Guide · Last updated: November 2026
Shilajit ingredients: what is in it and what is only claimed
Shilajit mainly contains humic substances such as fulvic acid and humic acid, along with plant and microbial metabolites, dibenzo-alpha-pyrones, water and minerals from the rock. The composition varies with origin and purification, so a measured value only ever applies to one specific batch. The claim of 85 minerals deserves a critical look: in 2026 the German food control laboratory CVUA Stuttgart found no significant amounts of the tested minerals per daily serving in any of twelve products.
Contents
"85 minerals", "85 percent fulvic acid": few foods show such a wide gap between advertising and measurement as Shilajit. This guide sets out which groups of substances are actually described, which of them can be measured, and which numbers you should not take at face value.
What is in Shilajit?
Shilajit is not a single substance. The scientific literature describes it as a complex mixture of organic humic substances and plant and microbial metabolites (Agarwal et al., 2007). The German state food control laboratory CVUA Stuttgart reached a similar view in 2026: a complex mixture without a clearly defined profile (CVUA Stuttgart report, in German).
| Group | What it is | How reliable the claims are |
|---|---|---|
| Fulvic acid | Humic substance, soluble in both acid and alkaline solutions | Measurable, but the value depends heavily on the method |
| Humic acid | Humic substance, soluble only in alkaline solutions | Rarely stated |
| Humins | Insoluble share of the humic substances | Hardly ever quantified |
| Dibenzo-alpha-pyrones | Organic compounds described in the Shilajit literature | Rarely quantified on packs |
| Other metabolites | For example hippuric acid, sulfated phenols and bile acids | Found in the CVUA Stuttgart screening, not usually declared |
| Minerals and trace elements | Come from the rock | Small amounts per daily serving, see below |
| Water | Residual moisture in the resin | Measurable through dry matter |
You will not find a general percentage breakdown in this table, and that is deliberate. Collection area, purification and drying all shift the proportions, and a reliable number only applies to the batch in which it was measured.
Humic substances: the main component
Humic substances form when organic material breaks down over long periods. They are classified by solubility, not by a fixed chemical formula. One research group separated raw mumie into several fractions, including fulvic acid, humic acid, humin and low molecular weight fractions (Schepetkin et al., 2003).
This has a practical consequence: "fulvic acid" is not a pure substance like vitamin C but a class of substances defined by the separation procedure. That is why different measurement methods give different values for the same sample. What this means for the often advertised 85 percent is covered in Fulvic acid in Shilajit.
Does fulvic acid have healing properties?
This is not established, and it may not be advertised either. Under the EU Food Information Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, foods may not be presented as able to prevent or cure disease. In addition, no health claim for Shilajit is authorised under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.
A neutral summary of the research looks like this:
- The study by Schepetkin et al. examined fulvic acid fractions on mouse immune cells in the laboratory. Results of that kind cannot be transferred to humans.
- One review names dibenzo-alpha-pyrones and fulvic acid as possible key constituents, but also notes that relatively few well-controlled human studies exist and calls for more work with standardised products (Stohs, 2014).
- Studies often use one specific, standardised extract. Their results apply to that material and that study dose, not to every resin.
If you have symptoms or take medication, your doctor is the right person to ask, not a percentage on a pack. For the views of medicine and food control, see What doctors say about Shilajit.
Why the claim of "85 minerals" deserves a critical look
The figure appears in many shops and social media posts. It stands up poorly to scrutiny, for three reasons.
The number itself is hardly plausible. Only about 80 elements in the periodic table have stable isotopes. Anyone claiming 85 "minerals" would also have to count radioactive elements or noble gases. And an element detectable in traces is far from being a nutrient. Annex XIII of the EU Food Information Regulation lists just 14 minerals with a reference value.
An analysis is almost always missing. A list of names is not a measurement. The claim could only be checked with levels per element, a method and a batch number.
The amount per daily serving is what matters. CVUA Stuttgart determined minerals in twelve products, five of which advertised high levels. No product contained a significant amount of the tested minerals per stated daily serving. For iron, the authority gives these numbers:
| Iron per daily serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Mean of the products tested | 0.1 mg |
| Minimum for the claim "contains" | 2.1 mg |
| Minimum for the claim "high content" | 4.2 mg |
| Reference value (NRV) | 14.0 mg |
The authority therefore considers advertising with the mineral content legally impermissible.
Simple arithmetic shows why this is unsurprising, even without a lab. A daily amount of 400 mg is simply not much material. If, purely as a calculation, one tenth of it were calcium, that would be 40 mg, or 5 percent of the 800 mg reference value. This example is arithmetic, not a measured value, and only illustrates the order of magnitude.
What else can be in Shilajit
Ingredients are not only what the label lists. CVUA Stuttgart made further findings in its sample that show why an analysis should also cover unwanted substances:
| Substance | Finding in 12 products | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy metals | Not excessive in any sample | Come from the rock, remain a question to check per batch |
| Mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOSH) | Elevated in 4 samples, up to 290 mg/kg | Not a natural ingredient you should expect |
| Aromatic mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOAH) | One sample judged unsafe | A single finding with serious consequences |
| 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) | Some above 4,500 mg/kg | Indicates heat treatment |
You can read more about heavy metals and EU maximum levels in Shilajit and heavy metals. The authority also judged eight of nine products advertised as "lab-tested" to be misleading, because the certificates only covered parts such as microbiology or heavy metals. A test report only speaks to the parameters it lists.
Reading percentages correctly: the basis
A percentage without a basis cannot be interpreted. Fulvic acid is usually stated on dry weight, meaning without the water in the resin. The values of our current batch show the difference this makes:
| Figure | Value |
|---|---|
| Batch | HM-SH-25-BLY-1159 |
| Analysis date | 01.09.2025 |
| Fulvic acid on dry weight (determined titrimetrically, measured in our batch) | 69.8 % |
| Dry matter | 80.4 % |
| Fulvic acid relative to the resin in the jar (our calculation: 69.8 % of 80.4 %) | about 56 % |
The last row is not an additional measurement but is derived. It only shows why two percentages on different bases cannot be compared. The fulvic acid determination is not covered by the accreditation. Heavy metals and microbiology were tested by a food laboratory in Germany, accredited for heavy metals and microbiology. We state no mineral levels, and our batch datasheet contains no measurements for them. All values are on the lab values page and in the batch datasheet.
Checking ingredient claims in 5 steps
- Substance or marketing term? "Mineral complex" and "vital substances" are not measurable quantities. Ask for the specific substance.
- Number with a unit? A level needs a unit and a basis, such as percent of dry weight or milligrams per daily serving.
- Method stated? For fulvic acid in particular, a value without a method cannot be compared.
- Linked to a batch? The batch number in the document should match the number on your product.
- What was not tested? Look at which parameters are missing and ask the seller, for example about mineral oil or microbiology results.
To judge origin and authenticity as well, see How to recognise real Shilajit. For an overview of the resin itself, see What is Shilajit?.
Our product in plain figures
HimalayaFIT sells Shilajit resin in a 20 g jar, at €34.00 as a one-time purchase or €29.00 by subscription. The daily amount we state is 400 mg for 50 days, followed by 10 days of rest. Everything else is on the product page and the shipping page.
Food supplements are not a substitute for a balanced and varied diet.
Frequently asked questions
What is in Shilajit?
Shilajit is a natural mixture of humic substances such as fulvic acid and humic acid, plant and microbial metabolites, dibenzo-alpha-pyrones, water and minerals from the rock. It has no fixed profile: the proportions vary with collection area and purification.
What does Shilajit contain according to a lab analysis?
That depends on what the laboratory was asked to test. Fulvic acid, dry matter, heavy metals and microbiology are common. An analysis only ever describes the batch tested and the parameters on the document. Anything not measured is neither confirmed nor ruled out.
Does fulvic acid have healing properties?
This is not established for the fulvic acid in Shilajit, and it may not be advertised for a food either. Under EU law, food supplements may not be presented as able to prevent or cure disease. The research available consists mostly of cell and animal work plus a small number of human studies, which does not support such statements.
Does Shilajit really contain 85 minerals?
We know of no publicly verifiable evidence for it. The figure even exceeds the number of chemical elements with stable isotopes, which is about 80. Quantity matters more: CVUA Stuttgart found no significant amounts of the tested minerals per daily serving in any of twelve products.
May Shilajit be advertised as rich in fulvic acid?
According to CVUA Stuttgart, no. In the EU, the term rich in is reserved for nutrition claims about nutrients such as vitamins or minerals. Stating a measured value with its method and batch is something different from that kind of advertising claim.
Do Shilajit Gold or gummies have different ingredients?
Depending on the seller, these products contain further ingredients such as gold preparations, sugar, flavourings or gelling agents. The ingredient list on the pack is what counts, although it does not always show how much Shilajit is included.
Read next
Pure Himalayan Shilajit as a 20 g resin: every batch is tested by an accredited laboratory in Germany.
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