Purified shilajit helped men hold on to strength after a fatiguing workout, but only at the higher dose. Here is what that means for labels.
Key Takeaways
- In an 8-week trial with 63 active men, 500 mg a day of purified shilajit reduced the loss of strength after a fatiguing exercise test. The finding was in the stronger half of participants.
- 250 mg a day did no better than placebo.
- Shilajit extracts differ a lot. A 20:1, 10:1 or 100:1 extract and a fulvic acid percentage all mean different things, so amounts are not directly comparable across studies.
- Human research on shilajit is still limited.
What Shilajit Is
Shilajit is a mineral-rich resin that seeps from rock in high mountain ranges such as the Himalayas. Its main active compounds are fulvic acids. Raw resin must be purified and tested, because untreated shilajit can carry heavy metals. Every DLNIA batch is tested for lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury.
The Strength and Fatigue Trial
Researchers gave 63 recreationally active men 250 mg or 500 mg a day of a purified shilajit, or placebo, for 8 weeks. They then measured how much maximum strength dropped after a fatiguing exercise test.
How Our Amounts Compare
What the Research Does Not Show
There are few human trials of shilajit. They are small, and most use one branded ingredient. The strength result above applied to a subgroup at the higher dose. Treat shilajit as a traditional ingredient with early human data, not a proven performance aid.
References
- 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;16. PubMed · DOI: 10.1186/s12970-019-0270-2