A popular natural supplement touted for its testosterone-boosting properties is frequently contaminated with dangerous toxins, including heavy metals, feces, and industrial fillers, according to expert warnings and investigative reports. Shilajit, a sticky black goo harvested from remote cliffs, has gained significant traction among online communities focused on health and fitness, including the "manosphere" and the "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) movement.
The increasing global demand for shilajit has fueled a market rife with counterfeit and contaminated products, raising concerns about consumer safety. While traditional uses involve dissolving the substance in water or milk, it is now commonly sold in pill or gummy form by wellness influencers.
Contamination Risks and Sourcing Concerns
Shilajit grows on cliffs that are also inhabited by small animals, whose droppings can easily be mistaken for the resin. Proper filtering to remove these contaminants requires extensive manual labor, a step that many sellers reportedly bypass. Even when not contaminated with fecal matter, legitimate shilajit can contain heavy metals like lead. Cheaper versions are often adulterated with materials such as tar, asphalt, coal, or fertilizer.
A 2004 study published in JAMA found that sampled shilajit products contained unsafe levels of lead. Experts warn that the market is poorly regulated, and the contents of a supplement bottle may not align with its labeling.
"It's a playground for counterfeiters," Georgios Antonopoulos, a criminology professor at Northumbria University, told Bloomberg. "If you see something too good to be true, it's probably fake."
Scientific Evidence and Regulatory Gaps
Research into shilajit suggests it is rich in fulvic acid, a compound that may offer antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits, potentially supporting brain health and liver function. A 2016 study published in the journal Andrologia indicated that purified shilajit may increase testosterone levels in healthy men. The study, which involved 38 healthy men aged 45 to 55, found that participants taking purified shilajit twice daily for 90 days experienced a significant increase in total and free testosterone compared to a placebo group. Levels of DHEAs, a precursor to testosterone, also rose. However, this study was small and funded by a shilajit manufacturer.
Most research on shilajit remains preliminary, and experts emphasize the lack of robust regulation in the booming supplement market, which is valued at over $221 million globally.
Shilajit is sold as a dietary supplement, falling under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994. This legislation has lenient regulations, meaning companies are not required to obtain FDA approval before marketing their products, nor is pre-market testing mandated to ensure safety, purity, or accurate labeling. The FDA typically intervenes only after issues such as contamination or false health claims arise.
In contrast, countries like Australia have more stringent regulations. While shilajit is not outright banned, it is tightly controlled by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). Many products found in Australia have contained dangerous heavy metals, leading to strict restrictions on commercial sales unless products are registered on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG), which few are. Personal importation is permitted under strict conditions.
Producers who adhere to rigorous testing and filtering processes exist, but they often operate on a small scale. Aditya Sumbria, a shilajit forager, described traveling for days to remote locations and employing traditional filtering methods, testing his products independently. He expressed skepticism about the large online market, noting the scarcity of authentic shilajit and the ease with which sellers can make unsubstantiated claims about their product's origin.