Shilajit is a substance that has been used in Eastern European Holistic and Ayurvedic medicine, an ancient practice that spans over 5,000 years. Eastern European holistic medicine along with Ayurveda originated in the east of Asia. Both practices were used primarily to improve health. To this day, many Asian countries still follow these ancient practices. If one thing can be said about traditional health practices, it’s that they stood the test of time.
All holistic health practices have been built upon the concept of maintaining equilibrium in the body. Such balance leads to a longer and healthier life with a special emphasis on the fact that you don't need prescription medicine to maintain your health. In Eastern European, Russian shamanic, Ayurvedic, Mongolian, Persian, Nepalese and Caucasus naturopathy traditions, Shilajit is considered the pinnacle of health substances.
Shilajit is a biogenic stimulant naturally made from fermented medicinal plants. Plants, mostly medicinal, are naturally gathered in the mountain crevices. It takes no less than forty years for the plants to ferment, develop metabolites and many biologically active substances. This organic matter turns into what is known as Shilajit-bearing rock. This raw material is what is made into Shilajit.
To understand Shilajit properly, it is first important to understand what a biogenic stimulant is. When plants are subjected to harsh conditions of environmental stress, such as extreme colds and heat, intense solar rays, atmospheric precipitation, such plants develop multiple protective compounds. These compounds, if extracted and ingested by a human, improve metabolism, resilience to stressors and overall health. The genius of Shilajit, a mineral pitch for human consumption, is that it is made out of hundreds and sometimes thousands of plants. Properly prepared, Shilajit is a powerhouse of natural elements and biologically active substances the human body can easily assimilate. Shilajit, if genuine and authentic, is capable of quickly shifting human chemistry to align with health and longevity.
Here are 4 powerful ways Shilajit can serve the human body:
Due to the biologically active substances and other vital nutrients found in Shilajit, many people have claimed that they have gained energy boosts from taking the substance. Studies have proven that ashless humic acids, associated with humic and fulvic acids, energize the body when ingested. This process energizes cells to help them remain active, even after being damaged by long periods without sleep, oxidation and an unbalanced diet.
In one test, albino mice ingested Shilajit. The results were staggering. The mice gained an enhanced physiological energy boost in, of all things, a swimming test. Upon closer analysis, it was determined that Dibenzo-alpha-pyrones (DBP, metabolites that are found in animals and plants) and fulvic acid were the primary contributors to the increased performance.
Shilajit has been reported to contain properties that are adaptogenic and naturally anabolic in nature. Because Shilajit comes from plants, there are absolutely none of the side effects often associated with synthetic anabolic steroids. In other words, Shilajit can be used to regenerate healthy tissue, muscles, tendons, cartilage and bones. Shilajit's makeup is composed of molecular compounds that are low and medium in molecular weight. These include both acylated and oxygenated DBPs within ashless humic acid. These compounds exhibit numerous biological properties that are positive for the body and are hard to obtain from other sources.
Additionally, Shilajit enhances adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production. ATP is the vehicle that fuels your muscles. As a result, it has been reported that after taking fulvic acid, there has been an improvement in physical performance as well as fatigue relief.
Additionally, shilajit enhances adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production. ATP is the vehicle that fuels your muscles. As a result, it has been reported that after taking fulvic acid, there has been an improvement in physical performance as well as fatigue relief.
A balanced diet allows you to obtain the proper amount of electrolytes and other minerals that you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It's vital for digestive health, nutrient absorption and metabolic functions. Though a balanced diet is essential to living a healthy life, there are times when you need more than food to get the nutrients that you need.
Plants offer up a bounty of vitamins and minerals that the human body needs, however there are certain health vitamins and minerals that we can only receive from the plants, which received non-carbon-based minerals from the soil. Plants receive their nutrition from the ground. Humans can fully assimilate nutrition only from plants. If you consume a total of 5-10 plants in your diet, your nutritional intake from these plants will be limited to minerals and biologically active substances from those 5-10 plants. If you consume high-quality, genuine Shilajit, you are consuming minerals, biologically active substances and metabolites from hundreds of plants. Therefore, the health benefits will be greater.
There are many supplements that claim to improve testosterone levels. The problem is that many of these supplements aren't backed by scientific research. When it comes to Shilajit, there is actual research supporting the claim that it has the potential to improve testosterone levels.
In 2010, researchers gathered 35 test subjects who were considered to be infertile. They were each given 200mg of Shilajit extract for 90 consecutive days. After the results had been gathered, the researchers compared the data from day 1 to day 90. They noted that the total sperm count amongst the group rose by 61%, sperm quality increased by 37%, and serum testosterone levels increased by 23%. Other results included the increase in hemoglobin and the decrease of oxidative damage.
A more recent study in 2015 was undertaken by volunteers between the ages of 45-55 years old. They were given 250mg/day of Shilajit extract for 90 days. It was noted that there was an increase in total testosterone levels by 20% and an increase in free testosterone levels by 19%.
Shilajit has been proven to contribute to healthy lipid profiles and maintain healthy blood glucose levels. This is an especially useful method when Shilajit is taken with other herbs, improving blood sugar health.
In a study performed with a Shilajit based poly-herbal formulation D-400, Shilajit was able to significantly contribute to healthy levels of blood sugar.
Studies have shown that Shilajit has neuroprotective activity, meaning that it naturally protects brain cells. A study performed in 2013 conducted by the Physiology Research Center at the Kerman University of Medical Sciences in Iran, demonstrated that Shilajit has positive effects on brain health and blood-brain barrier permeability.
Furthermore, Shilajit has exhibited healthy anxiety response effects. This is because shilajit modifies GABA levels (an amino acid in the brain) to normal.
Shilajit has an added benefit of contributing to the health of systems in the body, including healthy balancing of the hormonal and immune systems. Many who research the properties of Shilajit agree that it possesses numerous beneficial properties due to the way it optimizes these systems.
Specifically, Shilajit has an effect on the health of reproductive hormone functions. As mentioned previously, Shilajit increases the production of sperm several fold (in healthy males). However, males aren't the only ones who receive a positive boost to their hormonal systems. Testing on ovulating adult rats suggested that women who need a healthy fertility boost may find better health by using Shilajit powder or resin.
The practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine have been advocating the use of Shilajit to boost energy levels and energize the body for more than a millennia. As natural holistic practitioners continue to recommend the use of Shilajit, scientific evidence on its benefits continues to grow at a steady pace.
Shilajit improves the functionality of the mitochondria, which in turn provides the body with more energy. Essentially, mitochondria are organelles that convert nutrients and oxygen into adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and act as a power source for the cells in the body. Shilajit gives the mitochondria a super boost, helping it to oxygenate cells more efficiently. Shilajit has the additional benefit, when combined with supplemented CoQ10 (an antioxidant naturally found in human cells), to create an even more powerful effect on mitochondrial oxygenation. In continuation, as Shilajit helps in the amplified production of ATP, the body will feel an overall boost in stamina and energy. It is for this reason that many athletes turn to Shilajit to increase performance.
Shilajit also supports the health of people who are chronically fatigued. Shilajit has been proven to address tiredness and fatigue successfully. Another way in which Shilajit provides extra energy to the body is with its high antioxidant mimicking properties. Even though not an antioxidant by itself, Shilajit mimics the antioxidants superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase. Shilajit repairs internal damage to the body by fighting free radicals, atoms or groups of atoms with an odd number of electrons. Once these radicals form, they can start a chain reaction within the body. On top of combating free radicals, Shilajit can also reduce the levels of fat found in blood.
Out of all the methods that are utilized in naturopathy, Shilajit has received the most acclaim for helping with a healthy response to pain. Due to its engagement with GABA receptors in the brain, Shilajit has been proven to have a beneficial effect on pain involving the cranial area. These areas include the mouth, face, and jaw. In a sense, Shilajit acts as a sedating agent. A study in 2015 performed on mice found that Shilajit promoted a healthy response to pain over the course of an extended period. On a side note, the length of time was dependent on the size of the dosage.
One interesting test that was performed was Shilajit’s interaction with morphine. Morphine is commonly used to treat moderate to severe pain. When Shilajit interacts with morphine, it minimizes the body's natural ability to build a tolerance to the drug. Typically, as the body begins to build tolerance against a drug, morphine in this instance, it takes larger and larger doses to get the desired effect of nullifying the same amount of pain. Shilajit counteracts the body's ability to build a tolerance to morphine, directly translating to the body's ability to take less of the drug to continue receiving the same desired pain numbing effects.
Shilajit was shown to demonstrate radiation protective properties. In 2016, it was successfully proven by a group of researchers. The study was published in the Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics in the June 2016 edition, Volume 293, Issue 6, pp 1255-1262.
The fascinating and also sad part is that the study comes out only 30 years past the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, and six years past the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. The Soviet doctors and naturopathy were using mumie (the Russian word for Shilajit) extensively past Chernobyl to normalize the health of people exposed to radiation.
The most extensive study on radiation protective properties of Shilajit was undertaken by a Soviet doctor Kaligin V. I. as a part of his PdD thesis effort. He clearly demonstrated in en Vivo models that genuine shilajit has a clearly defined anti-radiation effect and contributes to the body's ability to produce higher quality blood.
Shilajit greatly improves bone health. The most notable researcher who studied a connection between bone health and Shilajit, also known as Mumijo, was Dr. Adil Shakirov. In his research, he demonstrated that the substance would generate healthy bone tissue 18-20 days faster and 2.2 times stronger. Another study was performed in which obese patients were instructed to consume Shilajit supplements. The test resulted in reports of an overall improvement to the functionality and healthy regeneration of the participant's skeletal muscles.
Shilajit promotes a nonspecific healthy response to inflammation. It greatly supports the human body's natural ability to resist daily inflammation which is part of any healthy person's routine. En Vivo studies have clearly demonstrated that Shilajit increases the number of peritoneal macrophages, and is stimulating to the body's natural response to inflammation.
Due to its potent antioxidant properties, Shilajit has proven time and again that it can promote heart health by providing protection from damages that could result from daily stress, free radicals and abusive drug use. Shilajit has also proven to be effective in supporting healthy levels of iron in the blood.
In his book “Canons of Medicine,” Ibn Sina writes that “Nothing rejuvenates an aging heart, as Shilajit does.” He goes on to describe twenty different ways of how Shilajit supports health.
Shilajit has a unique way in which it reacts with chemical substances. Because of this interaction, it is a health tool, to be integral in breaking addictive habits. For example, it has been found that if a person coming down from an opioid high takes Shilajit, their addiction is lessened and the withdrawal symptoms minimized. Shilajit can prove to be an all-natural alternative to certain medications (always seek professional advice on this matter). Unique resins like Manna Shilajit aid in fighting numerous addictions; not just to opioids, but also to cannabis and pain pills.
Shilajit has further reduced dependency on alcohol as well as diminishes the corresponding withdrawal symptoms. There's a reason that eastern medicine has been prescribing Shilajit for centuries to stop addictions.
Shilajit is found in Tibet, the Himalayas, Siberia and Antarctica. Over the course of tens and even hundreds of years, plants are naturally compacted together into mountain crevices. After many years of fermentation and exposure to atmospheric factors in pristine mountain environments, shilajit bearing rocks are formed. In the summer month, shilajit slowly trickles and seeps out of from the rocks. This is the time when the shilajit bearing rocks are extracted and processed into resin.
Shilajit was first used by practitioners of ayurveda in the south and Siberian folk medicine in the north. In the north, hunters during expeditions noticed that wounded goats would lick shilajit rock and recover much faster and return to health. In ancient India, people observed groups of monkeys, who in the summer were licking a tar like substance. These monkeys were much smarter and stronger than usual. People observing the animal, realized that the animals were consuming something that could be highly valuable. This is how the first shilajit was discovered.
Healers throughout antiquity used shilajit at a premium healing substance. Shilajit is specifically mentioned in Charaka Samhita, which is foundation of Ayurvedic medicine. It is also mentioned in Avicenna's “Canons of Medicine.” Both works are highly regarded classic texts, which greatly influence humanity's understanding and medicine and health practices.