The questions every
shilajit buyer should ask.

Shilajit is a dark resinous substance that seeps from rocks in the high mountain ranges of Asia and Eastern Europe — primarily the Himalayan, Altai, and Caucasian ranges. It’s a geological exudate: the slow product of plant and microbial matter compressed in mineral-rich rock over thousands of years. Not a mushroom, not a botanical, not a synthesized compound. The full piece is in What Shilajit Actually Is (And Isn’t).

Four families of compounds. Fulvic acid (the carrier — ~60% of the mass), humic acid (the matrix), dibenzo-α-pyrones (the signature class), and 60+ trace minerals (potassium, calcium, sodium, sulfur, magnesium, iron, zinc, and a long tail of trace elements). The chemistry page has the mechanism story: → Science.

Three names, one substance. “Shilajit” is the Sanskrit/Ayurvedic name. “Mumie” / “Moomiyo” is the Russian/Altai name. The Sanskrit etymology means roughly “the rock-conqueror”; the Russian carries the sense of “what protects the body.” The full naming history is in Mumie, Moomiyo, Shilajit.

No. Shilajit is a geological exudate — the slow compression of organic and mineral matter into a resin. MYKO carries shilajit as a separate product line because it sits next to (not inside) the functional-mushroom system. The mushroom line is built on Lion’s Mane, Reishi, Cordyceps, Chaga, and Turkey Tail; shilajit is its own category.

At least 3,000 years in Ayurveda, named in the Charaka Samhita. Long traditional use in Russian Altai (as mumijo) and Tibet. Inside Ayurveda it sits in the rasayana category — the rejuvenative tonics.

Same source, same compound profile, same fulvic-acid spec — the powder is dehydrated from the same purified resin. The decision comes down to your routine. Resin is the most traditional form, sits cleanly in the morning ritual. Powder is faster to dose, easier to travel with, mixes faster. Most users start with the resin and add powder as a travel format. → The format guide.

Five disclosures: (1) form (resin or stabilized extract), (2) source region — named, not “Himalayan-style,” (3) fulvic-acid percentage with the assay method, (4) heavy-metals testing with COA availability, (5) supplier transparency. The full framework is in The Shilajit Buyer’s Guide.

It’s the percentage of the resin’s mass that assays as fulvic acid by the Modified Larry G. Butler gravimetric method (the AOAC-recognized standard). 60%+ is the threshold serious producers hold to; below 50% suggests either lower-grade material or a less-thorough purification. The full piece is in What 60% Fulvic Acid Actually Means.

Three reasons. Single-source Altai material is more expensive than blended lots. Standardized extract is more expensive than raw resin. And we hold to the BHC-tier (Tier 2) supplier spec — pharmaceutical-method labs, ICP-MS heavy-metal panels, full traceability. The price gap is the difference between unverified material and material with provenance.

The densest violet glass available — it filters the visible-light spectrum that degrades organic compounds over time. The same standard used by serious natural-resin producers. It keeps the resin stable for the full 5-year shelf life without preservatives.

Days 1–5: a lentil-size piece (~150 mg of resin, or ¼ tsp of powder) once daily. Day 5+: a pea-size piece (~300–500 mg of resin, or ½–1 tsp of powder) once daily. Long-term: the daily-once routine is the standard.

Morning, on an empty stomach, 30–60 minutes before food. If a morning dose feels stimulating, shift to early afternoon. Avoid late evening — shilajit’s energy profile can interfere with sleep onset for some users.

Five methods, all carrying the same daily dose: (1) sublingual, (2) dissolved in warm water, (3) the tea-with-honey ritual, (4) blended into a smoothie, (5) the tincture method for travel. The full breakdown is on How to Use.

Yes. No interaction concerns at typical caffeine doses. Many users stack with their morning caffeine — either dissolved in the warm cup or taken alongside.

Daily-once is the standard, and the way most users settle in. Some users run a 5-on / 2-off rhythm — useful if you want a small reset signal each week. Cycling isn’t required; consistency is what produces the cumulative effect.

The shilajit inside ADAPT is this same Altai resin. If you’re taking both, just account for the total — the ADAPT shilajit dose plus the daily resin/powder should land at the daily-once-pea-size range. NEUROGENESIS, CORTEX, EMBODY, and EUPHORIA also contain shilajit (the brand signature) — same accounting principle. When in doubt, talk to a practitioner.

Generally yes, with one timing note: if you’re taking an iron supplement, separate it from the shilajit by at least 2 hours. Iron and shilajit compete on the same absorption pathway.

Earthy. Mineral. Bitter at first. The honey-and-warm-water preparation softens it substantially. Most users grow into the taste over the first 2–3 weeks. If the taste is the barrier, try the tea-with-honey ritual (cold water first, then warm, then honey) or the tincture-method dropper.

Cumulative, not acute. Most users notice the first shift somewhere between week 2 and week 4 — steadier mornings, smoother recovery, less mid-afternoon dip. The full arc plays out over the first 90 days. Week 1 is the establishment phase, not the evaluation phase. The 90-day routine walks through the arc.

Most users describe it as a substrate that the rest of the day stands on — not a stimulant, not a sedative. Steadier energy. Smoother recovery from training. Less of the dip that comes from a heavy week. The framing is “supports cellular energy production” — that’s the structure-function pattern shilajit fits.

Three honest possibilities. (1) It’s too early — hold to week 4 before evaluating. (2) Your baseline is already steady — shilajit shows up most clearly in users with a fatigue or recovery baseline; if your routine is already well-built, the lift is smaller. (3) The dose is too low — move from lentil-size to pea-size if you’re still on the starter dose past week 1.

For most users, yes — but indirectly. Shilajit doesn’t act as a stimulant or a pre-workout. The mineral-electrolyte profile supports the recovery substrate. Most athletes notice the lift on the second or third training session of the week, not the first. → Eight modes walks through training contexts.

Not without practitioner guidance. There’s insufficient clinical data for shilajit in pregnancy or breastfeeding — the safest default is to consult a clinician before starting or continuing during these windows.

Talk to your prescribing practitioner first. Shilajit is associated with iron in the absorption literature; in iron-overload conditions or alongside iron supplementation, the timing and total intake need clinical oversight.

Talk to your prescribing practitioner. There are preliminary signals around platelet activity in the shilajit literature — not contraindications, but enough that a clinical conversation before starting is appropriate.

The trace-mineral load is generally low (the major minerals are at trace concentrations in normal daily doses), but kidney-condition users should run any new daily supplement past their clinician — including shilajit.

Not formulated or studied in pediatric populations. Default is no for under 18.

The fulvic-acid fraction is a known mineral chelator at high concentrations. If you have multiple amalgam fillings, talk to a dentist before starting the daily intake — they may want to assess the fillings first.

Not without a practitioner sign-off. Shilajit carries trace amino acids including phenylalanine; PKU users should clear it with their clinical team.

Not contraindicated, but most users find the morning shilajit + evening drink signal gets muddier. Practical default: skip the dose on heavy-drink days, pick it up the next morning.

Single-origin Altai range — Russia’s part of the four-corners Altai range (Russia / Kazakhstan / Mongolia / China). Hand-harvested by villagers in the Russian Altai who have worked these cliffs for generations. Not a blend. → The full source story.

Three operational reasons. Documented chemistry — the Russian scientific literature has been characterizing Altai mumijo for 50+ years. Single-source feasibility — the Altai harvest communities are small and stable, the supply chain is short, traceability is enforceable. Consistent grade — same villagers, same cliffs, same seasonal cycle every year. Most “Himalayan” shilajit on the market is a blend of broker lots from multiple countries.

Yes. Heavy metals (Pb, As, Hg, Cd) by ICP-MS per USP <730>, microbial load, fulvic-acid actives — supplier Certificate of Analysis on every lot. Supplier COA is available on request — email support@mykoherbs.co with your batch code. The full method breakdown is on Quality & Testing.

Organic certification doesn’t apply to mineral-source materials — shilajit is a geological exudate, not a cultivated crop. We test for heavy metals and microbial load instead, which is the relevant quality screen for mineral materials.

This is the first Altai release on MYKO. The first batch is limited; reserving secures your jar from that batch. Future releases will be open-stock.

At the daily-pea-size dose: a 20g resin jar lasts roughly 60–100 days; a 50g jar lasts 150–250 days. The powder format: a 30g jar lasts ~60 daily servings; a 60g refill ~120 servings.

Dry cupboard, 15–25°C, lid sealed. Away from direct sunlight, kettles, and bathrooms. Don’t refrigerate. If the resin is hard when you open it, warm the jar 5–10 minutes on a warm surface before scooping.

Resin: 5 years sealed in the original Miron glass. Powder: 3 years sealed in the original pouch; 12 months once opened, stored as above.

Get in touch. We work with each customer individually — most “I’m not feeling it” cases are dose, timing, or week-1 expectation issues that resolve quickly with a small adjustment.