For starters, shilajit resin is known in western cultures as mineral pitch. In other regions, shilajit is known by many other names. The most popular of which are mumie, moomiyo, and mumio. You may have heard about its health benefits in ayurvedic teachings. Although, its healing properties are well-renowned in the ancient world. Its reputation as a panacea has been revived and continues to grow in popularity.
What is Shilajit resin?
Today, shilajit is sold as a dietary supplement. Sadly, its reputation for promoting body balance is exploited. Too many marketers and manufacturers do not understand its true nature. Few are well-informed about how to obtain its benefits. Shilajit enjoys wide application in modern alternative medicine. It has been used as a panacea by many ancient cultures. It is also regularly incorporated in food manufacturing as an additive. But, the quality of shilajit you can get out there can range anywhere from premium to worthless. So, how do you know you’re getting the right kind?
Where is it Extracted?
Genuine, 100% shilajit resin may only be derived from rocks containing the substance characterized as mineral pitch. These rocks store organic matter, including amino acid bases, from plants mostly medicinal and adaptogenic.
A unique combination of factors must be present for shilajit with beneficial properties to be formed. These components together undergo humification, the process that forms mineral pitch. Thus, shilajit may only be foraged from certain regions of the world; that includes Caucasus, Altai, Himalayas, Siberia, and Mongolia. Although rocks bearing shilajit may also be found in places as far as Antarctica.
The right environmental factors such as air pressure, temperature, solar radiation and extreme changes of temperature must be present to create the healing qualities of shilajit. In contradiction to popular myth, that shilajit is only found at very high altitudes, high altitudes are not always a factor in the formation of shilajit. The substances must also be ripe enough for optimal levels of beneficial nutrients to be formed. These processes must be allowed to continue for at least 40 years.
When conditions are ideal, a shilajit-bearing rock is formed. This is the only source of real, unadulterated shilajit. Most commercial brands of shilajit are sourced from a substandard form only. This is known as a sedimentary rock formation which is very different from shilajit bearing rocks. It only contains remnants of the mumie where very low concentrations of shilajit can be extracted. Of course, the substandard quality of the end product naturally follows.
What is the Composition of Shilajit?
The composition of shilajit is described below (Ghosal, et.al. in Agarwal, et.al., 2007) <1>: “the major organic mass of shilajit comprised humus (60–80%) along with other components such as benzoic acid, hippuric acid, fatty acid, ichthyol, ellagic acid, resin, triterpenes, sterol, aromatic carboxylic acid, 3,4-benzocoumarin, amino acids and phenolic lipids (Ghosal et al., 1988b). The major physiological action of shilajit was found to be due to the presence of the bioactive dibenzo- alpha-pyrones along with humic and fulvic acids which acted as carrier molecules for the active ingredients.” The unique environmental conditions and life forms present in a region are the primary reasons for variations in shilajit appearance and composition <2>. Some will contain more or less of a particular mineral while others will have a completely different profile. Although, it isn’t so much a question of which region the shilajit supplement that you’re planning to take is from. A more essential question is what criteria were used when the raw materials were selected? The reason for this is simple: if you start with substandard raw materials, you’ll end up with a substandard end product, right? Another more important question to ask is the succeeding question below.
How is shilajit resin purified?
Pürblack is sourced from different regions in the world. Unlike other brands that would boast of alleged premium sources of shilajit, Pürblack is made with a hybrid source. Pürblack shilajit is sourced from multiple regions. Experts test samples onsite and in the lab to check for certain attributes scientifically known to enhance the health-giving properties of shilajit. These criteria include the following:
- Shilajit bearing rock with white blotches are preferred. The white streaks indicate the presence of microorganisms. Many of which are responsible for several beneficial properties ascribed to shilajit.
- The raw mumie must contain glycine, another vital component for a beneficial shilajit supplement to be created.
Shilajit will be naturally combined with impurities. That includes pollutants, dirt, dust, heavy metals, and other contaminants that can harm the body. Purification of shilajit is important to ensure safety. Any bad batches or raw materials must be discarded to guarantee safety. Other products, however, combine substandard shilajit with additives, extracts, thickeners, and artificial colors. Sadly, many manufacturers do not even make use of mature shilajit in their formulations. Believe it or not, some still rely on centuries-old ways of purifying the mumie. This practice is wasteful since extraction cannot be optimized. It is also ineffective in ridding the resin of harmful microorganisms and other impurities. What should bother you more is that even top-selling brands are selling products made of fulvic acid as the active ingredient. It is part of the humic acid component of shilajit. Although, it is inferior to others due to its relatively lower molecular weight. It is practically a fertilizer. When it enters your body, it can cause more problems than benefits.
Health Benefits of Shilajit
As you now understand well, shilajit is a Phyto complex. It owes its beneficial characteristics to its unique composition. Studies have shown shilajit embodies the following properties:
- Anti-inflammatory <3>
- Antioxidant <4>
- Antilipid <5>
Other than these, shilajit has also been used to improve brain health <6>, and enhance libido and testosterone levels <7>. It also boosts vitamin and energy levels, and cleanse the body of toxins, among others.
Only Resin (Not Powders, Pills, or Tablets) is Useful
Fortunately, there are many ways you can identify original shilajit from forfeited ones simply by looking at the product.
- Shilajit is an organic material that bears the characteristics of a resin. It stays stable under extreme temperatures. When held in a freezer for several hours, it can be rolled or shaped as desired.
- Shilajit dissolves almost completely in water. An authentic shilajit resin will not form lumps or residue when dissolved in water.
- Shilajit cannot be potent in forms other than in resin form. At most, shilajit sold in powdered, tablet, or pill forms contain negligible amounts of shilajit. Almost immediately, therefore, when you see a shilajit product that’s not resin, it must be counterfeit.
Live Shilajit Resin by Pürblack
Pürblack Live Resin is extracted using a patented process of slow heating. As such, more of the bioactive components of shilajit stay intact. This is what gives Pürblack energy-boosting properties. This is why multiple cultures have harnessed it for centuries to relieve weakness and keep a body healthy. Below are the top reasons why Pürblack stands out from the rest and why it’s the best choice for you:
- We source our shilajit from mature shilajit rocks that contain the highest concentration of mineral pitch.
- Less than 1% of all raw material in the world qualifies to become Pürblack Live Resin.
- With the help of researchers and scientists, Pürblack has perfected a patented process. A safe and low-temperature procedure is used to extract and purify the mineral pitch resin.
- Multiple filtration and pressure is further applied to break down raw shilajit into smaller particles. As a result, impurities are filtered out. Pürblack takes these steps to deliver a highly bioavailable form of shilajit.
- Each batch of manufactured products is subjected to a safety analysis by a third-party lab.
- Each jar sold bears a serial number to protect buyers from counterfeits. These serial numbers may be registered via a central database to validate authenticity.
Take Live Shilajit today and discover the freedom of enjoying life to the fullest.
Reference
- Agarwal SP, Khanna R, Karmarkar R, Anwer MK, Khar RK. “Shilajit: a review”. Phytother Res. 2007 May; 21(5):401-5. doi: 10.1002/ptr.2100. PMID: 17295385.
- Frolova LN, Kiseleva TL. “Chemical composition of mumijo and methods for determining its authenticity and quality (a review)”. Pharm Chem J. 1996; 30:543–547. doi: 10.1007/BF02334644.
- Van Rensburg CE. “The Antiinflammatory Properties of Humic Substances: A Mini Review”. Phytother Res. 2015 Jun;29(6):791-5. doi: 10.1002/ptr.5319.
- Al-Salman F, Ali Redha A, Al-Zaimoor Z. “Inorganic Analysis and Antioxidant Activity of Shilajit”. Int J Scientific Research in Chem Sci. 2020; 7(3).
- Saqib M, Malik R, Kausar S. “Effect of Shilajit on Obesity in Hyperlipidemic Albino Rats”. PJMHS. 2016; 10(3): Jul-Sep 2016.
- Carrasco-Gallardo C, Guzmán L, Maccioni RB. “Shilajit: a natural phytocomplex with potential procognitive activity.” Int J Alzheimers Dis. 2012; 2012:674142. doi: 10.1155/2012/674142.
- Pandit S, Biswas S, Jana U, De RK, Mukhopadhyay SC, Biswas TK. “Clinical evaluation of purified Shilajit on testosterone levels in healthy volunteers.” Andrologia. 2016 Jun;48(5):570-5. doi: 10.1111/and.12482. Epub 2015 Sep 22. PMID: 26395129.
