Shilajit Resin: Energy, Testosterone, Altitude

What shilajit is

Shilajit is a purified, tar-like mineral resin that seeps from rock at high altitude in the Himalayas and Central Asia (Meena 2010). Its key constituents are fulvic acid and dibenzo-α-pyrones (DBPs). Lab and review data suggest they may support cellular energy (ATP) production and antioxidant defense (Stohs 2014). A 2010 narrative review proposes that fulvic acid helps carry nutrients into tissues; this has not been tested in humans.

The human evidence is small. A 2014 review describes "relatively few well-controlled human studies" and calls for more.

Takeaway: if you try shilajit, choose a purified resin or extract with a certificate of analysis (COA) for heavy metals, give it 8–12 weeks, and track an objective measure (training, or labs if you are a man testing hormones).

What the research found

Testosterone in men. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in healthy men aged 45–55, 250 mg of purified shilajit twice daily for 90 days raised total testosterone, free testosterone and DHEA-S more than placebo (Pandit 2016).
Strength and recovery. One 8-week randomized trial in 63 recreationally active men (21 per group) used 250 or 500 mg a day. Benefits on muscle strength after fatigue and on hydroxyproline (a connective-tissue marker) appeared only in the stronger half of participants. In that subgroup, strength fell 8.9% with 500 mg versus 17.0% with 250 mg and 16.0% with placebo. The 250 mg group did not differ from placebo. No adverse events were reported. The trial used a branded product (PrimaVie), so results apply to that product (Keller 2019).
Male fertility. In an uncontrolled study, 35 men with low sperm counts were enrolled and 28 completed 90 days of 100 mg twice daily. Total sperm count rose 61% and motility 12–17% against each man's own baseline. Liver and kidney tests were unchanged (Biswas 2010). With no control group, this cannot show shilajit caused the change.
Altitude. No human trial of shilajit for altitude was found. The only paper is a 2010 narrative review, not a controlled trial. A dose for altitude is not established.

What to buy and avoid

Choose a purified resin or extract with a recent COA that shows heavy metals below WHO or FDA limits (as cited in Hussain and Saeed 2024). See the glossary entry on a COA.
Avoid raw or unprocessed shilajit and products with no contaminant testing. A 2022 analysis of Indian and Pakistani shilajit found lead, arsenic and mercury "in amounts that exceeded the standard permissible limit" (Aldakheel 2022).
A 2024 literature review found most reported metal levels below WHO and FDA limits, but some studies exceeded them (Hussain and Saeed 2024). WHO published guidelines on contaminants in herbal medicines in 2007 (WHO).

Doses used in the trials

Strength and recovery: 250 or 500 mg a day for 8 weeks; only the 500 mg dose showed an effect, and only in the stronger half of the group.
Testosterone in men: 250 mg twice daily for 90 days. The trial measured hormones at the end; rechecking labs at about 12 weeks is practical advice, not something the trial tested.
Fertility study: 100 mg twice daily for 90 days, after major meals.
Altitude: no tested dose.

Safety

Product quality is the main risk: see the heavy-metal findings above.
Allergy is rare but reported. A 2019 case report describes anaphylaxis with shilajit as a cofactor. Stop and seek urgent care for hives, facial or throat swelling, or trouble breathing (Losa 2019).
No human interaction studies were found, so the evidence on medicines is thin (Stohs 2014). Ask a clinician before using it with prescription medicines.
The trials we checked did not study pregnancy or breastfeeding, so they give no safety data for either.

Sources

Pandit S et al. Clinical evaluation of purified Shilajit on testosterone levels in healthy volunteers. Andrologia 2016. PubMed 26395129
Keller JL et al. The effects of Shilajit supplementation on fatigue-induced decreases in muscular strength and serum hydroxyproline levels. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2019. PubMed 30728074
Biswas TK et al. Clinical evaluation of spermatogenic activity of processed Shilajit in oligospermia. Andrologia 2010. PubMed 20078516
Aldakheel RK et al. Rapid determination and quantification of nutritional and poisonous metals in Rejuvenator Shilajit. Biol Trace Elem Res 2022. PubMed 34800280
Hussain A, Saeed A. Hazardous or advantageous: uncovering the roles of heavy metals and humic substances in Shilajit. Biol Trace Elem Res 2024. PubMed 38393486
Losa F et al. Exercise-induced anaphylaxis with an Ayurvedic drug as cofactor: a case report. World J Clin Cases 2019. PubMed 30863761
Stohs SJ. Safety and efficacy of shilajit (mumie, moomiyo). Phytother Res 2014. PubMed 23733436
Meena H et al. Shilajit: a panacea for high-altitude problems. Int J Ayurveda Res 2010. PubMed 20532096
WHO. Guidelines for assessing quality of herbal medicines with reference to contaminants and residues, 2007.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Talk to a clinician before using shilajit, especially if you take medicines or have a medical condition.