Vitality Unleashed: The Functional Medicine Podcast

The Unexpected Power of Shilajit

• Dr. Kumar from LifeWellMD.com • Season 1 • Episode 130

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The mysterious substance known as Shilajit has captured attention across wellness communities, but what does science actually reveal about this ancient remedy? We're cutting through the noise to explore the fascinating research behind what some poetically call "mountain sweat."

Shilajit is neither herb nor mineral but something uniquely in-between—a complex substance formed over centuries as plant matter decomposes and combines with minerals high in mountain ranges like the Himalayas. This natural tar-like exudate contains a remarkable profile: 60-80% organic compounds (primarily fulvic acid and dibenzo-alpha-pyrones) plus 20-40% minerals including calcium, magnesium, zinc, and numerous trace elements. This rich composition creates a natural wellness powerhouse that's been used in traditional medicine systems for generations.

The most compelling scientific evidence focuses on three key areas. For bone health, clinical studies reveal Shilajit accelerates the transformation of stem cells into bone-building osteoblasts, increases calcium deposition, and displays osteoinductive properties that trigger bone formation. This translates to real-world benefits: clinical trials show accelerated healing in bone fracture patients and preservation of bone density in postmenopausal women. For hormonal health, a rigorous double-blind study found that men taking Shilajit for 90 days experienced over 20% higher testosterone levels without disrupting natural regulatory systems. Finally, Shilajit demonstrates powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, with research showing reduced oxidative stress markers, increased glutathione levels, and improvements in metabolic indicators like blood lipids and glucose control. Safety studies support its use at 250-500mg daily, with clinical trials lasting up to 48 weeks showing favorable tolerability.

Wondering how this ancient remedy might support your personal wellness journey? The emerging science suggests Shilajit offers a fascinating bridge between traditional wisdom and modern health needs. Connect with the experts at LifeWellMD.com to explore how evidence-based natural approaches could complement your health strategy for optimal vitality and longevity.

Disclaimer:
The information provided in this podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your supplement regimen or health routine. Individual needs and reactions vary, so it’s important to make informed decisions with the guidance of your physician.

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Stay Informed, Stay Healthy:
Remember, informed choices lead to better health. Until next time, be well and take care of yourself.

Speaker 1:

Okay, let's unpack this. There's a fascinating buzz around a substance called Shilajit. You might have seen it online, maybe heard friends talking about it, or perhaps you're just, you know, curious about what the science really says. Actually, a lot of our patients here at LifeWellNBcom have been asking us about it lately, so today our mission is to kind of cut through the noise, give you a clear, well-informed perspective. We're going to explore what Shilajit actually is, its deep roots in traditional medicine and, most importantly, what these cutting-edge scientific studies are revealing about its potential benefits for your wellness journey. We've got a stack of recent research here and we're going to dive right in, pull out the key stuff for you.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and what's truly fascinating, I think, is how these centuries of traditional use, they're now being really meticulously explored, you know, through modern scientific lenses. It lets us move beyond just stories and anecdotes and uncover some genuinely intriguing insights, insights into what Shilajit might actually offer for overall health and, well, longevity. It's really about connecting that ancient wisdom with rigorous current research to see what's really happening inside the body.

Speaker 1:

Absolutely so. Let's start right at the beginning. Then, what exactly is shilajit? If you're picturing some kind of exotic herb, well you might be surprised. Our sources describe it as a herbomineral natural substance, sometimes called mineral pitch, or even a pale brown to blackish brown exudate. Basically, it oozes out of sedimentary rock.

Speaker 2:

It literally oozes yeah.

Speaker 1:

And we're talking high altitude regions, you know, like the Himalayas, the Altai Mountains, parts of Iran. It's essentially this natural tar-like substance, sort of forged by time and nature itself.

Speaker 2:

That's right. And it's not just like random rock ooze. Its formation is incredibly unique. The sources explain it's produced from the decomposition of specific plant materials, things like euphorbia, trifolium plants, even lichen and this happens over centuries. Wow, centuries yeah, huge timescales. Then this plant matter mixes with marine organisms, microbial life. It undergoes this very slow natural transformation. That's why it often gets these poetic descriptions in different traditions, like the sweat of mountains or mountain blood. I love that imagery actually. It really captures its essence, doesn't it?

Speaker 1:

Sweat of mountains. It definitely paints a vivid picture. So, okay, it's this incredibly complex, naturally occurring thing. What's it actually made of, chemically speaking Like? What are the components researchers are finding inside?

Speaker 2:

Well, it's surprisingly rich. The composition can vary a bit, but generally it's about 60-80% organic compounds and maybe 20-40% inorganic elements.

Speaker 1:

Okay.

Speaker 2:

On the organic side, the main active compounds that researchers really focus on are fulvic acid and a group of compounds called the benzoalpha pyrones, or DBPs for short. These are kind of considered the powerhouses.

Speaker 1:

The active ingredients, so to speak.

Speaker 2:

Exactly, and beyond that. It contains a whole array of amino acids, both essential and non-essential, nucleic acids, various carbohydrates and beneficial lipids too.

Speaker 1:

That's a serious organic profile. And what about the mineral side? You said inorganic elements too.

Speaker 2:

Oh yeah, when they analyze it, it's remarkably rich in essential minerals. We're talking high levels of vital stuff like calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, plus important trace elements sulfur, phosphorus, manganese, iron, titanium, zinc, copper. So it's truly this complex natural cocktail. You know both organic activity and mineral richness.

Speaker 1:

Okay, this is where it gets really interesting for well, for your personal wellness journey. One really significant area of recent research looks into how shilajit impacts bone health, and this is such a critical concern for so many people, especially when we think about longevity staying active as we age. Traditionally, shilajit has this long history of use for bone defects, especially in places like Iran. But what's the modern science saying?

Speaker 2:

Right, and this is where a specific study comes in handy. It focused on Shilajit's accelerating effect on the osteogenic property of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells. Which sounds complex, but put simply.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, break that down for us.

Speaker 2:

The core finding is that Shilajit actually speeds up the process where stem cells the body's master repair cells turn into osteoblasts.

Speaker 1:

Osteoblasts, those are the bone forming cells. Right.

Speaker 2:

Exactly the cells responsible for building new bone, and they saw this effect in both 2D and 3D cell cultures, which is really crucial evidence suggesting it could help with bone repair and regeneration.

Speaker 1:

So it's essentially helping the body's own natural construction crew build new bone more efficiently. How does it do that? Like at a cellular level?

Speaker 2:

Precisely. The study details a few key ways. It seems shilajit boosts a specific enzyme, alkaline phosphatase, alp, which is an early important marker that bone building activity is happening. It also significantly increased calcium deposition and you need calcium for strong bone mineralization. That's fundamental. But what's particularly noteworthy, I think, is that it showed an osteoinductive property. Osteoinductive it means it could actually trigger bone formation even without other signals telling the cells what to do, almost like a natural on switch for building bone.

Speaker 1:

Wow, that's powerful. It can actually kickstart the process and this isn't just like stuff happening in a petri dish, right? The sources mentioned some real world application. Yes, absolutely.

Speaker 2:

The clinical relevance is quite exciting. Our sources mentioned clinical trials, for instance in Iran. These trials showed that giving Shilajit orally after surgery for tibia and femur fractures actually accelerated bone repair.

Speaker 1:

That's significant.

Speaker 2:

It is, and, furthermore, shilajit itself is packed with minerals like calcium and magnesium, which, as we know, play vital roles in this whole bone-building process. These components might even upregulate key bone proteins, the ones crucial for a healthy, strong bone structure.

Speaker 1:

OK, so what does this all mean for you, our listener? Well, it suggests a genuinely natural way to potentially support your body's own bone repair mechanisms and its strength. Think of it as empowering your body's natural ability to maintain a strong skeleton, which is just vital for preventing age-related bone loss and, you know, supporting a vibrant, active lifestyle for the long haul. This is precisely the kind of actionable insight we love to explore at LifeWellMDcom helping you optimize your health, wellness and longevity. Now let's pivot slightly to another really intriguing area. In Ayurveda. You know the traditional Indian system of medicine. She legit has this longstanding reputation. It's called a rasayana, which basically means a rejuvenator.

Speaker 2:

A rejuvenator.

Speaker 1:

And it's been particularly noted for male reproductive health, overall vitality. So what does the science have to say about that specific claim?

Speaker 2:

Right. Well, to understand this, we can look at a pretty rigorous study. It was a clinical evaluation of purified shilajit on testosterone levels in healthy volunteers. Yeah, and this is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study. You know the gold standard for research. This is kind. Yeah, definitely. It involved healthy men aged between 45 and 55. They received 250 milligrams of purified Shilajit twice a day for 90 days.

Speaker 1:

Okay, 90 days. And what were the key results from that study? What did they actually find regarding testosterone levels?

Speaker 2:

The results were quite compelling. Actually, the group taking Shilajit saw a significant increase in their total testosterone levels we're talking over 20% higher compared to the placebo group. Wow, 20%, yeah. And free testosterone levels also went up significantly by over 19%. Plus, it significantly increased DHEAS that's dehydroepiandrosterone, a crucial precursor hormone for testosterone by over 31%.

Speaker 1:

That's a big jump in the precursor too.

Speaker 2:

It is and an important point here the body's natural regulatory hormones, things like LH and FSH. They were well-maintained, they didn't go haywire, which supports the idea that Shilajit might stimulate testosterone production and release without messing up the body's own natural feedback systems.

Speaker 1:

Okay. So if we connect this to the bigger picture, this could be really beneficial, potentially for men maybe experiencing those age-related drops in testosterone, helping to maintain vitality, energy, overall male health. It really speaks to Shilajit's potential role in supporting hormonal balance as part of a comprehensive wellness plan. Okay, so we've talked to bone health, hormonal balance, but Shilajit's traditional uses are incredibly broad. They even include managing things like high blood pressure or cholesterol, blood sugar issues. So let's dig into what modern science adds to these sort of ancient claims about overall vitality and metabolic health. What are we seeing there?

Speaker 2:

Indeed, looking at a combination of studies, we see some really fascinating findings emerge. First off, shilajit has demonstrated significant antioxidant activity. This is largely chalked up to its fulvic acid and those DBPs we mentioned earlier.

Speaker 1:

Right the antioxidant.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and fulvic acid in particular is really noted for its ability to help transport minerals into cells and also provide some powerful protection against cellular damage, and it also shows clear anti-inflammatory effects in various models.

Speaker 1:

Okay, and how does that link back to bone mineral density? We touched on it, but maybe from a different angle.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, looking at it again, but slightly differently. There was a study involving postmenopausal women who already had osteopenia. So lower bone density Daily Shilajit supplementation over 48 weeks didn't just slow down bone loss. Compared to placebo, it actually attenuated the decrease.

Speaker 1:

Attenuated, meaning it lessened the drop.

Speaker 2:

Exactly. It lessened the decrease in bone mineral density, specifically in the lumbar spine and the femoral neck, which are key areas, and it also helped shift the balance towards bone formation. It did this by reducing markers of bone breakdown and increasing markers linked to bone building. So it's not just about potentially building new bone, but also helping to fortify the. So it's not just about potentially building new bone, but also helping to fortify the bone that's already there.

Speaker 1:

So it's actively helping preserve bone, especially in a group postmenopausal women, who are particularly vulnerable to bone loss. That's a powerful kind of dual effect. What about its broader impact, like how our bodies handle stress and inflammation generally?

Speaker 2:

Precisely In that same study on postmenopausal women, the Shalajit group showed significant decreases in markers of oxidative stress you can think of that as cellular rust, essentially and at the same time they saw increased levels of powerful antioxidants within the body, like glutathione. They also observed progressive reductions in HSCRP, which is a key marker of inflammation throughout the body in the groups taking Shilajit. This really suggests broader systemic benefits, you know, related to reducing that overall burden of oxidative stress and inflammation.

Speaker 1:

That's a really powerful combination of effects. And what about metabolic syndrome, risk factors, things like weight, blood sugar, cholesterol? They're so common today. What did the research show there?

Speaker 2:

Well, there was one study that looked at shilajit combined with chromium and another natural extract, amla or phalanthus emblica. They gave this combo to overweight individuals who had risk factors for metabolic syndrome and the combination showed some really promising trends. Now, the benefits varied a bit over the 12 weeks. What kind of trends? Promising trends. Now the benefits varied a bit over the 12 weeks.

Speaker 1:

but Okay, what kind of trends.

Speaker 2:

Well, the combination tended to promote greater fat loss and gains in lean tissue mass, especially at higher doses. There were also clear reductions seen in certain unhealthy blood lipids like VLDL and triglycerides, and a pretty significant positive impact on blood sugar control lower blood glucose, lower HbA1c, better insulin sensitivity markers. The study even hinted at improvements in arterial elasticity, which is, you know, a key sign of cardiovascular health Better blood vessel function.

Speaker 1:

That sounds quite comprehensive.

Speaker 2:

It does, but it also raises an important point, I think While some studies, especially those looking at Shilajit, by itself show really profound effects, it's really key to remember that the context matters, the dosage, whether it's combined with other things, like in this metabolic syndrome study, that can influence the outcomes.

Speaker 1:

Right, it's not always straightforward.

Speaker 2:

Exactly. For instance, some of the anti-inflammatory findings were a bit less clear-cut in that specific combination study and that could possibly be due to other factors, maybe even exercise-induced inflammation, because the subjects were also exercising. It just reminds us how complex health is, how interconnected everything is.

Speaker 1:

That's a crucial point about the complexity, absolutely, and it really underscores the importance of a personalized approach to wellness, which is something we focus on heavily Now. For many people listening, probably the biggest question when considering any supplement is safety and purity. What do the sources tell us on that front?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, that's always critical and, based on the sources we reviewed, shilajit has been pretty widely studied. It's generally shown to be safe across various doses, both in human and animal studies. The specific human studies we've talked about used oral doses typically between 250 and 500 milligrams per day for up to 48 weeks, so quite long term.

Speaker 1:

Nearly a year yeah.

Speaker 2:

Exactly, and even chronic use at higher doses, when tested in animals, didn't show signs of systemic toxicity. The reports generally state that the supplements investigated were generally well tolerated, with important health markers staying within normal clinical ranges, so that should be very reassuring for anyone considering using it as part of their wellness strategy.

Speaker 1:

Okay. So, wrapping this all up, what does this deep dive really tell us? From supporting bone regeneration, potentially helping balance testosterone levels, to showing these benefits for metabolic health, tamping down inflammation, maybe even helping cardiovascular markers, Shalijit is well. It's truly a fascinating substance, isn't it? With this incredibly long history and now a growing body of solid scientific evidence behind it, it's a remarkable example of how ancient remedies can really intersect with modern science for our health.

Speaker 2:

It absolutely highlights that how some of the most ancient remedies can still hold surprising relevance for our modern wellness challenges. It really prompts us to consider how natural compounds like Shilajit can potentially contribute powerfully to our overall health and, importantly, our longevity journey, especially when they work synergistically and together with other smart lifestyle choices.

Speaker 1:

Absolutely, with other smart lifestyle choices. Absolutely so if you're curious about integrating natural, evidence-based approaches maybe like Shilajit into your own personal health, wellness and longevity plan, exploring these options can be a really powerful step forward To begin your own wellness journey and maybe discuss how these insights might apply specifically to you. We definitely encourage you to connect with the expert team over at lifewellmDcom Discover how a personalized approach can really help you achieve your health goals. No-transcript.