What Is Shilajit?

Hailing from the Caucasus and Himalayan mountains, Shilajit (pronounced shi-lah-jeet) is a naturally-occurring substance that’s rich in beneficial nutrients. Although it’s somewhat unknown today, it is still prominent in many natural health practices, including Ayurveda. This blackish, smooth substance can be found in high concentrations in the Altai Mountains. One of the main constituents of the material is fulvic acid, which has shown some promise in heavy metal protection and brain support.

What is Shilajit?

Shilajit is a sticky resin that oozes from rocks in the mountains in response from the heat of the sun. It is often referred to as “rock sweat” and “stone oil” for its tar and sap-like texture. You’ll often see shilajit as a black color, but it typically ranges in hue depending on location. The substance is rich in nutrients, like humic acid, A, B, and C vitamins, and trace minerals, and it may be useful for supporting men’s health. While shilajit research is by no means large, there is some evidence that its compounds can provide many health benefits.

What are the Benefits of Shilajit?

Shilajit may support healthy aging, increase the body’s ability to rejuvenate tissue, increase metabolism, boost the immune system, promote digestive health, and even help strengthen bones. Its effects on brain health should also be noted. Research shows that compounds in shilajit may be helpful for reducing Alzheimer’s disease risk. ^[1] According to some spiritual traditions, shilajit may also be helpful for cleansing chakras, or energy centers at various points of the body. ^[2]

Shilajit contains at least 85 substances and minerals that are essential for the human body, including vitamins A, B, and C, and essential minerals like iron, zinc, and magnesium. Due to its mineral content, some research suggests it may be helpful in cases of anemia. ^[3] It’s incredible as an antioxidant and helps neutralize harmful free-radicals. The antioxidants may explain why shilajit is so beneficial for brain health. Review of the literature on shilajit also shows the substance to be a powerful adaptogen. ^[4] Perhaps its best feature though is its rich concentration of fulvic acid.

What is Fulvic Acid?

Fulvic acid–also known as humic acid–is like an octane booster for your body. It is a mixture of a number of different acids and is composed from degraded organic matter. Fulvic acid helps makes nutrients more absorbable, supports brain health, and makes it easier for your body to cleanse itself of chemicals, toxic metals, and harmful compounds that negatively affect your health.

Supplementing With Shilajit

Shilajit can be taken as a standalone supplement, and it’s also sometimes added to herbal formulations to supercharge their effect. In fact, that’s why we’ve added it to several of our products, including Zeotrex, our solution for chemical and toxic metal cleansing.

Have you ever used shilajit? What were your experiences?

References:

1. Carrasco-Gallardo Carlos, Guzmán Leonardo, and Ricardo B. Maccioni. Shilajit: A Natural Phytocomplex with Potential Procognitive Activity. National Center for Biotechnology Information. USA.Gov, 2012.


2. Ayurvedic Living. Shilajit: A Cure For All Weakness. AyurvedicLiving.org. AyurvedicLiving.org, 2015.


3. C. Velmurugan, B. Vivek, E. Wilson, T. Bharathi, and T. Sundaram. Evaluation of safety profile of black shilajit after 91 days repeated administration in rats. Asian Pac J Trop Biomed. 2012 Mar; 2(3): 210-214. doi: 10.1016/S2221-1691(12)60043-4.


4. Agarwal SP, Khanna R, Karmarkar R, Anwer MK, Khar RK. Shilajit: a review. Phytother Res. 2007 May;21(5):401-5.

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6 Benefits Of Shilajit For Men

Men who live and work in the mountains are known for their strength and endurance, and it appears there’s more to it than simply the mountain air. Shilajit, pronounced shil-ah-jeet, is an organic tar-like substance that naturally occurs in mountains around the globe, from the Himalayas to the Andes. It may not sound tasty, but as you’ll see in a moment, it works. Ayurvedic doctors began using it hundreds of years ago for its potent health-supportive properties.

6 Benefits of Shilajit for Men’s Health

Shilajit contains several potent substances including antioxidants and humic and fulvic acid. The plant contains over 80 minerals that support the body, and many have an incredible effect on a man’s health. If you’re a man, no matter where you live, you’ll want to look into shilajit. Here are 6 health benefits of Shilajit for men that will hopefully convince you:

1. Supports Fertility

A study gave 60 men suffering from infertility shilajit twice daily for 90 days. At the end of the trial period, sperm counts in the men increased by more than 60%, and sperm activity improved by 12% or more. ^[1] This supports what Ayurvedic doctors have known for centuries. Any man dealing with infertility should consider this safe, natural alternative to address his condition.

2. Promotes Testosterone Levels Naturally

It does more than increase the number and health of a man’s ‘swimmers.’ Men who take shilajit enjoy a boost to their testosterone levels, and a man needs higher testosterone levels to protect muscle tissue, keep fat off, and maintain a better overall mood and thinking.

3. Enhances Performance

Tradition holds men who take shilajit have more energy and feel generally better. It could be the mountain air, or it could be the nutrient density of shilajit. Researchers have determined shilajit acts at the cellular level to improve energy production at its source, the mitochondria. ^[2] When your cells are nourished like this, you feel like more awake, your recover faster, and you have what it takes to go that extra mile.

4. Protects the Heart

A recent study using animal models tested how well shilajit protects the heart. The animals who received the hebr showed less cardiovascular damage, with researchers concluding the effect must come from more than simply its antioxidant activity. ^[3]

5. Supports Memory

Increased testosterone levels play an important role in how well you think. But researchers have identified a special effect created by small molecules called dibezno-alpha-pyrones. These molecules prevent the breakdown of the brain chemicals needed for memory. ^[4] Other studies report the fulvic acid in shilajit appears to help against some causes of Alzheimer’s disease. ^[5]

6. Encourages Healthy Aging

Studies report shilajit’s antioxidant activity protects against cellular damage, and it’s this cellular damage that speeds the aging process in your heart, lungs, liver, and skin. The fulvic acid in shilajit delivers antioxidants and minerals directly to cells where they’re needed. This keeps them safe against free radical damage and accelerated aging.

A Final Thought

When it comes to taking shilajit, make sure you get the real stuff. If it’s solid at room temperature, you’ve got a hold of something that is of questionable quality. Shilajit should taste bitter, have a brownish-blackish color and melt in your hand.

Have you tried Shilajit? What did you notice? Leave a comment and let us know!

References:

1. Biswas TK1, Pandit S, Mondal S, Biswas SK, Jana U, Ghosh T, Tripathi PC, Debnath PK, Auddy RG, Auddy B. Clinical evaluation of spermatogenic activity of processed Shilajit in oligospermia. Andrologia. 2010 Feb;42(1):48-56. doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0272.2009.00956.x.


2. Surapaneni DK1, Adapa SR, Preeti K, Teja GR, Veeraragavan M, Krishnamurthy S. Shilajit attenuates behavioral symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome by modulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and mitochondrial bioenergetics in rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 2012 Aug 30;143(1):91-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2012.06.002.


3. Joukar S1, Najafipour H, Dabiri S, Sheibani M, Sharokhi N. Cardioprotective effect of mumie (shilajit) on experimentally induced myocardial injury. Cardiovasc Toxicol. 2014 Sep;14(3):214-21. doi: 10.1007/s12012-014-9245-3.


4. Mao Z1, Sun W1, Fu L1, Luo H1, Lai D1, Zhou L2. Natural dibenzo-?-pyrones and their bioactivities. Molecules. 2014 Apr 22;19(4):5088-108. doi: 10.3390/molecules19045088.


5. Carrasco-Gallardo C1, Guzmán L, Maccioni RB. Shilajit: a natural phytocomplex with potential procognitive activity. Int J Alzheimers Dis. 2012;2012:674142. doi: 10.1155/2012/674142.