What It Is
Shilajit is
a mineral-rich organic compound that seeps out from between rocks high in the
mountains of northeastern India and other parts of Asia during the summer. Also
known as asphalt and mineral pitch, the compound comes in shades of copper,
gold, silver and black, with the black form being the one most often used in ayurvedic
preparations. Much of shilajit consists of decayed plant material.
In his 2006
book "Shilajit in Perspective," Shibnath Ghosal lists the
biologically active components of shilajit as albuminoids, benzoic acid and
salts, calcium, copper, fatty acids, glycine, hippuric acid and salts,
hydroxyproline, iron, potassium, proline, silicon, sodium, threonine and tin.
Other assays cited by Robert Talbert in "Shilajit: A Materia Medica
Monograph" identified 4′-methoxy 6-carbomethoxy biphenyl, dibenzo-alpha-pyrones
fulvic acid, phenolic lipids and tirucallane triterpenes as components of
shilajit.
Purported Benefits
Promoted
widely online as an anti-aging compound and as a cure for sexual dysfunction,
modern uses of shilajit documented by Talbert include the treatment of anemia,
arthritis, asthma, diabetes, edema, epilepsy, gallstones, hemorrhoids,
infertility, kidney stones, menstrual disorders, skin diseases (including
leprosy) and thyroid disorders.
Evidence for Effectiveness
Animal
studies reviewed by Ghosal and Talbert have shown that shilajit has analgesic,
anti-inflammatory and anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) properties. The compound also
appears to help treat ulcers. Other studies exploring the effectiveness of
shilajit for treating bronchitis, heart failure and high blood pressure showed
the compound to have no effect on those conditions.
Side Effects
Shilajit
increases the production of uric acid in the body and can thus worsen gout.
Other than that, doses as high as 3g per kilogram in a single day produced no
adverse effects in mice, according to a study cited by Talbert.
Precautions
Talbert
noted in the conclusion of his monograph that "examining the list of
modern indications for shilajit, one can hardly believe that it could have such
a wide and varied effect on the human body." He emphasizes that no
published clinical trials of shilajit have involved human subjects, so the
compound's effect on people's health has not been established.
Another
concern is that most shilajit products are imported from India and not assessed
for content or purity before being sold. This issue was highlighted in 2005,
when Health Canada blocked the sale of shilajit capsules produced by Dabur
India Ltd. because the capsules contained unhealthy amounts of heavy metals. In
a July 20, 2005, press release, the Canadian health agency warned consumers
that arsenic, lead and mercury are often mixed with herbs in ayurvedic
medicines because the heavy metals are believed to have therapeutic properties.
Last,
shilajit has a high concentration of iron. Taking shilajit with other
supplements such as multivitamins that contain iron could lead to an overdose,
whose symptoms include bloody vomit, diarrhea, loss of consciousness, loss of
skin color and shock.
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