Shilajit and Digestion: What the Evidence Shows
Shilajit is traditionally associated with digestion, and some supplement marketing extends that to gut health and the microbiome. The published research is small and indirect: a handful of studies in rats with induced stomach damage, and one preliminary laboratory study of shilajit and gut bacteria. We found no human trial of shilajit for any digestive symptom or condition. This article lays out what each study actually did, flags a naming problem in older papers, and shows where trial evidence for gut symptoms really exists.
In this article
Key takeaways
- The digestive evidence for shilajit is three rat studies (aspirin-induced stomach lesions, acetic-acid ulcers, and an older ulcer and inflammation study) plus one preliminary in vitro study. We found no human trial.
- The in vitro gut microbe study compared three commercial shilajit samples (Russia, Nepal, Iran) after simulated digestion and found sample-dependent effects, which tells us more about variability between products than about benefit.
- For irritable bowel syndrome symptoms, enteric-coated peppermint oil has randomised trial support (10 trials, 1,030 patients) but also more adverse events than placebo. Shilajit has no equivalent evidence.
Rat studies of stomach damage
- Aspirin-induced lesions (2021). In 45 rats, four days of shilajit aqueous extract reduced the size and number of aspirin-induced stomach lesions and the severity of oedema and leukocyte infiltration, with an effect the authors described as comparable to omeprazole (Ghasemkhani 2021).
- Acetic-acid ulcers (2015). Mumijo extract at 100 mg per kg a day for 4 days raised gastric pH and reduced pepsin levels versus the sham group, with histology showing protection against mucosal damage; ranitidine was the reference drug (Shahrokhi 2015).
- Ulcer and inflammation (1990). Shilajit increased the carbohydrate to protein ratio in gastric mucus and lowered the gastric ulcer index in rats, which the authors read as an increased mucus barrier, and had anti-inflammatory effects in rat paw oedema, granuloma and adjuvant arthritis models (Goel 1990).
These are animal models of acute, chemically induced injury at doses scaled to rats. They do not tell us whether shilajit protects the stomach of a person taking aspirin or other anti-inflammatory drugs, and they say nothing about everyday indigestion, bloating or bowel habit.
Gut microbes (in vitro)
A 2026 preliminary study compared three commercial shilajit samples (from Russia, Nepal and Iran) for phenolic acid profile, antimicrobial activity, and effects on selected intestinal microorganisms and beta-glucuronidase activity after simulated gastrointestinal digestion. The samples differed markedly in phenolic composition, all showed antimicrobial activity of differing intensity, and effects depended on the sample: the Nepali sample showed the lowest net beta-glucuronidase activity and the most favourable modulation of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, while the Russian sample suppressed Escherichia coli most strongly, and the Iranian sample, richest in phenolics, showed the highest beta-glucuronidase activity (Kamgar 2026).
What to take from it: this is a laboratory digestion model, not a trial in people, and the authors call it preliminary. Its clearest message is that biological activity depends on the region-specific chemical makeup of the material, so results from one product cannot be assumed for another. An antimicrobial effect is also not automatically a gut benefit: a substance that inhibits some microbes can inhibit helpful ones.
A naming problem in older papers
Some of the older literature uses "shilajit" for different materials. One 1998 pharmaceutics paper, for example, describes shilajit as a gummy exudate of the plant Styrax officinalis and tested it as a suspending agent in antacid formulations, not as a medicine (Shahjahan 1998). That is a different substance from the mineral-organic rock exudate studied in the trials above. When a claim cites "a study on shilajit", it is worth checking what material was used, how it was prepared and what was measured.
What has human trial evidence for gut symptoms
For comparison, enteric-coated peppermint oil is among the better-supported options for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). A 2022 meta-analysis of 10 randomised trials (1,030 patients) found it more effective than placebo for global IBS symptoms (relative risk of not improving 0.65, number needed to treat 4) and abdominal pain (0.76, number needed to treat 7), with significantly more adverse events (relative risk 1.57) (Ingrosso 2022). An earlier meta-analysis of 9 trials (726 patients) also favoured peppermint oil and described the adverse events as mild and transient (Khanna 2014). The point is not to recommend it for you. It is that evidence for gut symptoms looks like randomised trials in people with those symptoms, which shilajit lacks.
Persistent changes in bowel habit, blood in stools, unexplained weight loss, difficulty swallowing or ongoing pain are reasons to see a doctor, not to try a supplement.
Evidence summary
| Claim | Strongest evidence found | Key caveat |
|---|---|---|
| Relieves indigestion, bloating, IBS | None found | No human trial located |
| Protects stomach lining | Animal rats: Ghasemkhani 2021; Shahrokhi 2015; Goel 1990 | Induced acute injury; not generalisable to people |
| Supports gut bacteria | In vitro Kamgar 2026, 3 products | Preliminary; effects differ by product and region |
| Digestive use in tradition | Traditional | A cultural use, not a trial result |
Lab results, batch #1093
Composition varies, so check the batch
The gut microbe study found that shilajit samples from different regions behaved differently. Batch #1093 had heavy metals independently tested by Eurofins Food Australia, and the results are public.
Read the batch #1093 reportA lab report describes one batch. It does not show that a product treats or prevents any condition.
FAQ
Is shilajit good for digestion?
Not shown in humans. The evidence is rat studies of induced stomach damage and a preliminary laboratory study of gut microbes.
Does shilajit improve the gut microbiome?
One preliminary in vitro study found effects on Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and E. coli that differed between Russian, Nepali and Iranian samples. No human microbiome trial exists that we could find.
Can shilajit help with stomach ulcers or reflux?
Rat studies suggest mucosal protection in induced injury, but there is no human evidence. See a doctor for ulcer or reflux symptoms, especially if you take aspirin or anti-inflammatories regularly.
Can shilajit upset the stomach?
Gastrointestinal discomfort is a commonly reported side effect of many supplements. If it happens, stop and speak to a pharmacist or doctor. See our safety guide.
References
- Ghasemkhani N, Tabrizi AS, Namazi F, Nazifi S. Treatment effects of shilajit on aspirin-induced gastric lesions in rats. Physiol Rep. 2021;9(7):e14822. DOI: 10.14814/phy2.14822. PMID: 33818003.
- Shahrokhi N, Keshavarzi Z, Khaksari M. Ulcer healing activity of mumijo aqueous extract against acetic acid induced gastric ulcer in rats. J Pharm Bioallied Sci. 2015;7(1):56-59. DOI: 10.4103/0975-7406.148739. PMID: 25709338.
- Goel RK, Banerjee RS, Acharya SB. Antiulcerogenic and antiinflammatory studies with shilajit. J Ethnopharmacol. 1990;29(1):95-103. DOI: 10.1016/0378-8741(90)90102-y. PMID: 2345464.
- Kamgar E, Gumienna M, Gorna-Szweda B, et al. From phenolic profile to gut function: comparative effects of region-specific shilajit on selected culturable intestinal microbial groups and beta-glucuronidase activity, a preliminary study. Molecules. 2026;31(12). DOI: 10.3390/molecules31122172. PMID: 42357568.
- Shahjahan M, Islam I. Preliminary evaluation of shilajit as a suspending agent in antacid suspensions. Drug Dev Ind Pharm. 1998;24(11):1109-1112. DOI: 10.3109/03639049809089957. PMID: 9876568.
- Ingrosso MR, Ianiro G, Nee J, et al. Systematic review and meta-analysis: efficacy of peppermint oil in irritable bowel syndrome. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2022. PMID: 35942669.
- Khanna R, MacDonald JK, Levesque BG. Peppermint oil for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Clin Gastroenterol. 2014. PMID: 24100754.
Findings above are drawn from published abstracts; full texts were not reviewed. This article is general information, not medical advice.