Shilajit Resin vs Capsules: How to Choose Shilajit in South Africa

Search for shilajit in South Africa and you'll find every form imaginable. There are black resin jars, capsules, powders, dropper bottles and, lately, gummies. They're sold by pharmacies, health shops, market stalls and Instagram accounts. Prices vary widely, and the labels rarely tell you what you'd need to compare them properly. This guide explains how the forms differ and the one test that matters more than any other. It also shows how to work out what you're really paying per day.

Charava is our brand, and we sell shilajit as a resin. We'll explain why, but the checklist below works for any product, whoever makes it.

What shilajit is

Shilajit is a sticky, dark-brown to black substance that seeps from rock layers in high mountain ranges, best known from the Himalayas. It has a long history in Ayurvedic practice. Researchers attribute much of its activity to two groups of compounds: fulvic acid and dibenzo-α-pyrones. Raw shilajit also contains soil, rock and anything else the mountain contributed. That's why it is purified before it's sold as a supplement, and why testing matters so much.

It's worth being honest about the research. A 2014 safety review in Phytotherapy Research concluded that relatively few well-controlled human studies have been done. Most of the published work is in animals or in the lab. The best-known human trial gave 63 recreationally active men a purified shilajit extract at 250mg or 500mg a day for eight weeks. In the half of the group who started out stronger, the 500mg dose helped them keep more of their strength after a fatiguing leg exercise. The 250mg dose made no difference. That's an interesting finding, but it's a single study in young men, not a broad promise.

Resin, capsules, powder, drops or gummies?

Form	What it is	In its favour	Drawbacks	What to check
Resin	Purified shilajit as a soft, sticky paste in a jar	Least processed; hard to bulk out with fillers; you can see and smell what you're buying	Fiddly to measure; strong, earthy taste; texture changes with temperature	Heavy-metal test for the batch; serving size in mg; how to measure it
Capsules or tablets	Dried, powdered shilajit or extract in a capsule	Precise dose; no taste; easy to travel with	You can't see the contents; may contain other ingredients	mg of shilajit per capsule; full ingredient list; whether it's an extract, and at what ratio
Powder	Dried shilajit, loose	Mixes into drinks	Easy to adulterate; clumps in humid weather; hard to measure small doses	Heavy-metal test; serving size; anything blended in
Liquid drops	Shilajit dissolved in water or another liquid	Easy to take	The amount of shilajit per drop is often unclear; may contain preservatives	mg of shilajit per dose, not just "drops"
Gummies	Small amounts of shilajit in a sweetened chew	Pleasant taste	Often low doses; added sugar or sweeteners	mg of shilajit per gummy compared with the 250–500mg used in research

None of these forms is automatically good or bad. A well-tested capsule beats an untested resin every time. The resin's advantage is that it's harder to fake convincingly and harder to fill out with cheap bulking agents, so you start from a better place.

The test that matters most: heavy metals

Shilajit comes from rock, and many traditional Ayurvedic products have a poor record on contamination. In a 2008 study published in JAMA, researchers bought 193 Ayurvedic products online and tested them. One in five (20.7%) contained detectable lead, mercury or arsenic. Three-quarters of the contaminated products claimed to follow good manufacturing practice. That study covered Ayurvedic products in general, not shilajit alone, but it shows why "pure" and "GMP" on a label aren't enough.

What to ask for:

• A certificate of analysis for the batch you're buying, not a generic one from years ago.
• Results for lead, arsenic, mercury and cadmium, with the amounts found and the limits they were tested against.
• The name of the lab, ideally an accredited one, and a batch number that matches your jar.

If a seller can't or won't send this, take that as your answer. All Charava products are tested, and certificates of analysis are available on request. Ask us for the one that matches your batch.

What about home "purity tests"?

You'll see videos showing shilajit dissolving in warm water, stretching when warm, or snapping when cold. These tests can tell you a bit about texture and whether you've been sold something obviously wrong. We cover them in how to test for authentic shilajit resin. What they can't tell you is whether a product contains lead or arsenic. Only a lab can do that. Treat home tests as a first sniff test and the certificate as the real check.

Working out the real cost per day in rand

Jar sizes and serving sizes vary so much that the shelf price tells you very little. Use this sum:

Cost per serving = price ÷ (grams in the jar × 1,000 ÷ mg per serving)

Example	Calculation	Result
Charava Shilajit Resin, 30 g at R799, 400mg serving	30,000mg ÷ 400mg = 75 servings; R799 ÷ 75	About R10.65 a serving (R26.63 per gram)
Any capsule product	Price ÷ number of capsules × capsules per serving	Then check the mg of shilajit in that serving

A cheaper product that gives 100mg per serving can work out more expensive per milligram than a pricier one that gives 400mg. It's also well below the amount used in the trial above.

Buying shilajit in South Africa: a quick checklist

Whether you're browsing at Dis-Chem, Clicks, a health shop or online, the same questions apply:

1. Is there a batch certificate for heavy metals, and will the seller show it to you?
2. Does the label give the mg of shilajit per serving, not just "1 pea-sized amount" or "10 drops"?
3. Is the full ingredient list printed, with nothing vague like a "proprietary blend"?
4. What is the cost per serving, worked out with the sum above?
5. Is the jar or bottle sealed, with a batch number and an expiry date?
6. Does the seller give clear safety information, including on pregnancy and medicines?

How to take resin

A typical serving of resin is about the size of a pea. Ours is 400mg. Dissolve it in a cup of warm (not boiling) water, tea or warm milk, and stir until there are no lumps left. Our guide to preparing Charava Shilajit Resin shows the easiest way to measure it.

Resin responds to temperature. On a cold Highveld morning it can be stiff and hard to scoop. On a humid Durban afternoon it softens and gets sticky. Neither change means anything is wrong. Keep the lid closed and store the jar somewhere cool and dry, out of direct sun. If it's too firm, warm the spoon in hot water before you scoop.

Charava Shilajit Resin

Charava Shilajit Resin comes in a 30 g jar with a recommended serving of 400mg, about 75 servings. It costs R799, which works out at roughly R10.65 a serving. Certificates of analysis are available on request. We send orders from our Johannesburg warehouse, and delivery is free on orders over R750, so a single jar qualifies.

Buy Charava Shilajit Resin, R799 →

You can also see it in our shilajit collection.

Who shouldn't take shilajit

• Children, and anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding.
• Anyone taking prescription medicines, or with a medical condition, until they have spoken to a doctor or pharmacist.
• Anyone who can't get a heavy-metal test result for the product in front of them. Don't take an untested shilajit.

Stop taking it and seek advice if you feel unwell after starting.

Frequently asked questions

Is shilajit resin better than capsules?

Not automatically. Resin is less processed and harder to bulk out with fillers, while capsules are easier to dose and travel with. A capsule with a published heavy-metal test is a better buy than an untested resin.

How do I know if shilajit is pure?

Ask for a certificate of analysis for your batch, showing lead, arsenic, mercury and cadmium results from a named laboratory. Home tests such as dissolving it in warm water can only tell you about texture, not about heavy metals.

How much shilajit should I take a day?

Follow the label. Charava's recommended serving is 400mg of resin, about the size of a pea, dissolved in a warm drink. The best-known human trial used 250mg and 500mg a day of a purified extract.

How much does good shilajit cost in South Africa?

Compare cost per serving rather than price per jar. Charava Shilajit Resin is R799 for 30 g, about 75 servings of 400mg, or roughly R10.65 a serving.

Who should not take shilajit?

Children, and anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding, should not take it. If you take any medication or have a medical condition, speak to your doctor or pharmacist first.

Can I buy shilajit at Dis-Chem or Clicks?

Pharmacies and health shops in South Africa may stock various shilajit products. Wherever you buy, use the same checks: a batch heavy-metal certificate, mg per serving, a full ingredient list and cost per serving.

Sources

1. Stohs SJ. Safety and efficacy of shilajit (mumie, moomiyo). Phytother Res. 2014;28(4):475-479. PubMed 23733436
2. Keller JL, Housh TJ, Hill EC, et al. The effects of Shilajit supplementation on fatigue-induced decreases in muscular strength and serum hydroxyproline levels. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2019;16(1):3. PubMed 30728074
3. Saper RB, Phillips RS, Sehgal A, et al. Lead, mercury, and arsenic in US- and Indian-manufactured Ayurvedic medicines sold via the Internet. JAMA. 2008;300(8):915-923. PubMed 18728265

Disclaimer:
This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for advice from your doctor or pharmacist. Charava Shilajit Resin is a food supplement. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, and the statements in this article have not been evaluated by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA). Not suitable for children or during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Speak to your doctor before use if you take any medication or have a medical condition. Do not exceed the recommended serving.