40+ Days of Taking Shilajit — Here’s My Brutally Honest Review
Does this “Conqueror of Mountains” supplement hold up to its hype?
Ironically, jacked Gen-Zs were gushing over Shilajit — a millennia-old adaptogen believed to boost libido and Testosterone levels.
Sure, the hype felt skepticism-worthy. But my previous 30-day Ashwagandha experiment had boosted my trust in Ayurveda.
After some preliminary research and poring over anecdotes, I ordered a 20g $10 jar of Shilajit.
Been over 40 days since then, and I’m scraping the bottom of my jar now.
I want to share my honest experience, benefits, precautions, and side effects. Plus, a research overview and links to deep-dive articles.
Basically, an all-in-one guide to Shilajit.
Disclaimer: I’m neither a certified medical expert nor an Ayurvedic practitioner. This article solely covers my personal research and experience with Shilajit. Do your own research before using Shilajit or any other supplement.
If You Haven’t Heard of Shilajit Before…
In Sanskrit, “Sheela” means rock/cliff, and “Jeet” means conquer/win — so Shilajit roughly translates to “Conqueror of Mountains.”
For 3000+ years, it’s been considered a cure-all — to boost libido, slow aging, boost immunity, strengthen bones, cleanse toxins, and more.
Found in the Himalayas, shilajit is a dark pitch-like substance — the result of thousands of years of plant decomposition.
Shilajit’s power stems from its composition — minerals like silica, iron, calcium, copper, lithium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, sodium, and zinc.
Apart from trace minerals, it’s also rich in humic, fulvic, and amino acids.
Since it’s scarce and demands deep purification, Shilajit fakes are riding the market.
Caution! Impure Shilajit is lethal due to heavy metals like arsenic, lead, and mercury. Fungus and bacteria as well. Buy pure Shilajit — even if it costs more.
A few tips and tricks to ensure your Shilajit is pure:
- Filter options by product reviews, ratings, FDA approval, and lab test certifications before buying.
- Dissolve it in water — pure Shilajit leaves no residue at the bottom.
- Fire test — when held upon a kitchen flame, pure Shilajit will not catch fire. It should melt and turn sticky. When cooled, it must harden.
- Dissolve it in alcohol — pure Shilajit will form small clumps.
Avoid Shilajit “pills,” as most are fake, impure, or underdosed. Buy it in resin form instead.
What and How Were the Benefits I Experienced?
One inhalation of my Shialjit’s sulphuric odor and my placebo was already in full drive.
I took the recommended dose (a pea-sized 300mg) on an empty stomach every morning — with black coffee or plain water. Milk and tea also work.
P.S. Don’t dissolve Shilajit in hot liquids — it reduces the potency. Cold on the other hand makes it hard to dissolve it. Prefer lukewarm for best results.
Maybe my expectations were too high. Maybe my Shilajit wasn’t pure enough. Maybe I underdosed it. Maybe the first week of blazing hot Shilajit coffee killed its effects.
But the benefits were meh.
Except for a boost in mental clarity, heart rate, and toilet time, I didn’t experience much else.
Since I didn’t measure my Testosterone, I can’t comment on it. But I didn’t notice boosts in my strength, muscle mass, or libido — which are pointers of high T-levels.
I did experience some diuretic effects, though — my body lost water, veins popped up more, and I looked extra ripped.
But Don’t Take My Word Because…
My lifestyle was a chaotic mess during this period.
Disrupted sleep schedule. Multiple NoFap relapses. Losing weight for my Muay Thai fight. Falling sick multiple times. Slacking on my meditation and breathwork.
This likely attacked my energy, immunity, and T-levels — which Shilajit could have partially negated.
So, I wouldn’t completely write Shilajit off.
In fact, I’m planning on giving Shilajit another go — once I finish the Tongkat Ali experiment I’ve started.
What Does the Research Have to Say?
One study on middle-aged subjects found a spike in total testosterone, free testosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEAS) levels.
Another meta-analysis deemed it safe — while highlighting positive effects on immunity, sperm quality, inflammation, antioxidation, and lipid balance.
Yet another study found potential to treat Alzheimer’s and boost cognitive capabilities. One study even examined its potential as a “panacea” — an all-around health enhancer.
The studies are positive—but no concrete ones on its long-term effects yet.
Given the sea of positive anecdotes, my neutral experience seems biased by my health and lifestyle disruptions.
Only my next go with Shilajit will be able to prove or disprove this.
What About the Side-Effects?
While the benefits were lukewarm, the side effects were steaming hot — in and out of the bowels.
Apart from one extra semi-diarrhetic bathroom visit per day, I noticed a temporary spike in body temperature. Maybe, slight nausea as well.
The uptick in heart rate and anxiety? It could be Shilajit’s doing — or the black coffee.
Research and anecdotes also report itching, irregular heartbeat, and higher uric acid levels as potential side effects.
Here’s Who Should NOT Take Shilajit
While Shilajit’s safe for normal use, avoid it if you tick any of these boxes:
- Hemochromatosis, Thalassemia, or Sickle Cell Anemia — Shilajit can spike the already high iron levels in the blood.
- High Fevers — Shilajit’s body-heating “Virya” effects can worsen the fever.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding — since there isn’t enough data on this.
- Hypoglycemia — Shilajit might cause a drop in blood sugar levels and cause dizziness.
- Gout and high uric acid levels — Shilajit’s been linked to an increase in uric acid levels.
Be a responsible user — the moment you develop any rash, allergies, or any negative side effects, stop usage.
Final Thoughts
These Adaptogen self-experiments allow me to publish first-hand anecdotes— that research-based Healthline or WebMD articles can’t.
But don’t take my experience at face value — especially not this time when my results have been inconclusive.
Do your own research. Pore over others’ anecdotes. Understand the benefits, side effects, precautions, and risks. Only then try Shilajit — or any other supplement.
With minimal side effects and millennia of documented use, Shilajit’s a safe bet.
The TL;DR?
Don’t skimp on the price. Buy from a legit source. Avoid pills. Buy it solid or as a resin. Check reviews. Test it for purity. Take it lukewarm on an empty stomach. Avoid if you have high uric acid, low blood pressure, or high iron levels.
Are you going to try Shilajit? Have you already used it in the past? How was your experience?
I’d love to know.
