Shilajit: Benefits, Evidence, Dosage & Safety

TL;DR

Shilajit is a mineral-rich exudate used in Ayurveda as a rasayana for fatigue and reproductive health. One 90-day RCT in 75 men aged 45-55 found 250 mg of purified shilajit twice daily raised total testosterone about 20% versus placebo. An 8-week trial found less strength loss after fatiguing exercise. Raw shilajit can contain lead and arsenic; use purified, third-party-tested products.

(60 words. Sources: Wilson et al. 2011, ethnopharmacology review; Pandit et al. 2016, RCT; Keller et al. 2019, RCT; BMC Chemistry heavy-metal analyses.)

What it is

Shilajit is a mineral-rich exudate that oozes from rock faces in mountain ranges including the Himalayas (Wilson et al., Journal of Ethnopharmacology review). What is sold as "shilajit" varies enormously: standardized purified extracts (such as the PrimaVie extract used in trials) are a different product from raw resin scraped from rock, and clinical results apply only to the specific preparation tested.

Traditional use

In Ayurveda, shilajit is classed as a rasayana, a rejuvenative, with a long history of traditional use for fatigue, vitality, and reproductive health (Wilson et al., Journal of Ethnopharmacology). It is also used in Tibetan and other traditional medicine systems. These are traditional claims, not clinical proof: the trial evidence is assessed separately below.

What modern research says

Testosterone in healthy middle-aged men

The most-cited human trial is a 2016 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in healthy men aged 45–55. Participants took purified shilajit at 250 mg twice daily for 90 days. Total testosterone rose about 20% and free testosterone about 19% versus placebo, with DHEAS also increasing, while LH and FSH remained stable (Pandit et al., Andrologia). This is a single trial of one proprietary extract (PrimaVie) in a narrow age band: it has not been independently replicated, and it was not conducted in men with clinically diagnosed low testosterone. It does not establish shilajit as a treatment for hypogonadism.

Male fertility (uncontrolled study)

An earlier 2010 clinical study, not placebo-controlled, evaluated processed shilajit in men with oligospermia (low sperm count). Sixty infertile patients were assessed, 35 enrolled, and 28 completed 90 days of 100 mg twice daily. Compared with baseline, completers showed a 61.4% increase in total sperm count, a 23.5% increase in serum testosterone, and lower semen malondialdehyde (an oxidative-stress marker); hepatic and renal profiles were unchanged (Biswas et al., Andrologia). Without a control group, these before-and-after changes cannot be separated from natural fluctuation or placebo effects: and the study population had clinical infertility, so results do not apply to healthy men.

Strength and fatigue

In an 8-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 63 recreationally active men, 500 mg/day of the proprietary shilajit extract retained more maximal muscular strength after a fatiguing protocol than the 250 mg/day group, and lowered baseline hydroxyproline (a marker of collagen breakdown) in the stronger half of the sample (Keller et al., Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition). Importantly, the trial did not show increased baseline strength: the effect was on retaining strength under fatigue, not building it. No human study has directly measured shilajit's effect on ATP production or mitochondrial respiration.

What the evidence does not support (yet)

No human trials exist for shilajit and Alzheimer's or other cognitive decline, diabetes, cancer, or altitude sickness: these applications rest on traditional use or laboratory work. The testosterone and strength findings are modest, narrowly scoped, and tied to specific proprietary extracts.

Dosage

There is no universally established dose, and trial regimens used specific branded preparations. The testosterone RCT used 250 mg of purified shilajit (PrimaVie) twice daily for 90 days (Pandit et al.). The strength trial used 500 mg/day for 8 weeks (Keller et al.); the oligospermia study used 100 mg of processed shilajit twice daily for 90 days (Biswas et al.). These are research regimens for specific extracts, not personal recommendations, and they do not transfer to raw resin or unstandardized products.

Safety & contraindications

The decisive safety issue is contamination, not the purified material itself. A BMC Chemistry analysis found thallium in crude shilajit samples ranging up to 0.226 µg/g, with some processed supplements actually exceeding the thallium levels of crude material (BMC Chemistry). A separate elemental analysis of Indian and Pakistani shilajit found toxic elements including lead, arsenic, mercury, cadmium, and others above standard permissible limits (Biological Trace Element Research, PubMed). Because raw shilajit is scraped from rock, avoid unpurified or untested products entirely; only use purified extracts with a batch-specific certificate of analysis.

Trial participants tolerated the studied extracts well, but long-term safety data are thin. Because shilajit can raise testosterone and DHEAS, men with hormone-sensitive conditions (such as prostate cancer) should be cautious. There are no safety data for pregnancy or breastfeeding: avoid use in these groups.

FAQs

Does shilajit increase testosterone?

In one 90-day placebo-controlled RCT in 75 healthy men aged 45-55, 250 mg of purified shilajit twice daily raised total testosterone about 20% and free testosterone about 19% versus placebo (Pandit et al.). This is a single small trial of one proprietary extract, not proof of a general effect, and it was not tested in men with clinically low testosterone.

Does shilajit help athletic performance?

Partially, but modestly. An 8-week RCT found 500 mg/day helped recreationally active men retain maximal strength after fatiguing exercise, without increasing baseline strength (Keller et al.). No human trial has measured muscle growth, ATP production, or VO₂max effects directly.

Is shilajit safe regarding heavy metals?

Only if it is purified and third-party tested. Independent analyses have documented lead, arsenic, mercury, cadmium, and thallium in commercial shilajit samples at levels above safe limits (Biological Trace Element Research; BMC Chemistry). Never buy raw or untested shilajit; demand a current certificate of analysis.

How much shilajit should I take?

Clinical trials used 250 mg twice daily (testosterone) or 500 mg/day (strength) of specific purified extracts for 8-90 days (Pandit et al.; Keller et al.). These are research doses of branded products, not general recommendations: and raw resin is not interchangeable with trial extracts.

Does shilajit improve fertility?

Unknown in any proven sense. One small uncontrolled study in men with low sperm count reported improved semen parameters after 90 days (Biswas et al.), but without a placebo group it cannot establish efficacy. Shilajit is not a treatment for infertility.

Who should not take shilajit?

Avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding (no safety data), and avoid unpurified or untested products (heavy-metal risk). Men with hormone-sensitive conditions should be cautious given the testosterone findings. Anyone with heart disease, blood pressure problems, or on prescription medication should consult a clinician first.

Sources

Disclaimer

This article is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Herbal products can interact with medications and are not suitable for everyone. Talk to a qualified healthcare practitioner before use — especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, managing a medical condition, or taking prescription medicines.