The 8 Surprising Shilajit Benefits You Need to Know For Better Memory, Enhanced Energy + More

As a functional medicine practitioner, I’m always geeking out on the latest research. One area I love to spend time studying is natural supplements, whether that is essential minerals like magnesium to complex botanical compounds. If I can help my patients overcome chronic health problems through natural supplementation (along with diet and lifestyle changes), rather than medication, I’m all ears.

Shilajit is one adaptogenic supplement that has been around for thousands of years in Ayurveda, but it is continually being talked about for its ability to help a wide range of health problems. The list of shilajit benefits goes far and wide and the research is always expanding about all the amazing things this supplement can do. So whether you are struggling with low energy or looking to keep your mind sharp as you get older, shilajit may be exactly what you’ve been looking for.

What is shilajit?

As a staple supplement in Ayurvedic medicine, shilajit was first discovered in the Himalayan mountains. Unlike other natural supplements, this sticky, black substance is not a standalone plant or herb, but rather the leftover residue from dead plants that have decomposed, containing various amino acids and organic compounds. It is also unique in that its development is driven by high altitudes in the Himalayas — where it has traditionally been used to combat altitude sickness — forming between the crevices of rocks after hundreds of years of decomposition, contributing to why you don’t see shilajit alongside just any decomposing plant.

What are the benefits of taking shilajit?

One of the biggest things that I love about shilajit is its ability to help a wide range of health problems. Between years of research cementing shilajit as a go-to supplement to address certain conditions and early research showing immense promise for a handful of other health problems, shilajit is one supplement that I keep coming back to for its versatility.

1. Restores energy

While more research needs to be done, initial studies have found that since shilajit is high in fulvic acid, it can be a great tool for fighting chronic fatigue by restoring energy at the cellular level. Fulvic acid, along with humic acid, a byproduct of a plant’s decomposition process, has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that work together to improve mitochondrial function. Your mitochondria are often called the “powerhouses of your cells since they are responsible for taking in nutrients and oxygen and turning them into ATP — your body’s energy source.

To look at this relationship between shilajit and energy, researchers induced rats with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome through multiple weeks of intense activity. The findings showed that the rats who were given shilajit experienced less fatigue than the rats who weren’t given shilajit at all due to its ability to mitigate mitochondrial dysfunction caused by extreme exercise. (1) Through this study, researchers also found that shilajit was able to help modulate the HPA axis that controls your body’s cortisol, blood pressure, and energy levels.

2. Promotes longevity

Mitochondrial dysfunction doesn’t just affect your energy levels, it ultimately affects your overall wellbeing and longevity too. Each one of your cells has its own life cycle, and over time can become damaged and weak, including the mitochondria itself. While this is a normal part of the aging process, certain lifestyle factors can speed up this damage. But we can also slow aging down and its effects through supporting mitochondrial health. It is one of the fastest ways to improve energy production, natural detoxification, and rejuvenating cellular function overall, which as we learned above, shilajit is great at.

And since shilajit’s fulvic acid content acts as a powerful antioxidant, it is also great for fighting oxidative stress. Oxidative stress occurs when there is an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants at the cellular level. Over time, this oxidative stress can damage your cells and drive up chronic inflammation — another key factor in cellular dysfunction that contributes to inflammation, chronic health problems, and aging. 

LISTEN: The Wild New Science Of Longevity: Stem Cells, Exosomes & Anti-Aging Protocols | Dr. Rafael Gonzalez

3. Enhances cognitive function

Dementia is another health problem that can often coincide with getting older. In addition to promoting overall longevity, shilajit has been linked to improved brain health and the prevention of age-related memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease due its fulvic acid content. Fulvic acid works as an antiaggregant to inhibit the buildup of tau proteins in the brain that can damage your brain’s cells over time. (2) A study published in the journal, Pharmaceuticals, found that shilajit was able to slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s disease after it was already diagnosed. (3)

4. Boosts immunity

Researchers are in the early stages of studying shilajit’s effect on immune health by looking at how shilajit fights off viruses in the lab. (4) Although this research isn’t being done on humans, it’s one step closer to confirming shilajit as a natural antiviral. 

5. Improves bone health

Osteoporosis is a condition characterized by a lack of bone density due to the fact that your body can’t keep up with creating new bone in comparison to how fast it is being lost. Women are at the highest risk for developing osteoporosis as they get older, particularly after menopause, but anyone can be affected. 

According to recent studies, shilajit can be an excellent way to combat this bone condition. One study published in Phytomedicine found that after close to a year of daily shilajit supplementation, women with osteopenia (early stage osteoporosis) had a significant improvement in both bone mass and bone mineral density. (5) This is likely due to shilajit’s ability to mitigate inflammation and oxidative stress — two driving factors behind the development of osteoporosis.

6. Raises testosterone

Testosterone is a primary male sex hormone that plays a critical role in both men and women’s health, with low levels contributing to a variety of symptoms such as:

Men:

• Low libido
• Erectile dysfunction
• Depression
• Fatigue
• Poor concentration
• Decreased muscle mass
• Weight gain + weight loss resistance
• Reduced bone density
• Irritability
• Loss of body hair

Women: 

• Irregular menstrual periods
• Low libido
• Vaginal dryness
• Reduced bone density
• Fatigue
• Mood changes

While studies on how shilajit affects women’s testosterone levels are limited, there is enough evidence to support this supplement’s ability to raise testosterone levels in men. For example, one study found that after 3 months of supplementing with shilajit, men had significantly higher levels of free testosterone, total testosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone. (6)

READ MORE: How To Increase Testosterone Naturally With Functional Medicine

7. Supports fertility

Imbalanced hormones, including testosterone, can have a huge impact on fertility. In addition to helping raise testosterone levels, older studies with infertile male participants have also linked shilajit to a 60% increase in sperm count after just 90 days. (7) There is limited research on shilajit in relation to female infertility, but the current research on men’s hormones and fertility is extremely promising.

8. Improves anemia

Iron-deficiency anemia affects close to 1.2 billion people worldwide, not including standard iron deficiency which affects close to 2.4 billion people. (8) Studies have shown that fulvic acid, the active compound in shilajit, is a good iron source making it a great choice for those looking to get their iron levels back on track. (9) Plus, additional studies have also found that fulvic acid helps enhance the absorption of iron from other sources by binding to iron and transporting it to the body’s cells, further solidifying shilajit’s place as an iron boosting superstar. (10)

How to take shilajit

Shilajit supplements are widely available and can be taken in capsule or tincture format. As with most supplements, it’s so important to vet quality, but it can be even more important when it comes to shilajit supplements as pure shilajit can naturally be higher in heavy metals like aluminum, mercury, and lead, bacteria and fungi. I always recommend looking for brands that are transparent with their sourcing, testing, and purification process to ensure you are consuming high-quality purified shilajit.

Since I strongly believe in the benefits of shilajit, I wanted to make sure as many people as possible could take advantage of this supplement without having to second-guess the quality. I personally formulated Shilajit Prime™ Plus with clinically-studied PrimaVie® shilajit alongside the addition of LJ100® Eurycoma longifolia to support healthy testosterone levels, libido, cognition, and physical endurance.

What happens if we take shilajit daily?

I’m often asked if it is safe to take shilajit every day, especially after people read about the potential for high heavy metals and other impurities. However, most studies done on the benefits of shilajit have all consisted of daily supplementation and only showed positive effects with little to no side effects or allergic reactions. While there are a few considerations with shilajit that you should be aware of (see below), these are only for a small percentage of people. As long as you are vetting quality and sourcing, taking shilajit every day shouldn’t be a concern.

Considerations

Although shilajit is generally considered safe for most people, there are just a couple things to look out for. Since shilajit can increase iron levels, those with hemochromatosis — a condition where your blood contains too much iron — thalassemia or sickle cell anemia should avoid this supplement. It’s also recommended that if you are pregnant or breastfeeding to talk with your doctor to confirm dosage and whether or not this is safe to take during this time.

Bringing it all together

As far as supplements go, shilajit is a multipurpose superstar that can help with a variety of symptoms. From restoring energy levels to supporting bone health and boosting iron levels, shilajit is worth considering adding to your wellness routine if you are struggling with a couple of these issues and want to avoid supplement overload. 

In my telehealth functional medicine clinic, we run a comprehensive health history alongside relevant labs to determine what supplements are best for your health case. Whether that is shilajit or something else, supplements can be a fantastic tool to help you reach your health goals.

As one of the first functional medicine telehealth clinics in the world, we provide webcam health consultations for people around the globe. 

Photo: Unsplash.com

Sources

• Bhattacharyya, D., Bhattacharyya, S., Karmakar, P., Paul, S., Kutty, N. G., Swaminathan, K., & Anand Kumar, P. (2012). Amelioration of behavioral symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome by modulating the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis and mitochondrial bioenergetics in rats. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 143(1), 91–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2012.06.002
• Carrasco-Gallardo, C., Guzmán, L., & Maccioni, R. B. (2012). Shilajit: a natural phytocomplex with potential procognitive activity. International journal of Alzheimer’s disease, 2012, 674142. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/674142
• Andrade, V., Wong-Guerra, M., Cortés, N., Pastor, G., González, A., Calfío, C., Guzmán-Martínez, L., Navarrete, L. P., Ramos-Escobar, N., Morales, I., Santander, R., Andrades-Lagos, J., Bacho, M., Rojo, L. E., & Maccioni, R. B. (2023). Scaling the Andean Shilajit: A Novel Neuroprotective Agent for Alzheimer’s Disease. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland), 16(7), 960. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph16070960
• Zhernov, Y. V., Konstantinov, A. I., Zherebker, A., Nikolaev, E., Orlov, A., Savinykh, M. I., Kornilaeva, G. V., Karamov, E. V., & Perminova, I. V. (2021). Antiviral activity of natural humic substances and shilajit materials against HIV-1: Relation to structure. Environmental research, 193, 110312. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2020.110312
• Pingali, U., & Nutalapati, C. (2022). 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 : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology, 105, 154334. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2022.154334
• Pandit, S., Biswas, S., Jana, U., De, R. K., Mukhopadhyay, S. C., & Biswas, T. K. (2016). Clinical evaluation of purified Shilajit on testosterone levels in healthy volunteers. Andrologia, 48(5), 570–575. https://doi.org/10.1111/and.12482
• Biswas, T.K., Pandit, S., Mondal, S., Biswas, S.K., Jana, U., Ghosh, T., Tripathi, P.C., Debnath, P.K., Auddy, R.G. and Auddy, B. (2010), Clinical evaluation of spermatogenic activity of processed Shilajit in oligospermia. Andrologia, 42: 48-56. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0272.2009.00956.x
• Al-Naseem, A., Sallam, A., Choudhury, S., & Thachil, J. (2021). Iron deficiency without anaemia: a diagnosis that matters. Clinical medicine (London, England), 21(2), 107–113. https://doi.org/10.7861/clinmed.2020-0582
• Szabó, J., Vucskits, A. V., Berta, E., Andrásofszky, E., Bersényi, A., & Hullár, I. (2017). Effect of fulvic and humic acids on iron and manganese homeostasis in rats. Acta veterinaria Hungarica, 65(1), 66–80. https://doi.org/10.1556/004.2017.007
• Basavaraja, D., Katkar, R., Dhaka, P., Tomar, S., Sircar, D., Chikara, G., & Panda, P. K. (2025). Chemical Analysis of Native Himalayan Shilajit: An Evaluation of an Ayurvedic Formulation. ACS omega, 10(47), 57097–57106. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.5c05533