# What is shilajit?

Source: https://shilajit.uk/what-is-shilajit/
Author: Sam Rowan · Updated 2026-10-16

**Short answer:** Shilajit is a sticky, dark brown to black resin that seeps from rock in high mountain ranges such as the Himalayas and Altai. Over 80% of it is humic substances, including fulvic acid, and most of the rest is minerals like calcium, potassium and magnesium. It has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries.

## Where does shilajit come from?

Shilajit oozes out of cracks in rock, mostly at high altitude, and is most often collected in summer when the rock warms up. The Himalayas of India, Nepal and Pakistan, and the Altai mountains of Russia and Mongolia, are the best-known sources. A 2024 review counted deposits in almost 20 regions of the world, including Afghanistan, Iran, the Caucasus and Tibet (Hussain and Saeed, 2024).

How it forms is not fully settled. The most common view is that plant remains are slowly broken down by microbes over centuries and then mixed with minerals from the rock. A 2025 chemistry review notes that some researchers instead think it comes from animal droppings or seeps from the rock itself, and that its source "is not known" with certainty (Kamgar et al., 2025).

## What is shilajit made of?

Shilajit is a complex mixture, and its make-up varies a lot from one source to another. Across the samples analysed so far (Kamgar et al., 2025):

| Component | Share by weight | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Humic substances | more than 80% | Includes fulvic acid and humic acid, the compounds most often credited with its effects. |
| Minerals | about 20% | Mainly calcium, potassium and magnesium, plus iron, zinc and manganese. |
| Other organic compounds | small amounts | Amino acids (mainly glycine), fatty acids, and plant compounds such as caffeic and gallic acid. |
| Dibenzo-alpha-pyrones | small amounts | Thought, with fulvic acid, to be among the active ingredients (Stohs, 2014). |

Shilajit can also contain toxic metals such as lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury, picked up from the rock. A 2026 study of 12 samples from different countries found these below toxicity thresholds (Kamgar et al., 2026), but other analyses have found levels above safe limits. Our [safety guide](/safety/) explains why lab-tested, purified shilajit matters.

## What is the difference between raw and purified shilajit?

Raw shilajit is the material as collected from the rock, often mixed with soil, sand and plant debris. Purified shilajit has been dissolved, filtered and dried again to remove these impurities. Most human trials have used purified, standardised extracts with a stated fulvic acid content, so their results don't necessarily apply to raw shilajit. See the [buying guide](/buying-guide/) for how to tell what you're getting.

## How has shilajit been used traditionally?

In Ayurveda, India's traditional medicine system, shilajit is classed as a *rasayana*, a rejuvenating substance thought to promote long life and vitality. A review of classical texts found it in 20 traditional formulations and 24 branded Ayurvedic products, used for conditions from diabetes to urinary problems (Wilson et al., 2011). It has a similarly long history as mumijo in Russian and Central Asian folk medicine, and as momiai in Persian medicine, where it was used especially for healing broken bones.

That same review concluded that, despite this long history, shilajit "lacks scientific evaluation and systematic documentation". Traditional use tells us what people have believed shilajit does, not whether it works. For what modern research shows, see [shilajit benefits](/benefits/) and the [research library](/research/).

## What forms does shilajit come in?

Shilajit is sold as resin (a sticky paste, usually in a small jar), capsules or tablets, powder, liquid drops and gummies. Resin is closest to the traditional form; capsules make the dose easier to control. [How to take shilajit](/how-to-take-shilajit/) compares the forms, and the [shilajit dosage guide](/how-to-take-shilajit/dosage/) gives the daily amount for each.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is shilajit a plant, a mineral or an animal product?

None of these exactly. Most researchers think it forms from plant matter broken down by microbes over centuries, then mixed with minerals from the surrounding rock. Its exact origin is still debated.

### What is shilajit called in other languages?

It is known as mumijo or mumie in Russia and Central Asia, momiai or mummy in Persian medicine, and mineral pitch or moomiyo in older English texts. Shilajit comes from Sanskrit and is often translated as 'conqueror of mountains'.

### What does shilajit taste like?

Raw and purified shilajit resin tastes bitter, smoky and earthy. Many people dissolve it in warm water, tea or milk to soften the taste.

## References

1. [Kamgar E, Kaykhaii M, Zembrzuska J. A Comprehensive Review on Shilajit: What We Know about Its Chemical Composition. Crit Rev Anal Chem. 2025;55(3):461-473.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38133965/)
2. [Wilson E et al. Review on shilajit used in traditional Indian medicine. J Ethnopharmacol. 2011;136(1):1-9.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21530631/)
3. [Stohs SJ. Safety and efficacy of shilajit (mumie, moomiyo). Phytother Res. 2014;28(4):475-9.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23733436/)
4. [Hussain A, Saeed A. Hazardous or Advantageous: Uncovering the Roles of Heavy Metals and Humic Substances in Shilajit. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2024;202(12):5794-5814.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38393486/)
5. [Kamgar E et al. Characterization of metal composition and molecular weight distribution in Shilajit. J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2026;96:127913.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42364294/)