Shilajit Uses, Tests For Quality, Purification, Side Effects, Medicines, Research

There is no curable disease in the universe which is not effectively cured by Shilajit – Master Charaka. Shilajit is one of the sought after Ayurvedic product in the market. From body building, to treating disorders such as diabetes, asthma etc, shilajat is very commonly used.

Traditional belief

In ancient times, the mountains getting heated due to strong sun rays of Jeshta and ashada months (Summer) melt the layers of the mountain, yielding a resin kind of semisolid liquid, Shilajathu. This resembles coal tar in consistency and upon drying it gains shine. It readily dissolves in water.
It is considered as Fulvic acid.

Fulvic acid

Fulvic acid is a semisolid substance that is created as organic matter decomposes.
Fulvic acids is a mixture of organic acids, herbal, metallic compounds, and components of the humus (which is a fraction of soil organic matter).

Research has also found that Shilajit is the resin obtained from an herb called Asphaltum punjabinum.
Hence Silajitu is called Asphaltum in Sanskrit.
So, asphaltum and fulvic acid – both these are used in the name of Shilajit.

Availability

It is available in hilly areas Kashmir,  Japan, Bhutan, Tibet and Gilgit.

Gold vs. Shilajit

Shilajit and Swarna Bhasma (Gold Calx) Both are anti aging medicines. How they are compared to each other, in terms of qualities?
Answer by Dr JV Hebbar
Swarna Bhasma
Gold is subjected to a variety of processes, heating and dipping in various decoctions, incineration etc. to end up in its final format – Swarna Bhasma. It is called Calx of gold. 
Qualities of Swarna Bhasma 
आयुर्लक्ष्मी प्रभा धी स्मृतिकरं अखिलव्याधिविधंसि पुण्यं भूतावेश प्रशान्ति स्मरभरसुखदं सौख्यपुष्टि प्रकाशि। रसरत्नसमुच्च्य 5/9 
मृतं सुवर्णं मधुरञ्च वृष्यं हृद्यं च नेत्र्यं परमञ्च मेध्यम् । 
रसायनं पुंसवनोपयोगि विषापहं कान्तिकरञ्च शस्तम् ॥  रसतरङ्गिणी 15/69 
āyurlakṣmī prabhā dhī smṛtikaraṃ akhilavyādhividhaṃsi puṇyaṃ bhūtāveśa praśānti smarabharasukhadaṃ saukhyapuṣṭi prakāśi| 
rasaratnasamuccya 5/9 
mṛtaṃ suvarṇaṃ madhurañca vṛṣyaṃ hṛdyaṃ ca netryaṃ paramañca medhyam | 
rasāyanaṃ puṃsavanopayogi viṣāpahaṃ kāntikarañca śastam ||  rasataraṅgiṇī 15/69 
Swarna Bhasma 
āyurklaram – promotes life expectancy, anti aging
lakṣmīkaram – brings  good fortune
prabhākaram – brings glow to the skin and aura to your personality 
dhīkaram – improves intelligence
smṛtikaraṃ – improves memory
akhila vyādhi vidhaṃsi – can be used in all disorders 
puṇyaṃ – auspicious,
bhūtāveśa praśānti – useful in psychiatric disorders, hence used in many such medicines as Saraswatarishtam, Manasamitra vatakam etc.
smarabharasukhadaṃ – acts as an aphrodisiac
saukhya – brings comfort to the mind   
puṣṭi prakāśi – improves nourishment of the body tissues and cells and makes them last longer.
Read more about Swarna Bhasma ingredients, side effects, dose etc.

Shilajit qualities
शिलाह्वं कटुतिक्तोष्णं कटुपाकं रसायनम् | छेदि योगवहं कैयदेवनिघण्टु – २. धातुवर्ग ​
śilāhvaṃ kaṭutiktoṣṇaṃ kaṭupākaṃ rasāyanam |
chedi yogavahaṃ | kaiyadevanighaṇṭu dhātuvarga
kaṭu – pungent, spicy
tikta – bitter
uṣṇaṃ – hot
kaṭu pākaṃ – undergoes pungent transformation in the body
rasāyanam – Rasayana 
chedi – breaks down toxins, cholesterol deposits, plaques, opens up body channels
yogavahaṃ – acts as a catalyst

Swarna is sweet, coolant, improves nutrition, soothing, cooling,  directly nourishes and rejuvenates body tissues 
Shilajit is hot, spicy, pungent and breaks open the blockages. 
Both have rejuvenation, anti aging and aphrodisiac properties. 
Read more about Shilajit uses, dose, qualities, benefits

A16Z is one of the powerful venture capital firm in the world. Ben Horowitz is a cofounder of this incredible firm. Ben, in his business book – Hard things about hard things,explains about two types of CEOs. 
Wartime CEOs and Peacetime CEOs 
Steve Jobs was a wartime CEO. He goes to war, breaks the preconceived notion and establishes his own line of products. He was hot. 
Tim Cook is a peacetime CEO. He brings method to madness. He holds the ship together and sails it in the right direction. He is calm, cool, composed.

Shilajit is a wartime anti-aging remedy, probably more useful in a disease situation, to heal and repair tissues very quickly, break open the closed channels etc. 
Swarna Bhasma is a peacetime anti-aging remedy – soothing, calming, nourishing, enriching etc. 
To sum it up, Shilajit is hot, Swarna is cool 🙂  

Test for Shilajatu

Shilajit kept over burning coal, should not produce fume and it gains the shape of Linga.
Tastes bitter and hot.
Shilajatu kept in water, yields white spreading streaks.
1 gram of Shilajatu causes urination within 15 to 20 minutes after consumption.

Shilajit vs Gold vs Copper for Cholesterol Treatment

Shilajit vs. Swarna Bhasma vs. Tamra Bhasma for Cholesterol Management
Answer by Dr JV Hebbar
For decreasing cholesterol, to pierce through the blood vessels afflicted with plaques, you would need something which is hot, strong, sharp and piercing. 

Swarna Bhasma or Gold Calx is coolant, but it does not have that strong, hot and piercing qualities. 
It is explained as Hrudya – good for the heart. It acts as a cardiac tonic and improves heart functioning but not particularly good for cholesterol management. 
Read: Swarna Bhasma Benefits, Dosage, Ingredients, Side Effects, Preparation

Tamra Bhasma – Copper calx is hot, strong, piercing. 
it is explained in Rasa Tarangini textbook as –
Lekhana – scrapes the inner channels, useful in cholesterol deposits (atherosclerosis). 
It is also explained as Sthoulya Dhwamsakara – Meaning, it reduces the body fat tissue. So, it is useful both in obesity and cholesterol management. 
But Tamra bhasma can be very poisonous and should be used with utmost precaution. 
Old Tamra bhasma tends to lose its qualities and it is usually not used alone, but in combination with other mineral and herbal ingredients. 
So, rather than using Tamra bhasma, copper vessel stored water is a good choice for daily use, for people with obesity and high cholesterol. 
Once you store the water in a copper vessel, you have to empty it within 12 hours. Do not store it over a period of more than 24 days. 
Read: Tamra Bhasma – Benefits, Dosage, Ingredients, Side Effects

Considering the above context, Shilajit is a clear winner. 
It is safer than Tamra bhasma, more effective to reduce cholesterol, when compared to Swarna Bhasma. 
Shilajit is pungent, spicy bitter, hot undergoes pungent transformation in the body, Rasayana 
chedi – breaks down toxins, cholesterol deposits, plaques, opens up body channels
yogavahaṃ – acts as a catalyst

One more advantage with Shilajit usage is, it is good for improving strength, stamina and muscle building. So, if you are obese with high cholesterol, it not only burns fat and cholesterol, it will assist you in improving your stamina if you take up exercise. 
To take Shilajit, please consult a doctor directly. 
Its regular dose is 250 – 500 mg, in tablet or capsule form, with honey, once or twice a day. 
Overdose can cause burning sensation and increased heat.
Read: Shilajit Uses, Tests For Quality, Purification, Side Effects, Medicines, Research

Shilajit Shodhan

Dry Shilajatu is powdered, taken in a big iron vessel, added with 2 -4 times of hot water, stirred well. Next day it is filtered to  separate solid waste particles. The water solution of Shilajit is collected. It is heated till the water reaches boiling point.
Again 2 parts of water is added and heated till boiling point, allowed to cool down. While cooling down, Shilajit is forms a foamy layer on top of the vessel. It is carefully collected.
This process is repeated till the foam is formed.
Then, the obtained mass of Shilajatu is made into a bolus and daily dried in sunlight.
The process is stopped after the foam formation is stopped.

Thus obtained product is called Agnitapi Shilajit.
If heating is done under direct sunlight, then it is called Suryatapi Shilajit.

Shilajitu purification using herbal products:
In the above procedure, in the place of water, Triphala kwatha, cow urine,cow milk, Bhringaraja juice extract can also be used.
This helps in adding additional benefits of Triphala, cow urine and Bhringaraja (Eclipta alba) to the Shilajit.

Shilajit  Marana

Shilajit  Marana – incineration:
Nowadays, Marana of Shilajatu is not in practice. Shuddha Shilajatu is in use. But there are classical reference of its Marana, hence it is mentioned here.  –

Equal parts of Manashila, gandhaka and Haratala is added with Shilajatu and ground with beejapura Nimbu (Bijora lemon)  and cakes are prepared, kept in Sharava samputa and 8 Upala Puta is given to get its Bhasma.

Satwapatana

Shilajatu is added with Dravaka gana and sour liquids and made into bolus, dried taken in Musha and subjected to immense heat, to get Satwa similar to Loha. But it is possible only in Sasatwa Shilajatu.

Dosage

2-8 Ratti = 250 mg to 1 gram, once or twice a day, or as directed by Ayurvedic doctor. 
Dose of Shilajit capsule or tablet –
250 – 500 mg tablet or capsule – once or twice a day after food is consumed.

If taken for immunity and health improvement, how long can it be continued? 
Shilajit can be continued for a period of 4 – 8 weeks time. 

How long can Shilajeet be taken?
It can be taken for a period of 6 – 8 weeks at a stretch.
If you are considering taking it for a very long period of time, then better to take it for 2 months, then give a gap of 1 month and continue again.
Better to avoid it during summer.

As per Charaka Samhita:
1 Pala (48 g) – highest potency
1/2 Pala (24 g) – Moderate potency
1 Karsha (12 g) – lowest potency
In practice, 1 – 2 grams per day is used in divided doses.

Shloka Sanskrit Verse

Qualities

Shilajeet  qualities: (Charaka Samhita Chikitsa Sthana 1st chapter 3rd section)
Anamla – not very sour
Kashaya – astringent taste
Katu Paka – Undergoes pungent taste conversion after digestion
Na Ati ushna – neither too hot, nor too cold
It exudes from the stones  / ores of four types of metals viz, gold, silver copper and black iron.
The Shilajeet from the black iron ore is the best.

If administered with proper procedure, it produces rejuvenating and aphrodisiac effects and cures diseases.
Its potency increases by impregnating it with the kashayha of herbs which alleviate Vayu, Pitta and Kapha.
Impregnation can be done by these drugs individually or by all of them taken together. [48-50]

There is no curable disease in the universe which is not effectively cured by Shilajatu when administered at the appropriate time, in combination with suitable drugs and by adopting the prescribed method.
When administered to a healthy person, with similar conditions it produces immense energy.[62-65]

Traditional Uses of Shilajat

शिलाजतु भवेत्तिक्तं कटूष्णं च रसायनम् |
मेहोन्मादाश्मरीशोफकुष्ठापस्मारनाशनम् ||१७२||
क्षयशोफोदरार्शांसि हन्ति बस्तिरुजो जयेत् ||१७३||
śilājatu bhavettiktaṃ kaṭūṣṇaṃ ca rasāyanam |
mehonmādāśmarīśophakuṣṭhāpasmāranāśanam ||172||
kṣayaśophodarārśāṃsi hanti bastirujo jayet ||173||
dhanvantarinighaṇṭu – candanādivarga

śilājatu Uses
tiktaṃ – bitter
kaṭū – pungent, spicy
uṣṇaṃ – hot
rasāyanam – anti aging, rejuvenating
Useful in the treatment of
meha – diabetes, UTI – Usually advised as Chandraprabha vati
unmāda – schizophrenia – Advised along with Manasamitra vatakam, Jatamansi, Panchagavya ghrita
aśmarī – urinary calculi – Advised along with varanadi kashayam, gokshuradi guggulu,
śopha – inflammation – advised with dashamoola kashayam, dashamoolarishtam
kuṣṭha – skin diseases – advised with Aragwadhadi kashaya, khadirarishtam, manjishtadi kashayam etc.
apasmāra – epilepsy – advised along with Ashwagandharishtam, Saraswatarishtam
kṣaya – depleted body tissues – Advised along with ashwagandha rasayanam, ajamamsa rasayana
śopha – inflammation
udara – ascites – advised along with patola katu rohinyadi kashayam, arogyavardhini vati
arśa – hemorrhoids – advised with triphala guggulu, abhayarishtam
bastiruja – bladder pain – advised with varanadi kashayam

Indications

Diseases in which shilajit is commonly used: 
Shilajit for obesity and weight loss:
Usually cow urine, hot water, Triphala etc are used along with Shilajit for this purpose.
Shilajit – 500 mg along with Triphala churna – 3 grams – once or twice a day is an excellent

Genito  urinary tract diseases:
For urinary tract infection and difficulty in urination, Shilajit is usually administered along with Punarnava kashaya, Gokshura (tribulus).
Body building: Usually Shilajit is administered along with Ashwagandha or Tribulus.
Ashwagandha is used when muscle bulk and stamina are to be increased and
Tribulus is used when muscle shaping, and improving on muscle cuts is desired.

Shilajit for sexual disorders:
Usually it is administered along with Ashwagandha, Kapikacchu, Gokshura, Shatavari etc herbs for the treatment of
Premature ejaculation
Erectile dysfunction
Decreased hardness
Decreased mood.
Damaged sperms, Low sperm count (Oligospermia): For this, it is used along with Putrajiva, Kapikacchu etc.

Shilajit is also used for the treatment of
Diabetes, Gallstones, Jaundice.

Shilajeet Rasayanam

• Shilajatu is immersed into the hot decoction of the drugs that are prescribed for alleviating the aggravation of Doshas and
• After it has absorbed the decoction, it should be immersed again.
• This process should be repeated for seven days.
• This processed Shilajatu mixed with the powder of iron should be administered with milk.

Benefits:
This is an elixir for long life and happiness.
It prevents ageing and diseases.
It is an excellent drug for producing sturdiness of the body.
It also promotes Medha ( intellect), Smrti (memory) and Dhana (wealth).
Pathya: the person should live on milk.

Duration:
7 weeks – excellent effect
3 weeks – moderate effect and
1 week – very little effect

Shilajit types and uses

Stones of metals like gold etc, in the mountains get heated up by the sun and the exudate that comes out of them in the form of smooth and clean gum is called Shilajatu.

Shilajeet from the stones containing gold,
Sweet and is bitter after taste,
like the flower of Japa (Hibiscus flower) in appearance,
pungent in Vipaka (taste conversion after digestion)

From the stone containing silver,
pungent in taste
white, cooling and
Sweet in Vipaka.

From the stone containing copper,
is like the peacock throat,
bitter in taste
Hot and pungent in Vipaka.

The exudates which looks like the gum of Guggulu (Commifora mukul Engl.)
Is bitter and Saline
pungent in Vipaka, and cooling
Is derived from the stone containing iron. This is the best among all.

All these types of Shilajeet having the smell of cow’s urine are useful in all types of therapies. However, for rejuvenation therapy, the last variety (i.e the one derived from the stone contain iron) in more useful.

In diseases caused by

• Vayu- Pitta – gold
• Kapha- Pitta – silver
• Kapha – copper and
• all the three Dosas – iron containing stones are useful

Contraindicated diet

Contra indicated foods while taking recipe of Silajatu,
Foods that cause burning sensation(vidahi) – excessive spices
Guru( heavy) – heavy to digest foods.
Horse gram should be avoided forever (or till such time as the person has the effects of Silajatu in his body)

Reason for avoiding horse gram:
It is commonly seen that horse gram is an excellent drug for breaking stones.
By taking Shilajatu, the body of the person becomes like a stone to effect sturdiness in it.
Therefore, horse gram and Shilajatu have mutually contradicting effects, and is prohibited for a person who is using or who has used Shilajatu.

Indicated diet

Ingredients which can be used with Shilajatu:
Milk, Butter milk
Meat soup, Vegetable soup
Water, decoction of different types of herbs

Side effects and precautions

One patient complained of altered, pungent body odor after starting taking Shilajit. It is probably due to excess hotness in a Pitta individual. 
Seek your doctor’s advice for its usage during pregnancy.
This product can be safely used during lactation period and in children for a limited period of few weeks time.
Keep out of reach and sight of children.
Store in a cool dry place.

Interaction with medicines, supplements

Can this be used while taking Homeopathic medicine?
Yes. This product does not react with homeopathic medicine.

Can this medicine be continued while taking supplements like multivitamin tablets, Omega 3 fatty acids etc?
Yes. Generally, this product goes well with most of the dietary supplements. However, if you are taking more than one product per day, please consult your doctor for an opinion.

With western medicines
Seek your doctor’s advice if you are taking this product along with other western (allopathic / modern) medicines. Some Ayurvedic herbs can interact with modern medicine.
If both Ayurvedic and allopathic medicines are advised together, then it is best to take Allopathic medicine first, wait for 30 minutes and then take the Ayurvedic medicine.

Ayurvedic medicines

Ayurvedic medicines with Shilajit as ingredient:
Shilajitwadi Lauh Bati: Used in the treatment of chronic respiratory disorders.
Shiva Gutika: It is used for a variety of diseases like liver and spleen disorders, respiratory conditions, neuro-psychiatric conditions etc.
Chandraprabha Vati: Used in Ayurvedic treatment of diabetes, diseases of urinary track, and many other disease conditions.

Proprietary Ayurvedic medicines in which Shilajit is used as ingredient:
Decrin Plus capsule – manufactured by SG Phyto Pharma company, used for the treatment of high cholesterol and obesity.

Research

Procognitive activity:
Recent investigations point to an interesting medical application toward the control of cognitive disorders associated with aging, and cognitive stimulation. Thus, fulvic acid, the main active principle, blocks tau self-aggregation, opening an avenue toward the study of Alzheimer’s therapy. 

Effect on testosterone level:
Purified Shilajeet, was evaluated in healthy volunteers of age between 45 and 55 years for its effect on male androgenic hormone viz. testosterone in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study at a dose of 250 mg twice a day. Treatment with Shilajit for consecutive 90 days revealed that it has significantly (P < 0.05) increased total testosterone, free testosterone and dehydro-epiandrosterone (DHEAS) compared with placebo. Gonadotropic hormones (LH and FSH) levels were well maintained.

Vernacular names

Names in different languages:
English name – mineral pitch, mineral wax, black asphaltum,
Latin name – Asphaltum punjabianum
Local names – Shargai, dorobi, barahshin, baragshun
Farsi name – Mumlai
Russian name – Mumiyo, Mumijo
Persian name – Mumiya
Malayalam name – Kanmada

Sanskrit Synonyms

Shailodbhava, Shaileya, Shaila, Girijaatu, Adrija, Shailadhatuja – procured from hills and mountains
Shilamaya, Shilasweda, Shila Niryasa, Ashma Laksha and Gaireya – resembles black stone in shape and size.

Introduction to Silajit:
It is known to Indians since thousands of years. Silajit is mentioned in Ancient Ayurvedic text books  – Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita etc, which were written 3000 years ago.

Types of Shilajeeth

2 types:
Gomutra Shilajitu (Mineral pitch) and
Karpura Shilajatu (Potassium nitrate), also called Surya Kshara, Kalami sora, Soraka, Kannada, Kanmada.

It is also classified as
Sasatwa Shilajatu and
Nisatwa shilajatu.

Acharya Charaka has mentioned about 4 types –
Swarnagarbha Silajatu – Obtained from the mountains and areas where gold ores are found
Rajatagarbha Shilajathu – Obtained from the mountains and areas where silver ores are found
Tamragarbha Shilajatu – Obtained from the mountains and areas where copper ores are found
Lohagarbha Shilajatu – Obtained from the mountains and areas where iron ores are found

Acharya Sushruta has added two more types to the above to explain 6 – those two are –
Naga garbha Shilajatu and
Vangagarbha Shilajatu.

Can shilajit increase Ojas?

Yes. All medicines which have Rasayana effect – anti aging, cell rejuvenation, also increase Ojas – immunity factor. 

Ashwagandha with Shilajit

Can Ashwagandha be taken along with Shilajit? 
Dr JV Hebbar
Yes, but there are some ifs and buts. 
Ashwagandha and Shilajat – both are extremely nourishing in nature. They both improve muscle and nerve strength and help to burn fat at the same time. So, this combination is useful for losing weight, for people who regularly do Yoga, gym, sports people etc. 
Both are natural aphrodisiacs. So, men can use it for improving performance. 
Shilajit is extremely useful to improve kidney functions. This is the reason, it is an ingredient of Chandraprabha Vati – a famous medicine used for treating urinary tract disorders. 

Both are extremely useful in the treatment of diabetes. It is useful to strengthen nerves, to treat neuropathy, nephropathy, to improve muscle strength and muscles’ ability to take up glucose and utilize it. This combination relieves fatigue, which is a common symptom of diabetes. 

Both boost up energy and act as antioxidants. Hence, useful in recovery period post illnesses, useful to improve energy of aged people. 

Both are useful in improving respiratory immunity. Though not directly related to lung activities, because of immuno-modulatory action, this combination can be taken to improve immunity against cold and cough. 

Courage: This combination is excellent to improve courage and confidence. It is useful to relieve phobia and depression. 
Read: Best Natural Medicine For Mental Problems: Courage

Heart: This combination is useful to strengthen heart muscles, heal blood vessel damage and to decrease cholesterol and clot deposits inside the blood vessels. 

Few concerns: 
Extreme hotness – this combination can increase warmth and burning sensation and heartburn. In some people, it can worsen anxiety. 
 

In women:
There is no blanket ban on Shilajit for women. It is a false notion. It is very useful nearing menopause, when bone strength declines, fatigue, mood swings are to be addressed. But it is usually not recommended for a very long period of more than 3 months, continuously in women. 

Usage period: Like any other medicine, however good it may be, I would not recommend this for more than 2-3 months. After a month of its use, I would be intending to gradually decrease the dose before finally stopping it. 

How to take it? 
Tablets and capsules of both are available. General dose is 1 tablet of each, once a day, as per your doctor’s advice. 

Combination in medicines
Dabur Shilajit Gold Capsule
Shilajit Plus capsule
Baidyanath Swarna Shakti Ras
Patanjali Divya Youvnamrit Vat, Ashwashila, Shilajeet Rasayan Vati,  
Nandhi Mezhugu Capsules
Dhathu Kalpa Legiyam
Addyzoa, Immunup etc. 
Read: Gym, Exercise, Fitness And Ayurvedic Bodybuilding Herbal Supplements