Shilajit

Running on fumes by mid-afternoon? Brain feeling like a laptop with 40 tabs open? You've probably seen shilajit all over your feed — the black tar-looking stuff from the Himalayas that fitness influencers swear by. Here's the honest version: what it actually is, which benefits have real studies behind them, how to dose it, and who should leave it on the shelf.

What we'd suggest

• Start with 100–200 mg daily and build to 300–500 mg. Take it in the morning — it's energising and can disturb sleep if taken late.
• Give it 4–12 weeks of consistent use. This is a slow-build supplement, not a Monday-morning espresso.
• Only buy purified, lab-tested shilajit (at least 50–60% fulvic acid, tested for heavy metals). Cheap unpurified resin is the one way this supplement can genuinely hurt you.
• Skip it if you're pregnant or breastfeeding, have haemochromatosis (it's iron-rich) or active gout, or you're on blood thinners or blood pressure medication — doctor first.

What shilajit actually is

Shilajit is a natural resin that seeps from high-altitude rock faces in the Himalayas, Altai and Caucasus — ancient plant matter compressed between rock layers over centuries. Ayurvedic medicine has used it for thousands of years and named it well: Shilajitu, "the destroyer of weakness." It's harvested in summer, then (crucially) purified to remove impurities and heavy metals before it's safe to take.

What's inside

• Fulvic acid (60–80% of good shilajit): a potent antioxidant that also chelates minerals, making them dramatically more absorbable — the engine of most of shilajit's effects.
• Humic acid: supports the gut lining and detoxification — pairs naturally with our gut health range.
• 80+ trace minerals: iron, magnesium, zinc, selenium and more — a denser profile than most products in our vitamins and minerals collection, though less precisely dosed.
• Dibenzo-alpha-pyrones: unusual compounds that work inside your mitochondria — the cellular power stations — to boost energy production.

The benefits, ranked by evidence

Energy and fatigue — the headline benefit

Shilajit improves mitochondrial function, which means more energy produced at cell level — no caffeine jitters, no crash. Early clinical research has found meaningful improvements in fatigue symptoms with regular use. If your days run from taxi-rank-early to load-shedding-late, this is the use case shilajit was made for. It sits alongside our wider energy and vitality range.

Testosterone and male fertility — surprisingly solid data

In small clinical trials, men taking purified shilajit for 90 days showed improvements in sperm count and motility, and higher total testosterone versus placebo — promising results, though from small studies. Notice the timeline: 90 days, not 9.

Brain and memory — promising, earlier-stage

Early laboratory research is exploring fulvic acid's role in healthy brain ageing, and regular users commonly report sharper focus. Encouraging — but call it promising rather than proven.

Heart, joints, immunity, skin — supportive roles

Animal and early research shows cholesterol improvements and antioxidant protection for the heart; the anti-inflammatory compounds help joint niggles (shilajit is a staple in traditional Ayurvedic joint formulas); the zinc and selenium support immunity (see our immunity collection); and the collagen-supporting antioxidants earn it a place in inside-out skin routines alongside our skin, hair and nails range.

How to take it

• Resin: the traditional, most potent form — dissolve a pea-sized blob (300–500 mg) in warm (not boiling) water, milk or tea. Tastes like earth and tar; you get used to it.
• Capsules: the no-taste option — look for standardised 50%+ fulvic acid.
• Powder: easy in smoothies, but only buy purified and heavy-metal tested.

Stacks that make sense

Because fulvic acid improves nutrient absorption, shilajit is a natural team player: + ashwagandha (the classic Ayurvedic pairing for stress and vitality — see our herbal supplements), + CoQ10 for cellular energy, + magnesium for recovery and sleep quality, + vitamin D (fulvic acid boosts its absorption — useful for the many deficient South Africans), and + probiotics for gut support.

The honest caveats

Shilajit is a strong supporting act, not a cure. If your exhaustion comes from five hours of sleep, unmanaged stress or an undiagnosed thyroid or iron problem, no resin fixes that — get bloods done first. And quality is everything here: unpurified shilajit can carry lead, mercury and arsenic. Everything on our shelves is lab-tested; if you're buying elsewhere, demand the certificate.

Wondering whether shilajit, ashwagandha or a simple iron test is the right next step for your energy? WhatsApp us — we'll tell you straight.

By Precious, One Life Health Consultant

From the apothecary shelf

A few products we'd hand a customer asking for a starting point. Not a paid placement — these are what we actually take, recommend, or keep at the front of the shelf.