Shilajit Side Effects [And How To Prevent Them]

Shilajit as a substance should not have side effects but that doesn’t mean it has a clean history. The problem isn’t the substance but selfish, greedy suppliers who place profit before anything else.

If you get a counterfeit or low-quality shilajit, side effects can be devastating. As scary as it sounds, it is not that rare for a company to get one COA (a legal document that certifies the quality) and then duplicate it on all future production runs.

Let’s discuss some of the potential side effects of bad shilajit. I hope after reading this you will have a clear picture of why quality control is so important with shilajit and why you absolutely need to buy shilajit from a source that has a high level of technology and an emphasis on quality.

Note: click here for an index of all of our articles on Shilajit.

Side Effects of Shilajit

So let’s get into some of the side effects you can experience when you take a low-quality resin or (especially) powders. If you start to notice any of these, stop taking shilajit immediately. It’s not worth losing your health because you think that a supplement might be helping you.

Allergic Reactions To Unknown Content

It is not that uncommon for people to get allergic reactions to unspecified herbs and substances inside shilajit. In India, a lot of different things are cut into shilajit powders to give them theoretical benefits. Genuine shilajit is hypoallergenic so if you get an allergic reaction you have a case of an adulterated product. Here are some of the herbs and substances that are commonly cut into shilajit powders:

• Fulvic Acid
• Ashwagandha
• Viagra
• BCAAs
• Vitamin B12

Uric Acid buildup/poisoning

Some of the contaminants in cheap shilajit can cause a buildup of uric acid in your blood that might lead to gout.

Gout is a nasty and preventable disease that causes your joints to swell up like arthritis. It is very painful and usually gets the toes first but can also start in the finger joints or knees.

Lead Poisoning

Like the previous one this just comes from a lack of proper testing or any testing at all but with shilajit forming in the cracks of natural rock formations it is completely possible for the resin to pick up lead and without a proper modern lab and high-quality control standards it is easy for unsafe levels of lead to be present in shilajit like in the case of Dabur Shilajit Gold a few years ago.

Arsenic Poisoning

Same as with the lead poisoning shilajit can contain arsenic and right now one of the most popular sources of authentic shilajit resin from the Himalayas is flirting with the edge of “safe” levels of arsenic in their shilajit.

So to sum up the article, know who you’re getting your resin from and don’t fall for hype marketing about how close to the source a company is. What really matters is how it is processed and purified so you get the cleanest, yet still unadulterated resin possible.

It’s no secret I personally take products from Lost Empire Herbs. If you choose another source, do your research and go for a good one. I have also heard great things about Pure Shilajit and I’ll personally vouch that anything Lost Empire Herbs sells is of top-notch quality.

Take time to do your research. I feel a big part of this is reading shilajit reviews and listening to what customers are saying. When you find a great source, stick with them and watch their stock levels; if they’re routinely out of the product, make sure to stock up on it when it returns.

Additional Reading on the Benefits of Shilajit and Fulvic Acid

Shilajit: Top 9 Health Benefits (Latest Research)

The Shilajit Fulvic Acid Myth

Benefits of Shilajit: A Comprehensive Guide (2022 Data)

Finally, here’s a video detailing the side effects of shilajit when used improperly or from a poor-quality source.