Shilajit research is a small but fascinating field: about a dozen human studies, plus a much larger body of lab and animal work, on a mountain resin people have taken for centuries. Here is what scientists have looked at so far, in plain English, along with how people actually enjoy shilajit at home.
If you are curious about shilajit, you are in good company. Ayurvedic practitioners, chemists and sports scientists have all found it worth a closer look.
What is shilajit, and why are researchers interested?
Shilajit is a dark, glossy resin that slowly seeps from rock high in mountain ranges such as the Himalayas. It firms up in the cold and softens in the warmth of your hand. Stir a little into a warm drink and the cup turns a deep amber, with an earthy, smoky, gently bitter taste.
In Ayurveda it has long been treated as a rasayana, a rejuvenating substance taken as part of a daily routine. A 2011 review of the traditional record found shilajit in 20 classical formulations and 24 proprietary products 1. That long history is exactly what drew modern scientists in.
You can read the story in our history of shilajit and the basics on what is shilajit. Much of the scientific curiosity centres on fulvic acid and the minerals in the resin, which our guide to fulvic acid and minerals in shilajit explains.
How much shilajit research is there?
Enough to be interesting, and still early. A 2014 review found relatively few well-controlled human studies, alongside a growing number of animal and laboratory papers 2.
A few more trials have appeared since then. Most are small, with fewer than 100 people, and run for 8 to 14 weeks. That makes shilajit research a field of promising questions rather than settled answers, which is part of what makes it fun to follow.
What have human studies of shilajit measured?
Here are the main placebo-controlled trials, at a glance. In each, some people took shilajit and others took a dummy capsule without knowing which was which.
| Study | Who took part | How long | What researchers measured |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hormones, 2016 3 | Healthy men aged 45 to 55 | 90 days | Testosterone and related hormones |
| Bone density, 2022 4 | 60 women after the menopause | 48 weeks | Bone density at the spine and hip |
| Fracture healing, 2020 5 | 160 adults after shin-bone surgery | 28 days | Time for the bone to join on X-ray |
| Strength, 2019 6 | 63 active young men | 8 weeks | Strength lost during a tiring leg test |
| Collagen marker, 2024 7 | 35 trained young men | 8 weeks | A blood marker of collagen production |
| Skin, 2019 8 | 45 women aged 30 to 65 | 14 weeks | Skin blood flow and gene activity |
Which results caught researchers’ attention?
In the 2016 trial, men took 250 mg of purified shilajit or a placebo twice a day. After 90 days, total testosterone was higher in the shilajit group than in the placebo group 3.
In the 2022 trial, women took a placebo, 250 mg or 500 mg of a shilajit extract daily. Over 48 weeks, bone density at the spine and hip fell in the placebo group and fell less in both shilajit groups 4.
In the fracture study, adults took shilajit (known as momiai in Iran) or a placebo for 28 days after surgery. On X-ray, the bone took 129 days on average to join in the shilajit group and 153 days in the placebo group 5.
In the 2019 strength trial, maximum strength and body weight did not change. Among the stronger men, those on 500 mg lost less strength during a tiring test than those on placebo 6. A follow-up by the same university group found a blood marker of collagen production rose in both shilajit groups 7. We look at these two in more detail in shilajit and the gym.
It is worth keeping these in proportion. Each result comes from a single small study that no independent team has repeated, and several trials used one maker’s purified extract rather than raw resin 3 6 7. Shilajit has no authorised health claims in the EU or Great Britain 9 10, so we share research as background, never as a promise.
What do lab and animal studies explore?
Laboratory and animal work covers far more ground, and it is where many of the more colourful stories about shilajit begin.
- Tiredness. In a 2012 study, rats were made to swim for 15 minutes a day for 21 days. Rats given shilajit beforehand were less immobile in later tests 11.
- Brain proteins. In test tubes, fulvic acid slowed the clumping of tau, a protein that brain researchers study closely 12. Our article on shilajit and the brain follows that thread.
- Altitude. The mountain connection inspired a 2010 article arguing shilajit deserved study for high-altitude life. It set out ideas rather than experiments 13.
Results in rats and test tubes point researchers towards questions to test in people. They are not a guide to what happens in a person, which is why human trials matter so much.
How do people take shilajit day to day?
Away from the lab, shilajit is refreshingly simple. Most people take it as a small daily ritual, much as it has been taken in Ayurveda for generations.
- Scoop a pea-sized piece. That is about 100 mg of resin.
- Dissolve it in something warm. Warm water, tea or milk all work. Use filtered or bottled water rather than tap water.
- Stir and sip. It melts in a minute or so, turning the drink a rich amber.
Many people make it part of their morning cup, others prefer a quiet moment in the evening. Every jar of Hilasti Himalayan shilajit comes with a steel measuring spatula: about half of the wide end is one serving, so there is no guesswork. Stay within the suggested serving on the label, and our FAQ covers the practical questions people ask most.
Where does Hilasti’s shilajit come from?
Our resin is harvested in Nepal, at around 4,800 m in the Himalayas. We keep it raw, with no fillers or additives, so what reaches your spoon is the resin itself. It is suitable for vegans too.
A 30 g jar holds about 300 servings, which lasts around four to six months, and a 15 g jar holds about 150. You can see both sizes in the shop.
Why does lab testing matter for shilajit?
Because shilajit forms in rock, it can pick up metals from its surroundings, and research shows how much samples vary. A 2022 analysis of Indian and Pakistani shilajit found lead, arsenic and mercury above permissible limits in the samples tested 14.
A 2026 analysis of 12 samples from different regions found toxic metals below established thresholds, but wide variation in every metal measured 15. The takeaway is simple: the lab report for a specific batch tells you more than the country on the label.
How do you choose good shilajit resin?
A few checks go a long way when you are comparing jars.
- A batch lab report. Look for heavy-metal results from an accredited laboratory, compared with EU limits.
- Raw, with nothing added. The ingredient list should be one word: shilajit.
- A clear origin. A named region and altitude suggest a supplier who knows where the resin comes from.
- The right texture. Real resin is firm in the cold, soft and sticky in the warmth, and dissolves in a warm drink.
- The taste. Expect earthy, smoky and bitter. That is how shilajit is meant to taste.
Our resin was tested by an accredited independent EU laboratory for lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury, and all four results were within EU limits for food supplements. The full figures are on our lab results page.
How should you store shilajit?
Keep the jar in a cool, dry place with the lid closed, away from direct sunlight. A jar keeps for up to 2 years. In a cold kitchen the resin can turn hard, and on a hot day it can turn soft or runny. Both are normal. If it is too firm to scoop, hold the jar in your hand for a minute and it will soften.
Where can you read more?
If you enjoy the research side, our graded shilajit benefits page groups the studies by topic. Our sister site keeps a shilajit research library with a summary of each paper.
If you would like to start your own ritual, our raw Himalayan resin comes in a jar with its own steel spatula, ready for your first warm cup. Take a look in the Hilasti shop and find the size that suits you.
This article is for information only and isn’t medical advice. Speak to your doctor or pharmacist before taking a supplement, especially if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, take medication or have a health condition.
