Fake Shilajit: How to Identify the Original and Protect Your Health
A staggering 85–90% of shilajit on the market is fake or contaminated. Learn to distinguish real Himalayan shilajit from dangerous counterfeits – with simple tests you can do at home.
Shilajit has become one of the most popular natural supplements worldwide. With rising popularity came a wave of counterfeits that aren't just ineffective – they can be dangerous to health.
The Shocking Scale of the Problem
Category
Market Share
Description
Coal tar mixtures
28%
Industrial waste processed to look like shilajit
Degraded/burnt shilajit
22%
Improperly processed, no active compounds
Partially counterfeit
10%
Real shilajit diluted with cheap fillers
Synthetic products
33%
Completely artificial – no relation to real shilajit
Authentic shilajit
5–7%
Real, pure Himalayan shilajit with lab tests
6 Tests to Verify Authenticity
1. Water Solubility Test
Put some shilajit in a glass of warm water. Real shilajit dissolves completely, coloring the water dark brown to reddish-black with no residue at the bottom.
2. Flame Test
Heat some shilajit on a spoon over a flame. Real shilajit melts and bubbles but does NOT catch fire. Fake shilajit ignites immediately and smells like burnt rubber.
3. Flexibility Test
Hold shilajit in your hands for 30–60 seconds. Real shilajit becomes soft and sticky from your body heat. In the fridge, it becomes hard and brittle.
4. Smell Test
Real shilajit has a characteristic, intense earthy smell. Fake smells chemical or has no smell at all.
5. Alcohol Test
Real shilajit does NOT dissolve in alcohol – it remains solid. Fake shilajit dissolves in alcohol because it contains synthetic resins.
6. Milk Test
Add some shilajit to warm milk. Real shilajit dissolves completely and colors the milk golden-brown.
Our Shilajit: Complete Transparency
At faga.bio, we sell exclusively pure Himalayan shilajit that we personally harvest at altitudes above 4,000 meters. Each batch is lab-tested at ITC Lab (NABL certified laboratory).
Parameter
Our Result
Standard
Fulvic acid
70.95%
>60%
Total minerals
85+ (14 lab-confirmed)
Minimum 10
Lead (Pb)
Within EU limits
<3 mg/kg
Arsenic (As)
Within EU limits
<3 mg/kg
Mercury (Hg)
Within EU limits
<0.1 mg/kg
Cadmium (Cd)
Within EU limits
<1 mg/kg
FAQ
Sources / Izvori
Kamgar E, Kaykhaii M, Zemberzuska J. (2023). A Comprehensive Review on Shilajit: What We Know about Its Chemical Composition. Crit Rev Anal Chem.. PMID: 38133965
Satti MA, Rashid U, Bashir K, Shah A, Junaid M, Alamzeb M, Khan MI, Khan MS, Hussain A. (2024). Hazardous or Advantageous: Uncovering the Roles of Heavy Metals and Humic Substances in Shilajit (Phyto-mineral) with Emphasis on Heavy Metals Toxicity and Their Detoxification Mechanisms.. Biol Trace Elem Res.. PMID: 38393563
Kamgar E, Kaykhaii M, Zemberzuska J. (2025). Quantifying of thallium in Shilajit and its supplements to unveil the potential risk of consumption of this popular traditional medicine.. J Trace Elem Med Biol.. PMID: 38245593
Somadevan VS, Kumar NA, Suresh P, Kothapalli R, Chandana M. (2026). Shilajit-analytical study to understand the phyto complex present in shilajit raw material, extract and resin by using hyphenated techniques.. J Chromatogr A.. PMID: 41330163
Al-Salman F, Ali Redha A, Al-Zaimoor Z, AlZahrani H, Al-Garni S, Soliman F, Al-Saif B, Aboul-Soud MA, Gondal MA. (2021). Rapid Determination and Quantification of Nutritional and Poisonous Metals in Vastly Consumed Ayurvedic Herbal Medicine (Rejuvenator Shilajit) by Humans Using Three Advanced Analytical Techniques.. Biol Trace Elem Res.. PMID: 34800280
