Shilajit Side Effects You Need to Know

Shilajit is a natural resin that’s been used medicinally for millennia, with its first recorded use dating back 5000 years ago in ancient ayurvedic texts.  Known for its extensive benefits, it’s profoundly dense in nutrients, existing naturally between layers of rock in the Himalayan mountains and other high-altitude mountains around the world.  

It’s the outstanding concentration of minerals, along with beneficial organic acids, that has made it something of a superfood.  And, it happens to be totally legal in the US, so there aren’t any restrictions when it comes to purchasing it.  But, does that mean that it’s safe, without any risk of side effects?  Let’s talk about the safety profile of shilajit, to give you peace of mind.

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Is Shilajit Actually Safe to Consume?

Shilajit is classified as safe for daily ingestion, according to the wisdom of experts who have analyzed it over the years.  Shilajit is found to be nontoxic to the human body, and does not cause any major side effects.  This means that overall, shilajit is not a dangerous substance, and you don’t really have to worry about any harm in adding it to your existing daily routine.

Is it Possible to Overdose on Shilajit?

What we know is that our bodies are able to tolerate fairly high doses of shilajit once a day.  Anything you’d need to worry about doesn’t have to do with shilajit itself, but products that have not undergone proper processing and purification techniques.  In its natural, post-harvested form, shilajit does possess some heavy metals, including lead, and mercury, and may contain bacteria like salmonella.  But, that’s only if it hasn’t been prepared by the manufacturer in the proper way.  

The takeaway here is that you should always buy your shilajit from a manufacturer that has it third-party-tested per batch, to prove that it has been purified properly.  Raw shilajit can be extremely harmful, with that being said.

The heavy metals that can remain in shilajit once it’s bottled, so to speak, are so trace that they wouldn’t accumulate in the body to the extent of causing physical harm.  The levels are so minor that the kidney simply flushes them out, as is its job.  There is one thing you need to be mindful of, however, which is the fact that mineral toxicity is a real potential concern.  Consuming excessive levels of minerals in any supplemental form can lead to toxic effects, although in order to get to that point, you would need to take an unreasonably higher amount of shilajit than what is suggested on the product’s label.

Now, in spite of what we know about mineral toxicity, keep in mind that shilajit has been tested for this, with results that should put your mind at ease.  In one study, rats were administered high doses of shilajit for 91 days consecutively, with no symptoms of toxicity after the trial was completed – obviously, that’s good news.

So, What are the Side Effects of Shilajit?

Of course, anything can give someone side effects, especially if they’re not taking correctly, like taking too high of a dose, or mixing it with certain substances that could cause an interaction.  So, what side effects might occur from taking shilajit resin?

#1: Upset Stomach

Some people are prone to an upset stomach after consuming shilajit resin on an empty stomach, and high doses might cause nausea and vomiting.  Many people say that this effect wears off the more the body gets used to shilajit over time.

#2: Side Effects That Affect Males 

We’ve seen that there may be a connection between excessive iron levels and men experiencing fatigue, increased heartrate, rash, and muscle weakness, and this means that you may experience this if you’re taking unusually high amounts of shilajit product for a prolonged period of time. 

Basically, if you already have high iron levels, you’ll want to be careful.  Some men have also reported gout-like symptoms as shilajit can raise uric acid levels, but it appears that this is only the case in men who are already predisposed to gout.

#3: Allergic Reactions

Some people may be allergic to shilajit, but that seems to be very rare. 

Questions About Safety 

If you’re looking to take shilajit, regardless of the form of the product, you may have other questions regarding its safety, and so we’ll try to answer all of those questions now.

Can You Take Shilajit with Other Substances?

Shilajit might interact with some medications, but it’s not an area that’s really been explored, which is why we recommend avoiding it if you are on any medications, to play it safe.  Because of how it metabolizes, it’s likely that shilajit could potentiate medications by enhancing their ability to accumulate into the bloodstream, meaning that it could be more likely to end up overdosing if you’re not careful.

As for mixing shilajit and alcohol, you may experience a stimulant effect, and greater absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream, due to the increase in cell permeability.  This means that moderate doses of alcohol could affect you much more strongly, which could, potentially, put you at a higher risk of alcohol poisoning, impairment, etc.

Can I Take Shilajit if I’m Pregnant or Breastfeeding?

It’s not recommended to take shilajit resin while pregnant or breastfeeding, since it has yet to be tested on a fetus, and we don’t know what kind of harm it could cause, if any.  

How Can I Know I’m Buying a Safe, Legitimate Shilajit Product?

We have mentioned that shilajit is probably safe if the product comes from a reputable brand that follows the right practices, including proper purification, and the avoidance of contaminants.  But, shilajit belongs to an unregulated market in the US, and so some local and online retailers may carry products that are fake, or products made with harmful ingredients, and these brands will be able to fly under the radar.  

Only choose your shilajit from a company that you already trust.  There are a number of steps that go into producing safe shilajit, which include properly purifying the product to get rid of any toxins or harmful bacteria.  Besides that, shilajit must be tested to prove that its heavy metal concentration is low, as heavy metals can accumulate in the body and cause toxic effects if amounts are too high – especially if it’s a product that’s being consumed daily.

Bottom Line: In General, Shilajit is Safe

Shilajit is not yet approved by the FDA, because it’s so new to the US that it has yet to undergo the lengthy approval process.  And, because of that, it’s a highly unregulated product, which puts you at risk of ending up with a product that’s unsafe, despite shilajit itself being safe.  

Because of that, we urge you to buy shilajit from a trusted source like Bounce Nutrition, where we carry only safe and authentic products that have been lab-tested by a third party.  Otherwise, the risk of serious side effects is very low, as long as you take the product as directed.

TO BUY SHILAJIT PRODUCTS CLICK HERE