Unknown Shilajit
Altai Healing
Shilajit has countless benefits for both, men and women. Not many people know the benefits of Shilajit and the minerals/ substances that are present in the pure natural Shilajit. In this article, we will show you the minerals that are present in the Shilajit and the benefits that can be achieved by using the Shilajit.
Minerals/Substances in Shilajit
Shilajit contains the following minerals/substances. Each mineral/substance present in Shilajit has its own benefits. However, it is to be noted that some poor quality Shilajit either does not have these minerals or the ratio of the minerals present in the product is not safe for health. Therefore, it is recommended to use only natural and authentic Shilajit to enjoy benefit of this natural miracle supplement.
Fulvic, Humic acids, Benzoic acid, Iron, Copper, Zinc, Manganese, Magnesium, Nickel, Potassium, Silicon, Silver, Sodium, Barium, Sulfur, Iodine, Strontium, Rubidium, Cesium, Chromium, Antimony, Vanadium, Molybdenum, Phosphorus, Glycosides, Carotenoids retinol, Terpenoids, vitamin B including B2 and B12, vitamin C, vitamin E, Melanoidin, Polyphenol complexes, Dibenzo-alpha pyrones, Phospholipids Triterpenes and Phenolic acids, Albuminoids, Hippuric and Oxalic acid, Tannic acid, and Bioflavonoids.
Shilajit Benefits
Although there are many benefits of Shilajit, in this article, we will cover top 9 benefits of Shilajit.
Benefit #01: Shilajit for Bones and Muscles
The minerals in Shilajit (Manganese, Silicon, Calcium, Cuprum, and Strontium) have the tendency to not only make the bones and muscles stronger, but they also help in fighting the body against disease like arthritis and osteoporosis.
Benefit #02: Shilajit for Healing Wounds
The minerals in Shilajit (Copper, Retinol, and Vitamin B) are helpful in healing the body wounds. Since Shilajit also contains Fulvic acid, which has the tendency to speed up the process of metabolism, the combination of these minerals with Fulvic acid not only speeds up the healing process, but they also reduce the inflammation while making new tissues in the body.
Benefit #03: Shilajit for Boosting Body Power
Since Shilajit contains vitamin B2 and vitamin B12, the combination of B12 and the Fulvic acid makes the process of oxygen supply to the muscles very smooth. This helps muscles not only gain more power, but it also helps the body to get rid of bad air i-e CO2 from the body.
Benefit #04: Shilajit for Brain Power
The Potassium, vitamin B and the Copper in Shilajit are the brain supplements. Vitamin B enhances the memory. Potassium stimulates the neural activity by supplying more oxygen to the brain. The Copper improves the cognitive function and also helps in developing the neurodevelopment functions.
Benefit #05: Anti Stress and Anti-Anxiety
Shilajit contains Zinc, magnesium, and potassium. The studies have shown that the combination of these minerals help in relieving the stress and anxiety. Studies also showed that small amount of natural zinc can balance the blood sugar level.
The aforementioned benefits of Shilajit can only be availed if the Shilajit that you are using is pure and natural. We have pointed out this fact a number of times that not all the products under the label of Shilajit are in fact Shilajit. Some of these products are either not Shilajit or they contain impurities that can harm the human body. Therefore it is recommended to use the Shilajit product from only the suppliers who have tested their product in the recognized labs and they have got a certification of their product, clearly explaining the names and the ratio of minerals present in their product.
Shilajit also known in the north of India as salajit, shilajatu, mimie, or mummiyo is a blackish-brown powder or an exudate from high mountain rocks, especially in the Himalayans mountains between India and Nepal, although it has been also found in Russia, Tibet, Afghanistan, and now in the north of Chile, named as Andean Shilajit [1]. Shilajit has been known and used for centuries by the Ayurvedic medicine, as a rejuvenator and as antiaging compound. There are two important characteristics of a rasayana compound in the ancient Indian Ayurvedic medicine: that is, to increase physical strength and to promote human health [2]. The health benefits of shilajit have been shown to differ from region to region, depending on the place from which it was extracted
Considering its unique composition as a phytocomplex, very rich in fulvic acid, researchers hypothesize that Shilajit is produced by the decomposition of plant material from species such as Euphorbia royleana and Trifolium repens [4, 5]. This decomposition seems to occur through centuries, and on this basis, shilajit is considered a millenary product of nature. However, further studies have identified that several other plant organisms may generate shilajit, such as molds as Barbula, Fissidens, Minium, and Thuidium and other species like Asterella, Dumortiera, Marchantia, Pellia, Plagiochasma, and Stephenrencella-Anthoceros
Shilajit is composed mainly of humic substances, including fulvic acid, that account for around 60% to 80% of the total nutraceutical compound plus some oligoelements including selenium of antiaging properties [6, 7] (Figure 1). The humic substances are the results of degradation of organic matter, mainly vegetal substances, which is the result of the action of many microorganisms. Components are divided operationally in humins, humic acid, and fulvic acids according to their solubility in water at different pH levels. Humins are not soluble in water under any pH condition. Humic acid is soluble in water under alkaline conditions and has a molecular weight of 5–10 kDa. Fulvic acid is soluble in water under different pH conditions, and because of its low molecular weight (around 2 kDa), it is well absorbed in the intestinal tract and eliminated within hours from the body [8, 9]. It is likely that the curative properties attributable to shilajit are provided by the significant levels of fulvic acids that shilajit contains, considering that fulvic acid is known by its strong antioxidant actions [9] and likely has systemic effects as complement activator [10]. Recent studies on the composition of Andean Shilajit in Chile have evidenced an ORAC index between 50 and 500 Trolox units/g of material, which is substantially higher than Noni and blueberries (Quinteros et al., unpublished data). In this context, shilajit seems to be a powerful antioxidant phytocomplex
Shilajit, its main components, and potential uses based on properties of fulvic acid. This phytocomplex known as shilajit is mainly composed of humic substances. One of them, fulvic acid, is known by its properties such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and memory enhancer. Novel investigations indicate that fulvic acid is an antiaggregation factor of tau protein in vitro [1], which projects fulvic acid as a potential anti-Alzheimer's disease molecule.
Other molecules present in shilajit preparations are eldagic acid, some fatty acids, resins, latex, gums, albumins, triterpenes, sterols, aromatic carboxylic acids, 3,4-benzocoumarins, amino acids, polyphenols, and phenolic lipids [3, 6, 11]. Certainly its molecular composition varies from region to region. Newer investigations based on high-performance size exclusion chromatography (HP-SEC) show that shilajit contains specific molecular species of polysaccharides and lignins [10]. As humic components, humins, humic acids, and fulvic acids are found in all shilajit preparations, being the last one, fulvic acids, the biologically active compound, along with dibenzo-α-pyrones, which acts as carrier of other substances [3].
Shilajit is an important, known component of the ayurvedic medicine given its characteristics as a rasayana. In this context, health benefits such as an increase in longevity, rejuvenating, and arresting aging roles have been attributed to it [3]. Traditionally, shilajit is consumed by people from Nepal and the North of India, and children usually take it with milk in their breakfast. The Sherpas claim to have shilajit as part of their diet; they constitute a population of strong men with very high levels of a healthy longevity. Our laboratory has found evidence on the high activity of the Andean form of shilajit in improving cognitive disorders and as a stimulant of cognitive activity in humans [1] (Table 1).
Table 1
Morphometric study of primary cultured rat hippocampal cells exposed to Shilajit and the Brain Up-10 formulae that contain Shilajit plus complex B vitamins (Vit B6, B9, and B12).
Considering the actions of fulvic acid in preventing tau self-aggregation into pathological filaments, this compound appears to be of interest for prevention of Alzheimer's disease [1]. Other common traditional uses include its action in genitourinary disorders, jaundice, digestive disorders, enlarged spleen, epilepsy, nervous disorders, chronic bronchitis, and anemia [2]. Shilajit has been also useful for the treatment of kidney stones, edema, and hemorrhoids, as an internal antiseptic, and to reduce anorexia. Also, it has been claimed in India to be used as yogavaha [12, 13], that is, as synergistic enhancer of other drugs. Organic components of shilajit play also a role in transporting different mineral substances to their cellular targets.
Preclinical investigations about shilajit indicate its great potential uses in certain diseases, and various properties have been ascribed, including (1) antiulcerogenic properties [14]; (2) antioxidant properties [15, 16]; (3) cognitive and memory enhancer [1, 10, 17]; (4) antidiabetic properties [18]; (5) anxiolytic [12]; (6) antiallergic properties and immunomodulator [2, 19, 20]; (7) anti-inflammatory [21]; (8) analgesic [16]; antifungal properties [22]; (9) ability to interact positively with other drugs [23]; (10) protective properties in high altitudes [24]; (11) neuroprotective agent against cognitive disorders [1, and Farias et al. unpublished clinical trials]. Unfortunately shilajit lacks systematic documentation and well-established clinical trials on its antioxidative and immunomodulatory actions in humans, and it is expected that considering the reported benefits evidenced from trials will be obtained in the near future