Australian healthcare company Himalayan Power Shilajit recently rolled out an ad featuring a product Shilajit, a nutrient-rich herbal biomass.
The ad shows that Shilajit has 87 out of 102 nutrients essential for the human body. And, if one spoon (mixed with a glass of warm water/milk/coffee/tea) is taken each day for close to two weeks, it can greatly improve the overall health of the user.
Besides Australia, the ad has also gained a quite lot of attention in India, as people pointed out that the Himalayan Shilajit has been in use in Ayurvedic medicine for several centuries.
For the uninitiated, Himalayan Shilajit is a sticky, resinous substance locally found at high altitude Himalaya mountain range spread across Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Tibet, Bhutan and Nepal. The biomass is formed from the slow decomposition of plants over centuries. It's a common ingredient in Indian Ayurvedic medicine and is considered a safe and effective supplement that can improve overall health and well-being.
It also has the power to decrease stress-induced hormones like excess cortisol and bring relief. Further, it has energy booster properties to increase the stamina of the body to lead an active lifestyle.
Shilajit, which contains antioxidants and bioactive minerals, is also known to improve immunity and reduce the rate of ageing of the human body.
"Shilajit has Zinc, Magnesium and vitamin Bs which help to regulate sexual hormones in both men and women. Himalayan Shilajit increases total sperm count in men and helps in fertility," the company noted.
Indians commented that foreign countries are always late to catch up with Indian ayurvedic medicine.
"Okay after finding turmeric and its benefits and making it go from haldhi doodh ( turmeric milk) to golden milk, they have now finally found shilajit; don't make it some black water lemonade now," said an individual on Instagram.
"Western people act like they discovered something new which Indians knew for so long", another user replied on Himalayan Power Shilajit's Instagram handle video.
The Himalayan Power Shilajit is being sold for AUS$62.95 (around Rs 3,550) for 15g. It is also available in 30gm and 50gm for AUS$94.95 (around Rs 5,354) and AUS$144.95 (roughly Rs 8,173), respectively.
The company is procuring the Himalayan Shilajit from a supply partner in Gilgit Baltistan (Pakistan).
In India, several companies including Dabur sell Shilajit for around Rs 595 for a 15gm pack.