At least until this morning, I haven't. So what is it? Well, we don't know. That hasn't bothered humankind since the 6th century to trying it out and eating it. Russian and Indian scientist have been studying it since the 1950s. But seriously, what is it? Well, it is mountain tar. Are you happy now? I bet you would have been happier not knowing. Yes, literally people go out in the Himalayas and scrap this substance off of the mountain than take it as a supplement in VERY small doses. Like a grain of rice small. What is it good for? Quoting an Amazon review: " Good energy, feeling of well being and energetic without feeling wired. I noticed that I can also tolerate more carbs while taking this." Sounds good! Can I go out and collect it in the Rockies?: No. You have to go to the Himalayas or the Andes if you want to get the good stuff. They also have different effects when collected from different places. What if I overdose?: "Too much shilajit can lower your serotonin levels as well, when it was too much for me I felt angry and weepy. ... I was wired for days with trouble sleeping and high heart rate, I tried working it out and during work out I didn't even get tired, it felt like I had unlimited energy, but next day I felt little dizzy probably because I lost too much sweat," How does it taste? Stop asking me questions you don't really want to know the answers. But really, what is the taste? Well, it tastes like shit. Poop, crap, dung, feces. Now you know... How do you know what poop tastes like? Well, it tastes just like Shilajit. Really? Yes, really, I told you not to ask questions, just take the Shilajit and enjoy your boner.... ------------------------------ Joking aside, if you ask me, Shilajit has trace minerals in it from mother Earth, and since the Western diet is low in those, by supplementing it, Shilajit helps you with your health. Unless you take too much, of course. From Wiki: "It is still unclear whether Shilajeet has a geological or biological origin as it has numerous traces of vitamins and amino acids. A Shilajeet-like substance from Antarctica was found to contain glycerol derivatives and was also believed to have medicinal properties."
If I hike up mountains daily to eat a rice size bit of tar.....you sure it is not the daily exercise you are getting from going up and down the mountain that is making you healthy haha I can make one up too.. If you jog 5 miles daily to your nearest Whole Foods and eat the seed of a pomegranate, you will get amazing stamina and lose weight. Pom Seeds work!
Something I realized living in higher mountainous areas in the third world is how many people suffer from deficiencies as the soils can be poor so such things could matter very much but be totally pointless for someone living by the sea or areas with richer/better balanced earth. I spend half my year at fairly high elevations in Colombia and for the past two Christmases I've given older friends and family a year's supply of multivitamins which they all say changed their lives. Many here for example have significant anemia related fatigue and regularly test iron deficient.