The short answer
Not known in people. We found no human study of shilajit taken with metformin. A 2004 Indian rat study tested the two together, but our reviewers could not open it to check its methods and numbers, so we have left it out.
The metformin label says metformin on its own does not cause low sugar except in special circumstances. If shilajit does lower sugar, the added effect would matter most for people also on insulin or another diabetes medicine. Shilajit products also vary, and some samples contain thallium, a toxic metal. If you take metformin, tell your prescribing doctor before you start shilajit, and ask whether you should check your sugar more often.
Metformin is sold in India as Glycomet. Glycomet-GP also contains glimepiride, a second diabetes medicine.
At a glance
| What was seen | How it may work | Direction | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thallium in raw shilajit and supplements[1] | Contamination, not an interaction | Exposure to a toxic metal | In vitro |
No listing is not a clearance. A missing interaction here never means a combination is safe.
The evidence, study by study
Lab analysis of shilajit products, Iran, Slovakia and Poland, 2025 In vitro
Thallium turned up in most of 13 raw shilajit samples from five countries, India among them, and in supplements bought in Poland, Russia and Kyrgyzstan. The highest level in a supplement worked out at 0.095 micrograms per tablet. The authors note that thallium accumulates in the body and say shilajit products need regular testing. No Indian brand was tested.[1]
What your doctor may watch for
- Blood sugar, more closely if you also take insulin or a sulfonylurea such as glimepiride. Metformin alone does not usually cause low sugar, its label says.[2]
What to tell your prescribing doctor
You can read this out, or show them this page:
“I am taking, or planning to take, shilajit (name of product, batch, dose) along with metformin. There is no human study of the two together. Should I check my sugar more often, and is this product a concern?”
Withheld until review
Questions people ask
Is shilajit good or bad for diabetics?
We cannot say either way. We found no study of shilajit in people taking metformin, and the only rat study of the pair could not be checked. Products also differ in what they contain, so the question is one for your doctor, with the pack in hand.[1]
Related
Shilajit and iron tablets
Not studied in people. High-dose shilajit changed liver iron in rats, so it could add to iron tablets. How much is unknown.
InteractionPunarnava and metformin
Not studied in people. A punarnava extract lowered blood sugar in diabetic rats, so it could add to metformin. No study tested the two together.
ConditionType 2 diabetes (sugar): what Ayurveda offers
Some herbs, such as methi and karela, lowered HbA1c a little in trials. Taken with diabetes medicines, they can add to the risk of low sugar.
Sources
- Kamgar E, Zembrzuska J, Zembrzuski W, Kaykhaii M. Quantifying of thallium in Shilajit and its supplements to unveil the potential risk of consumption of this popular traditional medicine. BMC Chem. 2025;19:20. PMID 39827344.
- Metformin hydrochloride tablets, US prescribing information, Clinical Pharmacology (DailyMed).
Awaiting review by The Good Vaidya Medical Board. Prepared from the sources below and checked against each one.
Published 4 November 2026 · Last updated 4 November 2026
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