Shilajit Journal is an independent editorial resource about shilajit and the Ayurvedic mineral-supplement category. The category is dominated by brand-owned content and recycled listicles, most of it written to sell. We exist to do the opposite: read the actual research, grade it honestly, and say plainly where the evidence runs out.
Our mission
To be the most honest, best-sourced guide to shilajit on the internet. That means pairing every health claim with a primary source, grading the strength of the evidence next to the claim, and being as clear about what shilajit cannot do as about what it might. If the honest answer is “the evidence is thin,” we say so, even when a more confident answer would be easier to sell.
How we grade the research
Every health claim on this site carries an evidence grade you can see:
- Strong: multiple consistent human randomised trials, or robust analytical chemistry.
- Moderate: one good human trial, or consistent analytical data, with caveats.
- Preliminary: a single small human study, or animal and test-tube work only.
- Insufficient: widely claimed but not backed by quality evidence, often marketing.
We rank a peer-reviewed randomised controlled trial above a review, a review above an animal study, and an animal study above a brand claim. Where a study was funded by or linked to the product maker, we say so, because several of the most-cited shilajit trials share that conflict. Where the only evidence is a test tube or a rat, we label it that way rather than implying it applies to people.
How we assess products
Shilajit is one of the least transparent supplement categories on the market, so our brand assessments start with the question that matters most: does the company publish a current, batch-matched third-party lab certificate, and what does it show? We weigh four things, drawn from public information and independent testing:
- Testing transparency: a recent certificate of analysis from an accredited lab, covering heavy metals including thallium.
- Potency: whether the active content, especially fulvic acid, is actually stated and tested.
- Sourcing honesty: a named region and batch dating rather than a vague origin story.
- Value: the real per-gram cost against the sourcing and testing on offer.
Our current assessments are based on publicly available lab certificates, brand disclosures, and independent testing such as ConsumerLab and published heavy-metal analyses. We do not claim to have laboratory-tested products ourselves, and we say clearly where a brand gives too little public information to judge.
Who writes this
Articles are researched and written by the Shilajit Journal editorial team, working from the primary literature cited on each page. Because this is health content, we hold it to a higher standard than a typical supplement blog: claims are sourced, graded, and dated. We are appointing a qualified medical reviewer to formally review the health pages, and until that review is in place we do not present any page as medically reviewed. We would rather leave that badge empty than fake it.
How we make money
Right now, we do not. The site carries no affiliate links, sponsored placements, or ads. In future we plan to add clearly-labelled affiliate links to products we would recommend, which is a common way independent review sites fund their work. When we do, three rules will hold: every affiliate link will be disclosed above the content, verdicts will be written before any commercial link is added, and commission will never change a rating. If a product is not worth recommending, no commission will make us recommend it.
Corrections and updates
We get things wrong sometimes, and research moves. If you spot an error, or a study we should account for, tell us and we will fix it and note the change rather than silently overwriting it. Health pages are dated so you can see when they were last reviewed.
Educational content, not medical advice. Nothing on this site diagnoses, treats, or prevents any condition. Talk to a qualified clinician before taking shilajit or any supplement.
Start here
New to shilajit? Begin with the science for what the evidence actually shows, the buying guide for choosing a safe product, or the FAQ for quick answers. Questions or corrections? Contact us.