Shilajit is a naturally occurring material found primarily in the Siberia, Mongolia, Caucasus, Himalayas produced over centuries by the slow decomposition of some plants by microorganisms. It is a powerful and highly healthy dietary supplement that helps restore energy balance and helps prevent a variety of diseases. Recent research points to a promising medicinal application for the prevention and treatment of aging-related neurological disabilities, as well as cognitive enhancement. As a result, the primary active principle, fulvic acid, inhibits tau self-aggregation, paving the way for more research into Alzheimer’s treatment.
In essence, this is a nutraceutical substance that has been shown to improve human wellbeing. Given the expected impact of authentic shilajit use in the medical field, especially in neurological sciences, further basic biological research, as well as clinical trials, are needed to understand better how organic molecules in shilajit, particularly fulvic acid, one of the active principles, and oligo-elements, act at the molecular and cellular levels and in the holistic system.
Research on Shilajit
Shilajit is mainly composed of humic compounds, such as fulvic acid, which accounts for 60 to 80 percent of the overall nutraceutical compound, and certain oligo-elements, such as selenium antiaging properties. Humic compounds are the byproducts of the decay of organic matter, primarily vegetal matter, caused by the activity of numerous microorganisms. Due to their solubility in water at varying pH levels, components are classified as humins, humic, and fulvic acid.
Under any pH condition, humins are not water-soluble. Humic acid has a molecular mass of 5–10 kDa and is water soluble in alkaline conditions. Fulvic acid is water-soluble at various pH levels. Its molecular weight (approximately two kDa) allows it to be easily consumed in the digestive tract and expelled from the body within hours. Given that fulvic acid is renowned for its powerful antioxidant properties and possibly has systemic effects as a complement activator, it is likely that its curative properties attributed to shilajit are given by the large amounts of fulvic acids, which shilajit produces.
