People take shilajit for its centuries of use in Ayurveda and Central Asian tradition, for its raw mountain origin, and for the simple pleasure of a warm daily ritual. It’s a small, grounding habit: a pea-sized piece of dark Himalayan resin, stirred into your morning cup.
Here’s who takes shilajit, what the ritual is like, how to take it, and how to choose a resin worth buying.
Who takes shilajit, and why?
Shilajit has a following that spans continents and centuries. A few reasons come up again and again.
- Tradition. In Ayurveda, shilajit has long been valued as a rasayana, a rejuvenating substance. A 2011 review found it in 20 classical formulations and 24 modern products 1. It has a parallel history as mumijo in Russia and Central Asia, and as moomiaii in Persian medicine, where physicians such as Razi wrote about it 2.
- A taste for natural things. Shilajit is a mountain resin that can be sold close to the form it’s gathered in. That appeals to people who like fewer ingredients and less processing.
- The ritual. For many, stirring a little resin into tea or warm water has simply become part of the morning, like grinding coffee or making a pot of tea.
- Curiosity. It’s a substance with a story: remote peaks, old texts, and a growing body of modern research.
For the full history, read shilajit history.
What is shilajit made of?
Shilajit seeps slowly from cracks in high mountain rock and is gathered by hand. A 2025 review of its chemistry found that more than 80% of its weight is humic substances, mainly fulvic acid, and almost 20% is calcium, potassium and magnesium 3. It also holds small amounts of amino acids, fatty acids, plant compounds and trace minerals, and the exact make-up varies with the mountain it comes from.
Our guides to what is shilajit and fulvic acid and minerals in shilajit go further.
What is the shilajit ritual like?
Picture a cold morning. You open the jar and scoop a small, glossy piece of resin, dark as coffee grounds. You drop it into a cup of warm water or tea and watch it soften, then stir until the drink turns a deep brown.
The taste is earthy, smoky and a little bitter. It’s a grown-up flavour, and many people grow to look forward to it. Some take it straight in warm water; others prefer it in tea, warm milk or plant milk, with a little honey if they like.
It takes a minute or two. That’s part of the appeal: a quiet moment before the day starts, the same way every morning.
How do you take shilajit resin?
Resin is the classic form, and it’s the simplest to use.
- Scoop. Take a pea-sized piece, about 100 mg. With a Hilasti jar, that’s roughly half of the wide end of the steel spatula that comes in the box.
- Dissolve. Stir it into a warm drink such as water, tea or milk. Use filtered or bottled water rather than tap water.
- Sip. Give it a minute, stir again, and drink it while it’s warm.
Hilasti’s label suggests up to two or three servings a day. Many people start with one in the morning and keep it there. Whatever you buy, follow its label: in the UK, a food supplement label must give the recommended daily amount and a warning not to exceed it 4. Our FAQ has more on serving and storage, and our step-by-step guide on how to take shilajit covers drink ideas, timing and what to do if the resin is too hard.
Is resin better than capsules or powder?
Shilajit comes in several forms. Resin is closest to how it has traditionally been taken, and it lets you see and taste exactly what you’re getting.
| Form | How it’s taken | Things to know |
|---|---|---|
| Resin | A pea-sized piece dissolved in a warm drink | Closest to the traditional form; earthy, smoky taste; easy to adjust |
| Capsules or tablets | Swallowed whole | No taste, but often an extract, so check what’s inside |
| Powder | Mixed into a drink | Usually a dried extract; can contain fillers |
| Drops | Added to water | Diluted; check the strength per dose |
| Gummies | Chewed | Often contain sugar and only a little shilajit |
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. Resin reacts to temperature: it turns firm in the cold and soft, even runny, in the heat. That’s normal. If it’s too hard to scoop, hold the jar in your hand for a minute and it will soften.
How long does a jar last?
At about 100 mg per serving, here’s what each Hilasti jar holds:
| Jar | Servings | Typical supply | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 g | About 300 | About 10 months | €34.99 |
| 15 g | About 150 | About 5 months | €24.99 |
The 15 g jar is a good way to try the ritual; the 30 g jar is the better value if you already know you love it. Both are in our shop.
What has research looked at?
Shilajit has been the subject of a growing number of small human trials, mostly using one branded, purified extract. In men aged 45 to 55, testosterone levels were higher after 90 days of shilajit than with placebo 5. In postmenopausal women with lower-than-normal bone density, bone density fell less over 48 weeks in the shilajit groups than in the placebo group 6. In young men, a blood marker of collagen production rose after 8 weeks 7.
Each of these is a single, small study that hasn’t yet been repeated by an independent team, and none tested raw resin. They describe what was measured, not a promised result. Our overview of shilajit benefits: what the research says covers each one.
How do you choose a good shilajit?
Shilajit forms in rock, so it can carry metals from the mountain. A 2024 review counted around 65 metals reported in shilajit samples, including lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury, and found some samples above recommended limits 8. EU law caps lead in food supplements at 3.0 mg/kg 9.
So before you buy, look for:
- A recent independent lab report with real figures for lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury, from an accredited laboratory.
- A clear origin. The country, and ideally the altitude.
- Raw resin with nothing added. “Purified” has no legal definition, so the lab report matters more than the wording.
- An honest label. In the EU, health claims on food must be authorised, and the EU keeps a public register of those that are 10. Shilajit has none, so a seller promising to treat, cure or boost anything is a warning sign.
Why choose Hilasti’s resin?
We keep it simple. Our shilajit is harvested in Nepal at around 4,800 m (16,000 ft) and sold as raw resin, with no fillers or additives. It’s suitable for vegans.
A batch was tested for lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury by an accredited EU laboratory, and every result was within EU limits for food supplements. You can see the full figures and download the report on our lab results page.
Each jar comes with a steel measuring spatula, so your serving is the same every morning.
Who should not take shilajit?
Don’t take shilajit if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, and don’t give it to children. Ask your doctor or pharmacist first if you take any medication or have a health condition, including gout or a condition that affects iron levels, such as haemochromatosis.
Shilajit is a food supplement, not a medicine, and it’s an addition to a varied, balanced diet rather than a replacement for one. Women may also like our guide to shilajit for women, and shilajit.uk has a fuller page on whether shilajit is safe.
Start your own ritual
If you’d like to start your own morning ritual, our raw Himalayan shilajit resin comes with a steel spatula, so a pea-sized serving is easy to scoop into your favourite warm drink. One 30 g jar holds about 300 servings, enough for four to six months of mornings.
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.
