Plain-English definitions of the terms you'll come across when reading about shilajit: what's in it, where it comes from, how it's checked for quality, and the rules that apply when it's sold in the UK.
What's in Shilajit
- Dibenzo-alpha-pyrones (DBPs)
- Small organic compounds found in shilajit that researchers have studied in the lab. There's very little research on what they do in people.
- Fulvic acid
- Usually described as the main organic component of shilajit. It's a type of humic substance that dissolves in water at any level of acidity.
- Humic acid
- A humic substance with larger, darker molecules than fulvic acid. It dissolves in alkaline conditions but not in acidic ones.
- Humic substances
- Compounds formed when plant and animal matter breaks down. They're found in soil, peat and rivers as well as in shilajit, and are usually divided into fulvic acid, humic acid and humin.
- Humin
- The part of humic substances that doesn't dissolve in water at all.
- Trace elements
- Elements present in very small amounts. Shilajit contains many, but a daily serving is too small to be a meaningful source of minerals. See What Are the 85 Minerals in Shilajit?
Origins and Names
- Gilgit-Baltistan
- A mountainous region of northern Pakistan where shilajit is collected.
- Himalayas
- The mountain range across India, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet and Pakistan where much of the world's shilajit is found. Shilajit also occurs in other ranges, including the Altai and Caucasus.
- Mineral pitch
- An English name sometimes used for shilajit.
- Mumijo (mumie)
- A name used in Russia and Central Asia for a similar resin collected from mountain rock.
- Shilajit
- A dark, sticky resin that seeps from rock in high mountain ranges. It's thought to form over long periods as plant material breaks down. The name comes from Sanskrit and is often translated as "conqueror of mountains".
- Silajatu
- The Sanskrit name for shilajit used in classical Ayurvedic texts.
Traditional Use
- Ayurveda
- The traditional system of medicine from India. Shilajit is described in its classical texts.
- Rasayana
- An Ayurvedic category of substances traditionally used for rejuvenation. Shilajit is classed as a rasayana. This describes its traditional use, not a proven health effect.
Quality and Testing
- Adulteration
- Mixing a product with cheaper substances, such as fillers or tar, to bulk it out.
- Certificate of Analysis (CoA)
- A laboratory report listing the results of tests on a product sample, such as heavy metal levels. Check the lab's name, what was tested, when, and which batch it covers. Our reports are on our Testing and Certificates page.
- Heavy metals
- Metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic. Because shilajit comes out of rock, raw material can contain them, which is why independent testing matters. UK law sets maximum levels for lead, cadmium and mercury in food supplements.
- Purification
- Processing raw shilajit to remove rock, soil and other insoluble material, typically by dissolving it in water, filtering it and drying it back to a resin.
- Raw shilajit
- Unprocessed material taken straight from the rock. It isn't suitable to eat without purification.
- Resin
- The traditional sticky, tar-like form of purified shilajit. It's also sold as powder, capsules and liquid. See Resin vs Powder vs Capsules.
- Standardised extract
- Shilajit processed to contain a set amount of a particular component, such as fulvic acid. Some of the human studies used a standardised extract rather than resin.
Taking Shilajit
- Pea-sized amount
- The usual serving of resin, roughly 300 to 500 mg. Our label recommends one pea-sized amount or less a day. See How to Use Shilajit.
- Water solubility
- Purified resin dissolves in warm water, leaving little or no residue. This can help rule out some fakes, but it isn't proof that a product is genuine. See How to Tell if Shilajit Is Real.
Rules and Labels
- Authorised health claim
- A statement about a food and health that has been approved for use in Great Britain, such as "vitamin C contributes to the normal function of the immune system". There are no authorised health claims for shilajit, so sellers can't say it improves any aspect of health.
- Food supplement
- The legal category shilajit is sold under in the UK. Food supplements are concentrated sources of nutrients or other substances sold in measured doses. They aren't medicines and can't claim to treat, cure or prevent any disease.
- Nutrient reference value (NRV)
- The daily amount of a vitamin or mineral used as a reference on UK food labels, for example 14 mg of iron.
Shilajit is a food supplement. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant or take medication, speak to your GP or pharmacist before using it.