Shilajit, also known as mumijo, has moved from traditional medical practice into the modern dietary supplement market. It is frequently associated with physical performance, energy metabolism, male health, bone health and healthy ageing.
The scientific picture is considerably more complex.
Shilajit is not a single chemical substance. It is a variable natural organic and mineral matrix whose composition depends on geography, geological conditions, biological material, environmental processes and subsequent purification.
This distinction is fundamental when interpreting scientific studies.
A clinical result obtained with one purified and standardised Shilajit preparation cannot automatically be transferred to another resin, extract or commercial product.
Several human studies have reported biologically interesting findings. At the same time, the number of controlled clinical trials remains small, independent replication is limited and several frequently cited studies evaluated proprietary preparations supplied or financially supported by their manufacturers.
The most useful approach is therefore to separate several questions. What does Shilajit contain? Which biological effects have actually been observed in humans? How strong is the evidence? How reliable and safe is the specific preparation being consumed?
What is Shilajit?
The European Commission describes mumijo, with Shilajit and asphaltum panjabinum listed as synonyms, as a complex product of both organic and mineral origin formed through natural processes in mountainous regions.
The Commission notes that Shilajit is characterised by humic and fulvic acids, non humic components such as dibenzo alpha pyrones and diverse minerals. It also stresses that neither the origin nor the composition is uniquely defined.
Read the European Commission document on Mumijo and Shilajit
Earlier chemical reviews similarly describe Shilajit as a complex mixture of humic substances together with plant and microbial metabolites rather than as one chemically uniform ingredient.
Agarwal et al., Phytotherapy Research, 2007
For this reason, Shilajit is better understood as a heterogeneous natural matrix than as a substance defined by one active molecule.
Why geographical origin matters
Shilajit has been described in several mountainous regions of Asia and other parts of the world. Geography can influence mineral composition and the relative abundance of organic constituents.
However, geographical origin alone does not establish biological quality.
The designation Altai Shilajit primarily describes provenance. It does not by itself demonstrate superior efficacy, purity or safety.
From a scientific perspective, the identity of the raw material, the purification process, analytical characterisation and contaminant testing are more informative than geographical language alone.
A European led review of traditional Shilajit research concluded that the historical record is extensive but that many biological claims still lack sufficiently rigorous scientific evaluation.
Wilson et al., Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2011
Fulvic acids and humic substances
Fulvic acids are among the most frequently discussed components of Shilajit.
They belong to a chemically heterogeneous group of humic substances formed during the transformation of organic material. They are not a single molecule and their properties vary according to molecular size, functional groups and environmental origin.
Laboratory research shows that humic and fulvic fractions can interact with minerals and other chemical compounds. This has led to hypotheses that fulvic acids may influence mineral solubility, transport or absorption.
These hypotheses should not be confused with established clinical effects.
The bioavailability of individual Shilajit constituents in humans remains incompletely characterised. There is currently no strong clinical evidence demonstrating that fulvic acids in Shilajit act as a universal delivery system that reliably transports minerals into human cells.
Modern analytical work continues to investigate the relationship between humic compounds, metals and potentially bioaccessible fractions, but the authors themselves distinguish chemical association from demonstrated human bioavailability.
Kamgar et al., Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology, 2026
Physical performance and fatigue
Shilajit is frequently promoted in connection with energy, physical performance and recovery.
Human evidence exists, but it is more specific than many commercial descriptions suggest.
In 2019, Keller and colleagues conducted a randomised, double blind, placebo controlled study involving 63 recreationally active men. Participants received 250 mg, 500 mg or placebo daily for eight weeks.
The most notable finding concerned the group receiving 500 mg. Among participants in the upper half of baseline strength values, the reduction in maximal voluntary strength after a fatiguing exercise protocol was smaller than in the placebo group. The lower dose did not differ significantly from placebo for this outcome.
This study therefore provides evidence concerning a particular fatigue related strength measure with one standardised preparation. It does not establish a universal increase in energy or endurance.
Keller et al., Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2019
A more recent 2026 pilot study evaluated 500 mg of TruBlk Shilajit resin daily for 28 days in 25 healthy men and reported changes in several physical performance measures.
The study was open label, had no placebo group and included a small sample. Several authors were affiliated with the company associated with the tested resin. The findings are therefore exploratory rather than confirmatory.
A subsequent randomised study of the same proprietary resin was released as a preprint in 2026. At the time of writing it had not undergone peer review and was funded by the manufacturer of the tested ingredient.
Yadav et al., medRxiv preprint, 2026
Taken together, these studies justify continued investigation, but they do not demonstrate that every Shilajit resin produces the same effects.
Shilajit and male hormonal parameters
One of the most frequently cited controlled human trials was published by Pandit and colleagues in Andrologia.
Healthy men between 45 and 55 years of age received 250 mg of purified Shilajit twice daily for 90 days or placebo.
The investigators reported statistically significant increases in total testosterone, free testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate compared with placebo.
Pandit et al., Andrologia, 2016
The context of the study is important.
The preparation was PrimaVie, a patented standardised extract manufactured by Natreon. The publication acknowledges financial support from Natreon.
The study therefore demonstrates an effect observed with one specific standardised preparation under controlled conditions. It does not establish that all Shilajit products increase testosterone and it does not establish Shilajit as a treatment for hormonal deficiency.
Large independent trials reproducing the finding with unrelated preparations remain limited.
Research on bone mineral density
A randomised, double blind, placebo controlled trial published in Phytomedicine in 2022 examined 60 postmenopausal women with osteopenia.
Participants received placebo or a standardised aqueous Shilajit extract at 250 mg or 500 mg daily for 48 weeks.
Researchers measured bone mineral density at the lumbar spine and femoral neck together with biochemical markers associated with bone turnover, oxidative stress and inflammation.
The decline in bone mineral density was smaller in the Shilajit groups than in the placebo group.
Pingali and Nutalapati, Phytomedicine, 2022
This is one of the longer controlled human studies available, but its scope should not be exaggerated.
The study evaluated a specific standardised extract in postmenopausal women with osteopenia. Natreon supplied the investigational products and biomarker kits used in the research.
The trial does not provide direct evidence that Shilajit improves joint flexibility. It also does not demonstrate treatment of osteoporosis or prevention of fractures.
Independent replication with other preparations remains desirable.
Why independence and replication matter
Several positive human studies of Shilajit concern proprietary standardised preparations.
This is understandable because clinical research requires a chemically defined product. It does, however, create an important limitation.
A result obtained with PrimaVie cannot automatically be applied to another purified resin.
A result obtained with TruBlk cannot automatically be applied to an Altai preparation.
Manufacturer involvement does not invalidate a clinical result, but it makes independent replication particularly valuable.
The current human evidence is therefore better understood as a series of promising preparation specific findings rather than a mature body of independently replicated evidence for Shilajit as a whole.
Antioxidant activity and immune claims
Shilajit and several of its chemical fractions demonstrate antioxidant activity in experimental systems.
Some human studies have also reported changes in biomarkers related to oxidative stress.
This is not equivalent to demonstrating prevention of disease or a general antioxidant health effect in humans.
Evidence for broad immune effects is even less secure.
A critical review published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology concluded that the immunomodulatory evidence available at the time did not withstand critical assessment and should be regarded as unproven.
Wilson et al., Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2011
For this reason, broad statements about immune balance or detoxification require substantially more evidence than is currently available from controlled human studies.
Why analytical quality is essential
The natural origin of Shilajit does not guarantee safety.
Shilajit develops in close contact with geological material and can contain a wide range of elements.
Analytical studies have detected calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc and other elements. They have also identified potentially toxic elements including lead, cadmium, mercury, nickel and thallium.
The concentrations differ markedly between samples.
Aldakheel and colleagues analysed Shilajit using several advanced analytical techniques and reported substantial variation in nutritional and potentially toxic elements.
Aldakheel et al., Biological Trace Element Research
In 2025, Kamgar and colleagues specifically examined thallium in natural Shilajit and commercial supplements. They found meaningful variation and concluded that regular analytical monitoring and standardised testing are important.
Kamgar et al., BMC Chemistry, 2025
A 2026 study analysed twelve Shilajit samples from different geographical origins. The researchers again found substantial variation in elemental composition. In those particular samples, the toxic metals measured remained below the toxicity thresholds used by the authors.
Kamgar et al., Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology, 2026
These studies support a straightforward conclusion.
The mineral profile and contaminant content of a specific product cannot be reliably inferred from the word Shilajit, from its colour or from its geographical origin.
Product specific analytical testing matters.
Does Shilajit contain more than 80 trace minerals?
The statement that Shilajit contains more than 80 minerals or microelements appears frequently in traditional literature and commercial descriptions.
Modern analytical studies confirm that Shilajit can contain a broad and complex elemental profile, but the exact number and concentrations vary substantially between samples.
For this reason, a precise statement about the number of minerals in a specific commercial product should ideally be supported by an analytical report for that product or batch.
The scientifically safer description is that Shilajit contains a variable range of naturally occurring mineral elements together with humic substances and other organic compounds.
Raw Shilajit and purified Shilajit are not equivalent
Unprocessed natural material may contain mineral particles, environmental contaminants or unwanted concentrations of metals.
Research performed with purified and standardised Shilajit should therefore not be used as evidence for unidentified raw material.
Purification, identity testing and contaminant control are central considerations when Shilajit is consumed as a food supplement.
Safety and tolerability
Published human studies generally report acceptable tolerability for the specific purified preparations and durations investigated.
A review of the available safety literature noted that human data were limited compared with traditional use and experimental research.
Stohs, Phytotherapy Research, 2014
The available evidence has important limitations.
Most clinical studies are relatively small. Several enrol carefully selected participants. People with significant chronic disease or complex medication regimens are often excluded.
Different products also differ chemically.
The absence of serious adverse events in a small trial therefore does not establish universal safety for every product or population.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Adequate human safety data for Shilajit during pregnancy and breastfeeding are not available.
Because Shilajit is a complex and variable mixture of organic substances and minerals, routine use during pregnancy or breastfeeding cannot be considered adequately supported by human clinical evidence.
The LongaVita product information therefore advises against use during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
View Altai Shilajit product information at LongaVita
Chronic disease and interactions with medicines
Reliable clinical interaction studies are scarce.
The absence of documented interactions does not demonstrate that interactions do not exist.
Shilajit contains a variable mixture of organic compounds and mineral elements, and some experimental studies investigate metabolic, hormonal and inflammatory pathways.
People with chronic medical conditions or those taking prescription medicines should therefore discuss use with a qualified healthcare professional rather than extrapolating from trials in healthy volunteers.
Particular caution is reasonable when treatment involves glucose regulation, blood pressure, blood coagulation, endocrine function or immune modulation because dedicated interaction studies are limited.
What doses have actually been studied?
There is no universally established evidence based dose of Shilajit.
Clinical studies have used different preparations and different regimens.
Pandit and colleagues used 250 mg twice daily for 90 days.
Pingali and Nutalapati used 250 mg or 500 mg daily for 48 weeks.
Keller and colleagues studied 250 mg and 500 mg daily for eight weeks.
The 2026 TruBlk pilot used 500 mg daily for 28 days.
These doses describe the preparations used in those particular studies. They do not establish a universal optimal dose for every Shilajit product.
A resin and a standardised dry extract can differ substantially in composition and concentration.
What do we know about long term use?
Long term safety remains incompletely characterised.
The 48 week study in postmenopausal women provides useful information for one specific standardised preparation, but it cannot answer questions about continuous use over several years.
Large prospective studies examining long term outcomes across diverse populations are lacking.
Statements suggesting that Shilajit is proven safe for indefinite continuous use therefore go beyond the available clinical evidence.
What does European regulation say about Shilajit?
The European Commission has specifically considered Mumijo, Shilajit and asphaltum panjabinum under Regulation EU 2015/2283 concerning novel foods.
The Commission concluded that Mumijo is not considered novel when used as or in food supplements.
Its use in foods other than food supplements has a different regulatory status.
European Commission decision on the novel food status of Mumijo and Shilajit
This regulatory classification should not be confused with approval of therapeutic efficacy.
Ingredient status and health claims are separate questions.
Scientific evidence can justify discussion of research. It does not automatically authorise the same statement as a commercial health claim.
What science has not established
Shilajit is associated online with a very broad range of medical claims.
The current clinical literature does not justify many of them.
There is insufficient high quality human evidence to consider Shilajit an established treatment for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer disease or other chronic disorders.
A systematic review published in 2026 examined the available evidence concerning Shilajit and cancer. Nine eligible studies were identified, all of them preclinical. No eligible human clinical trials were found.
Laboratory findings may justify further research, but they do not demonstrate treatment efficacy in humans.
How should Shilajit quality be evaluated?
The scientific value of a Shilajit product depends less on dramatic descriptions of mountain origin than on what can actually be verified.
Relevant information includes documented origin, purification procedures, analytical characterisation, contaminant testing, microbiological control and transparent manufacturing information.
Research performed with another proprietary extract should not be presented as direct clinical validation of an unrelated commercial resin.
Altai Shilajit at LongaVita
LongaVita offers purified Altai Shilajit in natural resin form. The product page provides information about its origin, form, suggested use and storage.
The clinical studies discussed in this article were conducted with specific research preparations and should not be interpreted as direct clinical trials of the LongaVita product.
Explore Altai Shilajit at LongaVita
Readers interested in related products can also explore the LongaVita collection dedicated to joint and bone support.
Explore the Joints and Bones collection
Conclusion
Shilajit is a chemically complex natural organic and mineral material with a long history of traditional use and growing scientific interest.
Modern analytical research confirms substantial variation in its organic and mineral composition.
Human studies have reported potentially relevant findings involving hormonal parameters, bone mineral density and specific measures of physical performance.
The strength of the evidence remains uneven.
Several studies involve relatively small populations. Some evaluate proprietary extracts supplied or financially supported by manufacturers. Independent replication remains limited.
Evidence concerning long term safety, pharmacological interactions and use in many higher risk populations is incomplete.
For this reason, the most scientifically defensible question is not whether Shilajit is universally effective.
A more useful question is whether a specific preparation is adequately characterised, purified and tested, and whether the claimed effect has been demonstrated with that preparation in appropriately designed human research.
That distinction is central to responsible interpretation of natural products.
References
- European Commission. Consultation request for determination of novel food status. Mumijo, synonyms Shilajit and asphaltum panjabinum. Regulation EU 2015/2283. 2020. European Commission document.
- Agarwal SP, Khanna R, Karmarkar R, Anwer MK, Khar RK. Shilajit: a review. Phytotherapy Research. 2007;21(5):401 to 405. DOI 10.1002/ptr.2100. Original publication.
- Wilson E, Rajamanickam GV, Dubey GP, Klose P, Musial F, Saha FJ, Rampp T, Michalsen A, Dobos GJ. Review on Shilajit used in traditional Indian medicine. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2011;136(1):1 to 9. DOI 10.1016/j.jep.2011.04.033. Original publication.
- Stohs SJ. Safety and efficacy of Shilajit, mumie, moomiyo. Phytotherapy Research. 2014;28(4):475 to 479. DOI 10.1002/ptr.5018. Original publication.
- Pandit S, Biswas S, Jana U, De RK, Mukhopadhyay SC, Biswas TK. Clinical evaluation of purified Shilajit on testosterone levels in healthy volunteers. Andrologia. 2016;48(5):570 to 575. DOI 10.1111/and.12482. Original publication. The preparation was PrimaVie from Natreon. The authors acknowledged financial support from Natreon.
- Keller JL, Housh TJ, Hill EC, Smith CM, Schmidt RJ, Johnson GO. The effects of Shilajit supplementation on fatigue induced decreases in muscular strength and serum hydroxyproline levels. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2019;16:3. DOI 10.1186/s12970-019-0270-2. Original publication.
- Pingali U, Nutalapati C. 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. Phytomedicine. 2022;105:154334. DOI 10.1016/j.phymed.2022.154334. Original publication. Natreon supplied the investigational products and biomarker kits.
- Aldakheel RK, Gondal MA, Alsayed HN, Almessiere MA, Nasr MM, Shemsi AM. Rapid determination and quantification of nutritional and poisonous metals in vastly consumed Ayurvedic herbal medicine Shilajit by humans using three advanced analytical techniques. Biological Trace Element Research. 2022;200. DOI 10.1007/s12011-021-03014-4. Original publication.
- Kamgar E, Zembrzuska J, Zembrzuski W, Kaykhaii M. Quantifying of thallium in Shilajit and its supplements to unveil the potential risk of consumption of this popular traditional medicine. BMC Chemistry. 2025;19:20. DOI 10.1186/s13065-025-01384-7. Original open access publication.
- Kamgar E, Angaïts A, Zembrzuska J, Kaykhaii M, Szpunar J. Characterization of metal composition and molecular weight distribution in Shilajit. Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology. 2026;96:127913. DOI 10.1016/j.jtemb.2026.127913. Original publication.
- Yadav D, Mishra S, Shah KM, Reddy ST, Gupta R, Pandey P. Safety and efficacy of TruBlk Shilajit resin supplementation on physical performance and blood biomarkers in healthy adults: a 28 day open label pilot study. Cureus. 2026;18(1):e102372. DOI 10.7759/cureus.102372. Original publication.
- Das SS, Ramkumar M, Singh H, Sharma S. Preclinical evaluation of Shilajit in cancer: a systematic review. Cureus. 2026;18(1):e101736. DOI 10.7759/cureus.101736. Original publication.
This article is intended for scientific and educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice. Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied diet or appropriate medical care.