Most people know of Shilajit’s ability to support energy, male and female sexual health and protect memory against the effects of aging.1,2 However, there are so many more reasons why pure, Himalayan Shilajit is gaining popularity.
One lesser known health benefit of Shilajit is how taking it before workouts can promote better strength, endurance and recovery. Many professional and recreational athletes are now turning to Shilajit for exercise and sports performance goals. In an industry overwhelmed by caffeine, creatine and other performance-enhancing supplements, Shilajit may prove to be the most ideal of them all.
THE ULTIMATE AYURVEDIC ADAPTOGEN
Our Authentic Shilajit™ is considered to be an Ayurvedic adaptogen. Ayurvedic adaptogens are substances that help an individual’s body respond to the physiological effects of stress and aid in restoring balance. Stress, be it psychological or physical, is a major immune suppressor, so counteracting its harmful effects is necessary to help the body recover and maintain strength. Ayurvedic adaptogens affect each person differently depending on their unique needs.
It is rumored that Olympic athletes and troops from the former USSR used shilajit pre-workout as their “secret weapon” to enhance training and speed recovery.3
AN ENERGY PRODUCTION POWERHOUSE
ATP, or adenosine triphosphate, is the usable form of energy that is produced when mitochondria within the body convert the food we eat into energy. This is the body’s primary source of energy. ATP governs the majority of cellular functions within the body including transporting proteins and lipids into and out of cells. This optimizes, balances and improves muscle contractions, hormone production, neural development and regulation the immune system.
Our body’s ability to produce ATP naturally declines as we age, resulting in fatigue and reduced functioning of the body’s tissues and organs, which need energy to do their work efficiently. Mitochondrial dysfunction has been connected to various diseases including diabetes, neurological disorders and heart failure. Without enough ATP production, aging and death are accelerated.
Many people supplement with creatine, which helps to maintain energy production from ATP. However, several studies have cited negative side effects from prolonged use of creatine including kidney damage and gastrointestinal distress.4,5
Shilajit has been shown to not only promote the production of ATP in the body, but also support and maintain the body’s production of CoQ10 – a naturally occuring nutrient in the body that is necessary for normal mitochondrial function – without negative side effects.6,7 Numerous studies on CoQ10 have revealed its profound impacts on cardiovascular health.8,9
SUPPORTS ENDURANCE AND STRENGTH
One of the main reasons Shilajit is so powerful as an energy booster in Ayurvedic medicine is because of its fulvic acid content, which contains approximately 45% oxygen. During exercise, both lactic acid and carbon dioxide increase muscle soreness and loss of breath respectively. The high oxygen content of fulvic acid may help to offset the negative effects of exercise. Although more studies need to be done on this, some have shown a reduction in muscle soreness and increased endurance when fulvic acid was taken regularly.10
Another added health benefit of Shilajit's fulvic acid is that it increases the delivery of minerals and nutrients into and out of cells. In addition, during exercise, oxidation occurs and fulvic acid is a powerful antioxidant that helps to scavenge free radicals. All of these factors support greater muscle endurance, stamina and performance.
RICH IN ELECTROLYTES
Shilajit is also a powerful electrolyte source. When we sweat, our body loses essential electrolytes – minerals that help to regulate water balance, muscle contractions, nerve impulses and metabolism. The high mineral content in Shilajit helps to replace these electrolytes and maintain endurance and physical performance.
PROMOTES BETTER ABSORPTION OR IRON AND OTHER MINERALS
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency in the world and iron deficiency anemia is the most common type of anemia. Shilajit is rich in many minerals including iron. Iron is an essential mineral necessary for the formation of red blood cells, in the form of hemoglobin and myoglobin. Hemoglobin carries oxygen from the lungs into all the tissues of the body and myoglobin stores oxygen in the muscles for use during exercise. As discussed earlier, oxygen is necessary to reduce muscle soreness and fatigue, and maintain balanced energy during physical activity.
Iron also helps to convert carbohydrates from the food we eat into energy that is used during exercise.
Not only is Shilajit rich in iron, but its naturally occurring fulvic acid has been shown to support better vitamin and mineral absorption.11 Ayurveda calls substances like this, "Yogavahi." These substances not only promote better absorption of nutrients that they are taken with, but also increase their potency. The combination of Shilajit with the herb, Ashwagandha, is very popular for this reason. Ashwagandha is said to strengthen the muscoskeletal system, increase energy and reduce stress.
SUPPORTS COLLAGEN PRODUCTION
Shilajit has also been shown to support anti-inflammatory activity that may cause swelling and pain, as well as aid in the repair of bones and tendons by supporting collagen production.10,12 Aging, excess exposure to sun, smoking and stress can cause free radicals in the body, which can lead to collagen breakdown.
PROMOTES HEALTHY TESTOSTERONE LEVELS IN MEN AND WOMEN
Testosterone is the primary male hormone responsible for the development of the male sexual organs. However, it also is essential in the development and growth of bone mass and muscle for both men and women, as well as the maintenance of brain function and energy.
As we age, testosterone levels naturally decline, which can contribute to decreased sexual function, low libido, reduced semen production in men, hair loss, loss of bone and muscle mass, fatigue, weight gain, mood fluctuations and sleep difficulties.
A study published in the journal Androgolia, revealed significant improvements in total testosterone, free testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEAS) in the healthy volunteers ages 45-55 years old that were given purified Shilajit for 90 days.13
There can be many health benefits to taking Shilajit as a pre-workout supplement to support exercise and sports performance. We recommend trying our Authentic Shilajit™ for at least 2 weeks to experience the many health benefits it can offer.
References:
1. Carrasco-Gallardo, Carlos, et al. “Shilajit: A Natural Phytocomplex with Potential Procognitive Activity.” International Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 2012, 2012, pp. 1–4., doi:10.1155/2012/674142.
2. Park, Jeong-Sook, et al. “The Spermatogenic and Ovogenic Effects of Chronically Administered Shilajit to Rats.” Journal of Ethnopharmacology, vol. 107, no. 3, 2006, pp. 349–353., doi:10.1016/j.jep.2006.03.039.
3. Stohs, Sidney J. “Safety and Efficacy of Shilajit (Mumie, Moomiyo).” Phytotherapy Research, vol. 28, no. 4, 2013, pp. 475–479., doi:10.1002/ptr.5018.
4. Taner, B., et al. “The Effects of the Recommended Dose of Creatine Monohydrate on Kidney Function.” Clinical Kidney Journal, vol. 4, no. 1, 2010, pp. 23–24., doi:10.1093/ndtplus/sfq177.
5. Ostojic, Sergej M., and Zlatko Ahmetovic. “Gastrointestinal Distress After Creatine Supplementation in Athletes: Are Side Effects Dose Dependent?” Research in Sports Medicine, vol. 16, no. 1, 2008, pp. 15–22., doi:10.1080/15438620701693280.
6. Stohs, Sidney J. “Safety and Efficacy of Shilajit (Mumie, Moomiyo).” Phytotherapy Research, vol. 28, no. 4, 2013, pp. 475–479., doi:10.1002/ptr.5018.
7. Bhattacharyya S, Pal D, Gupta AK, et al. Beneficial effect of processed shilajit on swimming exercise induced impaired energy status of mice. Pharmacologyonline. 2009;1:817-25.
8. Kumar, Adarsh, et al. “Role of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in Cardiac Disease, Hypertension and Meniere-like Syndrome.” Pharmacology & Therapeutics, vol. 124, no. 3, 2009, pp. 259–268., doi:10.1016/j.pharmthera.2009.07.003.
9. Langsjoen, Peter H., and Alena M. Langsjoen. “Overview of the Use of CoQ10in Cardiovascular Disease.” BioFactors, vol. 9, no. 2-4, 1999, pp. 273–284., doi:10.1002/biof.5520090224.
10. Das, Amitava, et al. “The Human Skeletal Muscle Transcriptome in Response to Oral Shilajit Supplementation.” Journal of Medicinal Food, vol. 19, no. 7, 2016, pp. 701–709., doi:10.1089/jmf.2016.0010.
11. Hullár, István, et al. “Effect of Fulvic and Humic Acids on Copper and Zinc Homeostasis in Rats.” Acta Veterinaria Hungarica, vol. 66, no. 1, 2018, pp. 40–51., doi:10.1556/004.2018.005.
12. Agarwal SP, Khanna R, Karmarkar R, et al. Shilajit: a review. Phytother Res. 2007 May;21(5):401-5.
13. Pandit, S., et al. “Clinical Evaluation of Purified Shilajit on Testosterone Levels in Healthy Volunteers.” Andrologia, vol. 48, no. 5, 2015, pp. 570–575., doi:10.1111/and.12482.