒ androgenic hormones (namely testosterone & DHEA) [1][9]
  • May reduceΒ anxiety [6][12][18][27][36][48][70]
  • May improveΒ stress tolerance [27][33][60]
  • May counterractΒ exhaustion and fatigue [11][27]
  • May positivelyΒ modulate immune response [8][31][34][35][49][66][67]
  • May improveΒ muscular strength [11][17]
  • May improveΒ recovery and athletic performance [17][33]
  • May improveΒ fertility[9][43][55]
  • May enhanceΒ libido [43]
  • May protectΒ againstΒ neurodegeneration &Β demonstrate neuroprotective properties [3][4][16]Β [56][58][74]
  • May detoxifyΒ and protect from heavy metals (fulvic acid has a heavy metal binding capacity 5-100x stronger than clays) [19][24][26][43]
  • May presentΒ antiv1ral properties [42][46]
  • May enhanceΒ bioavailability and retention of minerals in the cell [19]
  • May improveΒ mitochondrial energy production [27][28][33]
  • May inhibitΒ proliferation of c@ncerous cells via inducing apoptosis [7][65]
  • May be liverΒ protective [7][39][40]
  • May bindΒ to pesticides, block their absorption, and detoxify them from the body - specifically glyphosate [21]. Fulvic acidΒ may also neutralize the antimicrobial effects on glyphosate, potentially helping maintain healthy gut flora [8][22]
  • May mitigateΒ gr@phene toxicity [75][76]
  • May restore blood brain barrier integrity [56]
  • May supportΒ bone health [45][47][64][72]
  • May improveΒ wound healing [51][62][68][71]
  • May enhanceΒ learning retention [6]
  • May enhanceΒ memory [6][36]
  • MayΒ protect against andΒ detoxify r@diation (radionuclides) [20][44][54]
  • May be cardioprotectiveΒ [13][14][53]
  • May be photoprotective,Β potentially increasing tolerance to UV light and reducing sunburn and skinΒ damage [8]
  • May present antimicrobial propertiesΒ [16][22][23]
  • May presentΒ antifungal properties [23][37]
  • Fulvic acid mayΒ influence tum0r healingΒ [7][25][41]
  • May improveΒ erectile function [38]
  • May increaseΒ dopamine levels [6]
  • Has been used to supporting the healing skin conditions, including psoriasis, eczema, seborrheic keratosis, pruritis and actinic keratosis [23][52]
  • May promoteΒ healthy digestion and absorption of foods [8]
  • May protectΒ against high-altitude related illness, such as hypoxia, muscular degeneration, acute mountain sickness (AMS) and high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) [8]
  • May supportΒ acclimatisation to high altitudes [8]
  • May improveΒ iron absorption and bioavailability [8]
  • May improveΒ disease resistance [49]
  • MayΒ support iron-deficiency anemia, without causing iron toxicity [15]Β 
  • May improve pain tolerance [12][63]
  • MayΒ reduce alcohol withdrawal and dependence symptoms [18]
  • Potentially displaysΒ positive effects against opi0id withdrawal, dependence and tolerance [61]
  • May promote deep, cellular remineralisation [3]
  • May present antiulcerogenic propertiesΒ [50][68][73]
  • May presentΒ antipsychoticΒ properties [57][69]

Links to Supporting Evidence

Clinical evaluation of purified Shilajit on testosterone levels in healthy volunteers [1]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26395129/

Therapeutic Potential of Fulvic Acid in Chronic Inflammatory Diseases and Diabetes [2]

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jdr/2018/5391014/

Shilajit: A Natural Phytocomplex with Potential Procognitive Activity [3]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3296184/

Fulvic acid inhibits aggregation and promotes disassembly of tau fibrils associated with Alzheimer's disease [4]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21785188/

Complement-fixing activity of fulvic acid from Shilajit and other natural sources [5]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19107845/

Effects of Shilajit on memory, anxiety and brain monoamines in rats [6]

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/275715043_Effects_of_Shilajit_on_memory_anxiety_and_brain_monoamines_in_rats#:~:text=The%20results%20indicated%20that%20Shilajit,monoamine%20and%20monoamine%20metabolite%20levels.

Mineral pitch induces apoptosis and inhibits proliferation via modulating reactive oxygen species in hepatic c@ncer cells [7]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4882837/

Shilajit:Β A panacea for high-altitude problems [8]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2876922/

Clinical evaluation of spermatogenic activity of processed Shilajit in oligospermia [9]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20078516/

Safety and efficacy of shilajit (mumie, moomiyo) [10]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23733436/

The effects of Shilajit supplementation on fatigue-induced decreases in muscular strength and serum hydroxyproline levels [11]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30728074/

Glycine- and GABA-mimetic Actions of Shilajit on the Substantia Gelatinosa Neurons of the Trigeminal Subnucleus Caudalis in Mice [12]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3222798/

Shilajit: evaluation of its effects on blood chemistry of normal human subjects [13]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22557121/

Cardioprotective effect of mumie (shilajit) on experimentally induced myocardial injury [14]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24448712/

Evaluation of safety profile of black shilajit after 91 days repeated administration in rats [15]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3609271/

Mumijo Traditional Medicine: Fossil Deposits from Antarctica (Chemical Composition and Beneficial Bioactivity) [16]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3139983/

The Human Skeletal Muscle Transcriptome in Response to Oral Shilajit Supplementation [17]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4948208/

Effect of Withania Somnifera and Shilajit on Alcohol Addiction in Mice [18]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4883068/

Humic + Fulvic acid mitigated Cd adverse effects on plant growth, physiology and biochemical properties of garden cress [19]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8044109/

Direct and Indirect Detoxification Effects of Humic Substances [20]

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/348643071_Direct_and_Indirect_Detoxification_Effects_of_Humic_Substances

Adsorption of Glyphosate by Humic Substances [21]

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jf950620x

Neutralization of the antimicrobial effect of glyphosate by humic acid in vitro [22]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24268342/

Effects of Fulvic Acid on Skin A brief literature review [23]

https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Effects-of-Fulvic-Acid-on-Skin-Karr/7444ac717fe63124d0bc952d52c8567dca65c52b

Effects of a fulvic acid on the adsorption of mercury and cadmium on goethite [24]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12663188/

Yuan, Shenyuan; Fulvic Acid, 4 1988; in Application of Fulvic acid and its derivatives in the fields of agriculture and medicine; First Edition: June 1993 [25]

https://www.purefulvicminerals.com/wp-content/uploads/fulvicacidii-1.pdf

Effect of fulvic acids on lead-induced oxidative stress to metal sensitiveΒ Vicia fabaΒ L. plant [26]

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00374-012-0662-9

Shilajit attenuates behavioral symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome by modulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and mitochondrial bioenergetics in rats [27]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22771318/

Effect of humic substances on mitochondrial respiration and oxidative phosphorylation [28]

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0048969787905213?via%3Dihub

Therapeutic Potentials of "Shilajit Rasayana" - A Review [29]

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/266968908_Therapeutic_Potentials_of_Shilajit_Rasayana-A_Review

Spectroscopic characterization of fulvic acids extracted from the rock exudate Shilajit [30]

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0146638008002647

Effect of fulvic and humic acids on performance, immune response and thyroid function in rats [31]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21073632/

Effects of shilajit on biogenic free radicals [32]

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ptr.2650090113

BENEFICIAL EFFECT OF PROCESSED SHILAJIT ON SWIMMING EXERCISE INDUCED IMPAIRED ENERGY STATUS OF MICE [33]

https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/BENEFICIAL-EFFECT-OF-PROCESSED-SHILAJIT-ON-SWIMMING-Bhattacharyya-Pal/bec16b0361d61d278d096d2489cdae108836cb07]

Effect of Shilajit on Mouse Peritoneal Macrophages [34]

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ptr.2650070608

Chemistry of shilajit, an immunomodulatory Ayurvedic rasayanΒ [35]

https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1351/pac199062071285/pdf

Effects of shilajit and its active constituents on learning and memory in rats [36]

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ptr.2650070109

Antifungal activity screening and hplc analysis of crude extract from Tectona grandis, Shilajit, Valeriana wallachi [37]

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283779525_Antifungal_activity_screening_and_hplc_analysis_of_crude_extract_from_Tectona_grandis_Shilajit_Valeriana_wallachi

Parasympathomimetic effect of shilajit accounts for relaxation of rat corpus cavernosum [38]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23060465/

Hepatoprotective effects of Shilajit on high fat-diet induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in rats [39]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32083445/

Protective Roles of Shilajit in Modulating Resistin, Adiponectin, and Cytokines in Rats with Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease [40]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35258780/

Mumio (Shilajit) as a potential chem0therapeutic for the urinary bladder c@ncer treatment [41]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34799663/

Antiv1ral activity of natural humic substances and shilajit materials against HiV-1: Relation to structure [42]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33065073/

Profertility effects of Shilajit on cadmium-induced infertility in male mice [43]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29947420/

Evaluation of preventive effect of shilajit on r@diation-induced apoptosis on ovaries [44]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26530234/

Shilajit extract reduces oxidative stress, inflammation, and bone loss to dose-dependently preserve bone mineral density in postmenopausal women with osteopenia: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial [45]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35933897/

In vitro evaluation of the antiv1ral properties of Shilajit and investigation of its mechanisms of action [46]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25792012/

Accelerating effect of Shilajit on osteogenic property of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs) [47]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36153551/

Activation of Strychnine-Sensitive Glycine Receptors by Shilajit on Preoptic Hypothalamic Neurons of Juvenile Mice [48]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26875561/

Protective efficacy of Shilajit enriched diet on growth performance and immune resistance against Aeromonas hydrophila in Oreochromis mossambicus [49]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30102974/

Antiulcerogenic and antiinflammatory studies with shilajit [50]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2345464/

Development of dual crosslinked mumio-based hydrogel dressing for wound healing application: Physico-chemistry and antimicrobial activity [51]

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378517321007584

Skin Transcriptome of Middle-Aged Women Supplemented With Natural Herbo-mineral Shilajit Shows Induction of Microvascular and Extracellular Matrix Mechanisms [52]

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07315724.2018.1564088?journalCode=uacn20

Effect of shilajit on the heart of Daphnia: A preliminary study [53]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22529672/

Ameliorative efficacy of bioencapsulated Chironomous larvae with Shilajit on Zebrafish (Danio rerio) exposed to Ionizing r@diation [54]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28697403/

The spermatogenic and ovogenic effects of chronically administered Shilajit to rats [55]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16698205/

The Effects of Shilajit on Brain Edema, Intracranial Pressure and Neurologic Outcomes following the Traumatic Brain Injury in Rat [56]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23997917/

Antiepileptic and antipsychotic activities of standardized Śilājatu (Shilajit) in experimental animals [57]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26865744/

Novel Nutraceutical Compounds in Alzheimer Prevention [58]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35204750/

Oxidative stress induced by lead and antioxidant potential of certain adaptogens in poultry [59]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21170243/

Adaptogenic activity of Siotone, a polyherbal formulation of Ayurvedic rasayanas [60]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11218827/

Traditional Chinese and Indian medicine in the treatment of 0pioid-dependence: a review [61]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25050276/

Ferulic Acid Induces Keratin 6Ξ± via Inhibition of Nuclear Ξ²-Catenin Accumulation and Activation of Nrf2 in Wound-Induced Inflammation [62]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33922346/

Mumijo attenuates chemically induced inflammatory pain in mice [63]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25830280/

Efficacy ofΒ MomiaiΒ in Tibia Fracture Repair: A Randomized Double-Blinded Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial [64]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32310691/

Mummy Induces Apoptosis Through Inhibiting of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) in Human Breast C@ncer Cells [65]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34466597/

1mmunostimulant effect of a mixed herbal extract on infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) v@ccinated chickens in the context of a co-infection model of avian 1nfluenza v1rus H9N2 and IBDV [66]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32563798/

Characterization and biological activities of humic substances from mumie [67]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12926866/

Phenol-Rich Compounds Sweet Gel: A Statistically More Effective Antibiotic than Cloxacillin Against Pseudomonas Aeruginosa [68]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27695634/

Role of humic acid on oral drug delivery of an antiepileptic drug [69]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20815797/

Evaluation of the Anxiolytic Activity of NR-ANX-C (a Polyherbal Formulation) in Ethanol Withdrawal-Induced Anxiety Behavior in Rats [70]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20953426/

The Effect of Mummy on Some Indices of Wound Healing in Mice [71]

https://jkmu.kmu.ac.ir/article_17387.html

[Reparative regeneration of the bone tissue under the effect of mumie-asyl] [72]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/530633/

Ulcer healing activity of Mumijo aqueous extract against acetic acid induced gastric ulcer in rats [73]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25709338/

Erchuan Wang et al, Humic acid, 3 (1991) [74]

Humic acid acts as a natural antidote of gr@phene by regulating nanomaterial translocation and metabolic fluxes in vivo [75]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24857237/

Mitigation in Multiple Effects of Gr@phene 0xide Toxicity in Zebrafish Embryogenesis Driven by Humic Acid [76]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26171725/

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