Shilajit

Supplements · Adaptogens & Stress Herbs · Supplement, Typed Supps

A tar-like resin from Himalayan rocks, used in Ayurvedic medicine, with small early trials on energy and testosterone and a real need for quality testing.

Stage by stage

Intake (Resin or capsule): Taken dissolved in warm water or milk, or as a standardized capsule.
Stomach and gut (Absorbed): Absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract with normal digestion.
Bloodstream (Circulates): Carried through the blood to tissues throughout the body.
Hormonal and energy pathways (Studied, early-stage): Studied for effects on testosterone and fatigue, based on small trials not yet replicated at scale.

What the evidence supports

Raising testosterone in middle-aged men — limited evidence. A single randomized, placebo-controlled trial (60 healthy men aged 45-55, purified shilajit 250mg twice daily for 90 days) found significantly higher total and free testosterone versus placebo. It hasn't been independently replicated in a larger trial, so it counts as an early, not established, signal.
Reducing fatigue or improving strength and exercise performance — limited evidence. Small, short trials (around four weeks) of purified shilajit reported improved strength, endurance, and fatigue markers, but sample sizes were small and few were both placebo-controlled and independently funded.
Evidence on Heavy-metal and contaminant risk in commercial products — moderate evidence. Because it forms in direct contact with rock and soil, raw shilajit can carry lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury and thallium. Independent lab testing of commercial products has generally found levels beneath concern in purified, tested products, but untested raw resin is a real and recurring contamination risk in this specific category.

Typical dose

250-500mg of purified extract, once or twice daily, standardized to fulvic acid content — matching the small trials

Upper limit: No established UL

Timing

Often dissolved in warm water or milk; use only products with published heavy-metal testing.

Time to effect

Weeks to months: The trials showing an effect measured change between four and thirteen weeks of continuous use.

Common myth

“Shilajit is a completely safe ancient superfood because it’s natural.” In reality: Because it forms in direct contact with rock and soil, untested raw shilajit can carry real amounts of lead, arsenic, cadmium and thallium — purification and independent batch testing, not tradition, are what make a product safe to use.