Shilajit (Mineral Pitch)

Shilajit is a complex, resinous substance containing fulvic/humic acids, dibenzo-α-pyrones and trace minerals. Proposed mechanisms relevant to mood:

• Antioxidant / anti-inflammatory effects. Oxidative stress and inflammation are implicated in depression; fulvic acids and other components in shilajit reduce oxidative markers and inflammatory cytokines in preclinical and some human studies. Europe PMC
• Mitochondrial support & energy metabolism. Components such as fulvic acid and dibenzo-α-pyrones may support mitochondrial function and ATP production — potentially improving fatigue and low energy that often co-occur with depression. ScienceDirect
• Modulation of stress axis / neuroendocrine effects. Animal studies show shilajit normalizes corticosterone (rodent cortisol analogue) after chronic stress, suggesting HPA-axis modulation (relevant to stress-related depression). ScienceDirect
• Neurotransmitter & neuroprotective actions (preclinical evidence). Some animal studies report changes consistent with increased dopaminergic tone and altered serotonin turnover; fulvic acid also shows neuroprotective effects in models of neurodegeneration. These effects are mechanistic plausibility — not proof of antidepressant efficacy in people. Academia

What this means: the above mechanisms give a biologically plausible reason to think shilajit might help mood, but plausibility alone does not equal proof of efficacy in humans. The human clinical evidence for depression specifically is currently insufficient. Europe PMC

Important: these are common practices and extrapolations from human trials for other indications — not official medical guidelines for treating depression.

• Form & product quality
• Use purified, third-party-tested shilajit (look for heavy-metal testing, microbial purity and “standardized to fulvic acid” on the certificate of analysis). Unpurified shilajit has documented contamination risks. Healthline
• Typical dosing seen in human trials
• Human RCTs for other conditions commonly use ~250 mg twice daily of a purified shilajit extract (i.e., ~500 mg/day) for 8–12 weeks. Other studies have used 300–500 mg/day or 150–900 mg/day (varies by formulation). If people try shilajit for mood, many follow the 250 mg twice-daily protocol used in clinical trials for other endpoints. Afdil
• How to take
• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Common ways: capsule/tablet with water, or a pea-sized amount of resin dissolved in warm liquid (milk or water). Take with food if stomach upset occurs. Start with a low dose for the first week (e.g., 150–250 mg/day) to assess tolerance, then increase if tolerated. Pure Himalayan Shilajit
• Duration & monitoring
• Human trials are typically 8–12 weeks (some longer). If used for mood, clinicians would expect to reassess after several weeks; however there’s no validated protocol for depression. Because evidence is preliminary, you should not substitute shilajit for an evidence-based antidepressant or psychotherapy without a clinician’s guidance. Unbound Medicine

• Comprehensive reviews summarizing shilajit chemistry, mechanisms, and human/animal studies (good background). These conclude shilajit has antioxidant, adaptogenic and neuroprotective properties, but call for more rigorous human trials. Europe PMC
• Agarwal SP et al., Shilajit: a review. Phytother Res. 2007. (review of constituents, preclinical and limited clinical data). Europe PMC
• Recent systematic review (2024) summarizing clinical efficacy and safety across indications; highlights limited high-quality human data and calls for more trials. J Pop Therapeutics Journal
• Preclinical / animal evidence relevant to mood
• Shilajit reduced behavioral symptoms in chronic-fatigue/stress animal models and normalized corticosterone — interpreted as antidepressant/anxiolytic-like activity in rodents. (Examples: experimental rodent models where shilajit 25–100 mg/kg improved behavior). These are informative but not definitive for humans. ScienceDirect
• Human randomized trials (different endpoints) — why they matter for dosing and safety:
• Andrologia (clinical study) — Purified shilajit 250 mg twice daily for 90 days increased testosterone in men aged 45–55 in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. This is often cited for the common 250 mg BID dosing. Afdil
• Phytomedicine (2022) — Shilajit extract preserved bone mineral density and reduced oxidative/inflammatory markers in postmenopausal women in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (250–500 mg/day dose range). This supports biological activity in humans but not mood outcomes. Unbound Medicine

Summary: promising preclinical mechanistic data + supportive human safety/dose data from other indications — but no high-quality RCTs specifically proving shilajit is an effective treatment for clinical depression. If mood benefit exists in people it remains to be shown in trials specifically designed and sized for depression.