Does Shilajit Raise Testosterone? One 90-Day Trial, a Few Small Studies, and a Heavy-Metal Problem
Shilajit is sold as a testosterone and energy booster. One placebo-controlled trial in men aged 45 to 55 found higher testosterone after 90 days; most other human data come from small trials of purified extracts. Raw and poorly made products can carry lead, mercury or arsenic.
By Kymata Health Editorial Published Last checked
We earn a commission if you buy through links on this page. It never changes our grades or rankings. How we make money →
What this article covers
1 evidence profileKey takeaways
From 8 sources- In a randomized, placebo-controlled trial, men aged 45 to 55 taking 250 mg of purified shilajit twice a day for 90 days had higher total and free testosterone and DHEAS than placebo1.
- That abstract reports the rise only as statistically significant, without the size of the change, and we found no independent repeat of the trial1.
- A 90-day study in 28 men with low sperm counts reported a 23.5% rise in testosterone, but it had no placebo group2.
- Other trials of a purified extract looked at strength after fatigue, bone density and a collagen marker, not testosterone345.
- About 1 in 5 Ayurvedic medicines bought online contained lead, mercury or arsenic in a JAMA study of 193 products6.
The evidence, graded
Pulled from the trial tables in our evidence profiles. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.
Graded findings
2 rows- DGrade DStrength loss after a fatiguing exercise testMixed Among stronger men, 500 mg a day reduced the fatigue-related drop in strength (8.9% vs 16.0% with placebo); 250 mg did not differ from placebo.Shilajit · RCT · n=63 · 2019 · PMID 30728074
- DGrade DBone mineral density after menopauseImproved Spine and hip bone density fell with placebo but was dose-dependently preserved with shilajit; bone-turnover, oxidative-stress and CRP markers improved.Shilajit · RCT · n=60 · 2022 · PMID 35933897
Safety at a glance
From our Shilajit evidence profilePublished interactions and cautions only. Each one is cited on our Shilajit evidence profile, with its own numbered sources.
Who should be careful
- Anyone buying unpurified or untested shilajit
- Ayurvedic products sold online often contained lead, mercury or arsenic. A 2022 analysis found lead and arsenic above permissible limits in Indian and Pakistani shilajit (mercury only in the Indian samples), and a 2025 study found thallium in raw shilajit and in some supplements at higher levels than the raw material.
- People with hormone-sensitive conditions
- Testosterone and DHEA-S rose in a 90-day trial in men, and testosterone rose 23.5% in an uncontrolled study of men with low sperm counts.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- No trials have tested shilajit in pregnancy or breastfeeding. A 37-year-old pregnant woman who had used mumijo for 6 months developed high blood pressure and low potassium (a licorice-like syndrome); she was given potassium and stopped mumijo.
- High blood pressure or low potassium
- The pregnancy case report above describes mumijo-related high blood pressure and low potassium, so people managing either may want to discuss it with a clinician first; this is a single case.
What shilajit is
Shilajit is a mineral-rich rock exudate used in Ayurvedic medicine, made up mainly of fulvic acids, dibenzo-alpha-pyrones, proteins and minerals3. A 2014 safety and efficacy review found relatively few well-controlled human studies and called for more trials using standardized products8. Most modern trials used purified, standardized extracts rather than raw resin13.
The testosterone trial
The trial behind most testosterone claims was run in India in healthy men aged 45 to 551. It was randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled, and used 250 mg of purified shilajit twice a day for 90 days1. Compared with placebo, total testosterone, free testosterone and DHEAS (an adrenal hormone the body can convert to sex hormones) rose significantly, while LH and FSH, the pituitary hormones that drive testosterone production, stayed steady1.
What the abstract does not say is how big the rise was, or whether the men started with low testosterone1. Without that, it is hard to know whether the change would matter to how anyone feels. It is also a single trial from one research group.
The fertility study
The same group earlier gave 100 mg of processed shilajit twice a day for 90 days to men with low sperm counts2. Of 35 enrolled, 28 finished; total sperm count rose 61.4% and serum testosterone 23.5% compared with their own starting values2. With no placebo group, some of that change could be chance or regression toward normal, so it is a lead rather than proof.
Strength, bone and collagen
Three more trials tested purified extracts on other outcomes:
- Strength: in 63 recreationally active young men, 500 mg a day for 8 weeks helped the stronger half of participants keep more strength after a fatiguing leg workout (an 8.9% drop versus 16.0% on placebo); 250 mg did not differ from placebo3.
- Bone: in 60 postmenopausal women with osteopenia, bone density fell on placebo over 48 weeks but was preserved in a dose-dependent way on 250 or 500 mg of extract4.
- Collagen: in 35 trained men, 500 or 1,000 mg a day for 8 weeks raised a blood marker of type 1 collagen production5.
- Our shilajit page grades all of these D: small, single trials of purified extracts.
The heavy-metal problem
In a JAMA study, researchers bought Ayurvedic medicines online and tested 193 of them: 20.7% contained detectable lead, mercury or arsenic6. Among the contaminated products, 75% claimed Good Manufacturing Practices, and every one exceeded at least one standard for acceptable daily intake of toxic metals6. That study covered Ayurvedic products broadly, not shilajit alone6.
A 2022 lab analysis of Indian and Pakistani shilajit found lead, arsenic and mercury among the elements present at levels above permissible limits7. If you buy shilajit at all, a purified extract with published third-party heavy-metal testing is the minimum to look for67.
Before you try it
If low testosterone is the worry, a blood test comes first: symptoms like fatigue and low libido have many causes. See low testosterone symptoms and which blood tests matter on TRT. For how shilajit stacks up against other boosters, see TRT vs testosterone boosters and our look at tongkat ali. Because the testosterone trial found hormone changes, people with hormone-sensitive conditions should raise it with a clinician first1.
Quick answers
Common questions
4 answersHow much shilajit was used in the testosterone study?
250 mg of purified shilajit twice a day, for 90 days1.
Does shilajit work as fast as TRT?
There is no head-to-head trial. The one placebo-controlled shilajit trial ran 90 days and did not report the size of the testosterone rise in its abstract1.
Is raw shilajit resin safer than capsules?
Can women take shilajit?
One trial in postmenopausal women studied bone density, not hormones4. Our shilajit page found no pregnancy or breastfeeding safety data.
Keep reading
Full evidence profiles
Every graded study, studied doses, interactions and safetyRelated articles
4 articles- ArticleAshwagandha for Stress and Sleep: What the Trials Found, and Why the Results Vary So MuchDoes ashwagandha help with stress and sleep?
- ArticleAshwagandha for Testosterone: What the Trials Show (About 57 ng/dL, With Big Caveats)Does ashwagandha raise testosterone, and by how much?
- ArticleAshwagandha Interactions: Thyroid Medicine, Sedatives, SSRIs, Alcohol, Magnesium and L-TheanineWhat does ashwagandha interact with?
- ArticleAshwagandha Side Effects: The Liver, Thyroid and Pregnancy Warnings Behind Denmark’s BanWhat are the side effects of ashwagandha?
More on Supplements and vitamins
9 pages- TopicSupplements and vitamins: every page
- PreviousDoes Saw Palmetto Work for an Enlarged Prostate? Large Trials Say It Matches PlaceboA Cochrane review of 27 trials and two large North American trials, one at triple the usual dose, found saw palmetto no better than placebo for urinary symptoms.
- NextDoes Tongkat Ali Work? Small, Short Trials and Mixed ResultsHormone levels rose in small, short trials, pooled questionnaire scores did not change overall, and one trial measured immune lab scores.
- In this topicDoes Valerian Root Help You Sleep? Trials Show Small, Mostly Self-Rated GainsValerian beats placebo mainly on yes-or-no questions about whether sleep felt better.
- In this topicDoes Vitamin D Protect Your Bones? The 25,871-Person Trial That Surprised EveryoneMillions of adults over 50 take vitamin D for their bones.
- In this topicElectrolyte Drinks vs Water: When the Extra Sodium Matters, and When It Does NotElectrolyte powders are marketed for everyday hydration.
- ToolEvidence-graded supplement stacks
- Also inTestosterone (TRT) and men's hormones
- TopicsBrowse all topics
Browse the full Supplement & Nutrient Encyclopedia or all supplement articles.
Where to buy Shilajit
Products from brands we partner with that contain Shilajit. Check the amount per serving against the doses studied, and the label for other ingredients.
Shilajit products from partner brands
1 product Paid links · we earn a commission- SupersmartSuper Shilajit5% off with the Supersmart newsletterGet 5% off with the newsletter (paid link, opens in new tab)
Offer details
Sign up for the newsletter at the bottom of us.supersmart.com; Supersmart says the 5% discount is permanent.
- Supersmart’s footer offer reads “Subscribe to our newsletter and obtain a 5% permanent discount.”
- Supersmart says Subscribe & Save discounts can’t be combined with the 5% newsletter discount.
- 20% applies when 3 or more products ship on auto-delivery to the same address.
- Only products that show the Subscribe & Save offer qualify, and a Supersmart account is required.
- The newsletter discount and Subscribe & Save are separate offers; we don’t claim they combine.
- Offer terms from Supersmart’s site, checked Oct 16, 2026. Offers can change; the brand's checkout is final.
2 capsules: 500 mg PrimaVie purified shilajit standardized to 50% fulvic acids; 30 servings. The same branded extract and 500 mg dose as the strength trial.
$33.00one-time$28.05subscribeChecked Oct 11, 2026
References
8 sources. Numbers in the text link here.
Sources cited in this article
8 sources- 1Clinical evaluation of purified Shilajit on testosterone levels in healthy volunteersAndrologia, 2016 · PMID 26395129
- 2Clinical evaluation of spermatogenic activity of processed Shilajit in oligospermiaAndrologia, 2010 · PMID 20078516
- 3The effects of Shilajit supplementation on fatigue-induced decreases in muscular strength and serum hydroxyproline levelsJ Int Soc Sports Nutr, 2019 · PMID 30728074
- 4Shilajit extract reduces oxidative stress, inflammation, and bone loss to dose-dependently preserve bone mineral density in postmenopausal women with osteopenia: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trialPhytomedicine, 2022 · PMID 35933897
- 5Effects of 8 Weeks of Shilajit Supplementation on Serum Pro-c1α1, a Biomarker of Type 1 Collagen Synthesis: A Randomized Control TrialJ Diet Suppl, 2024 · PMID 36546868
- 6Lead, mercury, and arsenic in US- and Indian-manufactured Ayurvedic medicines sold via the InternetJAMA, 2008 · PMID 18728265
- 7Rapid Determination and Quantification of Nutritional and Poisonous Metals in Vastly Consumed Ayurvedic Herbal Medicine (Rejuvenator Shilajit) by Humans Using Three Advanced Analytical TechniquesBiol Trace Elem Res, 2022 · PMID 34800280
- 8Safety and efficacy of shilajit (mumie, moomiyo)Phytother Res, 2014 · PMID 23733436
Shilajit and other dietary supplements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, and these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Talk to your clinician or pharmacist before starting a supplement, especially if you take prescription medicines. Product links on this page are paid partner links.