Energy and vitality
What people hope forSteadier energy and less tiredness.
What research showsNo human trial has measured everyday energy directly. Ideas about cellular energy come from lab and animal work.
01 · The basics
What is Shilajit?
Short answer
Shilajit is a sticky, blackish-brown resin that seeps from rock in high mountain ranges, especially the Himalayas. It forms over long periods from decomposed plant matter and is rich in fulvic acid and minerals. In the UK it's sold as a food supplement.
A typical Himalayan resin contains:
- Fulvic acid – the main organic compound and the one researchers measure most often.
- Humic acid and other naturally occurring organic substances.
- Dibenzo-alpha-pyrones – compounds characteristic of shilajit, studied for antioxidant activity in the lab.
- A broad range of minerals from the surrounding rock, including iron, magnesium and zinc, in amounts that vary by source.
Because it's a natural material, no two sources are quite the same – which is why testing each batch matters more for shilajit than for most supplements.
02 · Why people use it
Why do people take Shilajit?
Short answer
Most people take Shilajit for energy, stamina and general vitality, and many men take it as part of a healthy-ageing routine. Those uses come from a long tradition in Ayurveda, where it is valued as a rejuvenating tonic.
In Ayurveda, shilajit is a rasayana – a substance used to support vitality and longevity – and it appears in many classical preparations. Today, people commonly take it for steadier energy through the day, for recovery around training, or simply as a daily ritual alongside a good diet and sleep.
Men make up a large share of users, but plenty of women take shilajit too. The catch is that almost all the human research so far has been done in men.
03 · At a glance
The potential benefits of Shilajit, and how strong the evidence is
Short answer
The best-supported potential benefits are higher testosterone in healthy middle-aged men and better strength retention during tiring exercise, each backed by one small randomised trial. Energy, focus, antioxidant and immune benefits rest mainly on tradition or laboratory work.
Evidence rating: one bar means traditional use only; two, laboratory or animal studies; three, a small human study without a placebo group; four, at least one randomised human trial (all of them small so far).
-
-
Stamina and exercise
What people hope forBetter workouts and recovery.
What research showsActive men taking 500 mg a day for 8 weeks lost less strength after a fatiguing test than those on placebo.
-
Men's wellness and testosterone
What people hope forHealthy hormone levels with age.
What research showsHealthy men aged 45–55 had higher testosterone after 90 days than men on placebo.
-
Reproductive health
What people hope forBetter sperm quality.
What research showsMen with low sperm counts showed improvements after 90 days, but there was no comparison group.
-
Focus and cognition
What people hope forClearer thinking and memory.
What research showsFulvic acid stopped a brain protein from clumping in a test tube. There are no human trials.
-
Antioxidant and cellular health
What people hope forProtection against everyday cell stress.
What research showsAntioxidant activity in lab tests; a 2011 review found the animal studies too weak to rely on.
-
Immune support
What people hope forFewer winter colds.
What research showsUsed traditionally as a general tonic, but there are no human studies on immunity, and reviewers have called for better laboratory work first.
04 · Energy and stamina
Does Shilajit help with energy and stamina?
Short answer
Shilajit's energy reputation comes mainly from traditional use. The closest human evidence is a 2019 trial in which active men taking 500 mg a day held on to more of their strength after a tiring exercise test. It didn't measure everyday energy or fatigue.
In that trial, 63 recreationally active men took 250 mg, 500 mg or a placebo for eight weeks. Afterwards, the 500 mg group lost about 9% of their strength during a fatiguing leg exercise, compared with roughly 16–17% in the other groups. They also had lower levels of a blood marker linked to collagen breakdown. The lower dose made no difference.
A separate 2016 study found that eight weeks of shilajit changed the activity of collagen-related genes in muscle, more so once exercise was added. That's interesting biology, but it isn't the same as feeling more energetic.
A realistic expectation: some people find shilajit a helpful part of their routine, and the traditional use is long-standing. It isn't a substitute for sleep, food, training or medical care if you're persistently tired – that's worth raising with your GP.
For the study details, see the exercise and strength research.
05 · Men's wellness
Shilajit benefits for men: testosterone and fertility research
Short answer
The best-known Shilajit study in men found that healthy 45 to 55-year-olds taking 250 mg of a purified extract twice daily had higher testosterone after 90 days than those on placebo. It's one trial of one extract, so it's promising rather than proven.
Testosterone
The 2016 trial involved 75 healthy men. By day 90, total testosterone in the shilajit group was about 20% above where it started, with free testosterone up by a similar amount and DHEAS also higher. The men weren't selected for low testosterone, and the study measured blood levels, not how participants felt.
Sperm quality
A smaller 2010 study gave 100 mg twice daily to men with low sperm counts for 90 days and reported better sperm count and motility. It had no placebo group, so the result is a starting point for research, not evidence of a fertility benefit.
Talk to your GP first if you're concerned about testosterone, libido or fertility. These can have medical causes that need proper assessment, and shilajit is not a treatment for any of them.
Both studies are covered in depth in our testosterone and reproductive research review.
06 · Composition
Fulvic acid and minerals in Shilajit resin
Short answer
Fulvic acid is the main organic compound in Shilajit and the marker laboratories most often measure. Shilajit also carries a wide range of minerals from the rock it forms in. Neither makes it a replacement for a varied diet.
You'll often read that fulvic acid helps the body absorb minerals. It's a reasonable idea from laboratory work, but it hasn't been confirmed in human studies, so we don't claim it.
Our resin is specified at more than 60% fulvic acid, with some batches around 75%, based on an IAS Laboratories composition report. Percentages from different laboratories aren't directly comparable, because methods differ – a figure is only meaningful alongside the method used. Our "85+ trace minerals" description refers to shilajit's broad natural mineral profile and our product specification; the Lab Reports page explains exactly what each figure means.
If you have a diagnosed mineral deficiency, work with your GP on it. Shilajit isn't designed to correct one.
07 · Context
Traditional use versus modern research
Shilajit has been used in Ayurveda for centuries, often described as the "conqueror of mountains" and "destroyer of weakness". That history is the reason scientists started studying it, and it's part of what makes shilajit special to many people who take it.
Tradition and research answer different questions, though. Tradition tells you how a substance has been used and valued; research tests whether a specific effect can be measured. For shilajit, research has so far confirmed a few small effects in people and left many traditional uses untested – not disproven, just not yet studied properly.
08 · Summary
What the evidence actually shows
| Potential benefit | Strongest evidence so far | In plain English |
|---|---|---|
| Testosterone | 1 randomised trial, 75 healthy men | Promising; needs repeating |
| Strength during tiring exercise | 1 randomised trial, 63 active men | An early, encouraging signal |
| Sperm quality | 1 small study, no placebo group | Too early to say |
| Everyday energy | Traditional use; lab and animal work | Not yet tested in people |
| Focus and memory | Laboratory studies | No human evidence |
| Antioxidant effects | Laboratory and animal studies | No human evidence |
| Immune support | Traditional use | No human evidence |
All of the human trials used purified extracts in capsules, for 8 to 12 weeks. That doesn't mean other shilajit won't behave the same way – it means nobody has tested it yet, so results can't simply be transferred from one product to another.
09 · Suitability
Who Shilajit may suit, and who should check first
May suit
- Adults interested in traditional supplements with some modern research behind them
- Active adults looking for a daily routine supplement around training
- Men over 40 interested in healthy ageing
- Anyone who wants a supplement with published batch testing
Not recommended, or speak to your GP first
- Not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Not recommended for anyone under 18
- Anyone taking prescription medication, including diabetes medication or blood thinners
- People with a kidney or liver condition, gout, or an iron-overload condition such as haemochromatosis
10 · Using it
How to take Shilajit resin
Short answer
Dissolve a pea-sized amount of resin, roughly 250 to 500 mg, in warm (not boiling) water, herbal tea or warm milk, once or twice a day. Start at the lower end and build up gradually.
Some people prefer the morning, others after exercise; there's no research showing one time is better. Full guidance, including how to measure with the spatula, is on our how to use Shilajit page.
Resin, capsules or powder?
Resin is the least processed form and the easiest to match against a laboratory report. Capsules and powders are more convenient, and a well-tested capsule can be a perfectly good product – what matters most is the documentation behind it. Our guide to Shilajit resin versus capsules versus powder compares them in detail.
11 · Quality
Choosing quality Shilajit in the UK
Short answer
Look for a current laboratory report that names the laboratory and a batch you can match to your jar, with numerical results for heavy metals and ideally wider screening. Clear origin, a described purification process and honest, non-medical claims are good signs too.
- A current, batch-specific lab report from a named, accredited laboratory.
- Numbers for lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic, not just the word "passed".
- Wider screening where possible: microbiology, mycotoxins and pesticides.
- Fulvic acid stated with its method, since percentages vary between laboratories.
- Clear origin and purification, described by the brand in its own words.
- Food-supplement positioning, with no claims to treat or cure anything.
- UK contact details and a written returns policy.
Home tests, such as watching resin dissolve in warm water, can tell you something about texture but can't confirm purity or rule out contaminants. Only a laboratory report can do that. Our guide to identifying genuine Shilajit covers what home checks can and can't tell you.
Why Nature Elixirs testing matters
Our resin is collected in the Himalayan range and purified at our own facility in Pakistan. Each batch is then tested by an independent, accredited laboratory before release. The current batch, SJ2509, was screened by AGROLAB LUFA GmbH for heavy metals, mycotoxins, PAHs, 31 plant toxins, pesticide residues and microbiology – a wider panel than the heavy-metals-only reports common in this category.
You can view the Nature Elixirs laboratory reports in full and see the certificates held across our production chain.
12 · Questions
Questions about Shilajit benefits
What are the main benefits of Shilajit?
Shilajit is traditionally used for energy, stamina and vitality. In modern research, small human trials have reported higher testosterone in healthy middle-aged men and better retention of muscle strength after tiring exercise. Other claimed benefits, such as for memory or immunity, rest mainly on laboratory studies or traditional use.
Does Shilajit give you energy?
Many people take it for energy, and that use goes back centuries. However, no human trial has directly measured everyday energy or tiredness. The closest evidence is a 2019 trial in which active men taking 500 mg a day lost less strength after a fatiguing exercise test.
Is Shilajit good for men?
Men's health is the most-studied area. One randomised trial found higher testosterone in healthy men aged 45 to 55 after 90 days, and a small study without a placebo group reported better sperm count and motility. These are early findings, and Shilajit is not a treatment for low testosterone or infertility.
How long does Shilajit take to work?
There is no fixed timeline, and effects are not guaranteed. The human studies ran for 8 to 12 weeks, so research says little about shorter periods. Individual responses vary with health, diet, sleep and the product used.
Who should not take Shilajit?
Shilajit is not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or for anyone under 18. If you take prescription medication or have a kidney or liver condition, gout or an iron-overload condition, speak to your GP or pharmacist before using it.
Is Shilajit legal in the UK?
Yes. Shilajit is legally sold in the UK as a food supplement. It must not be marketed as a treatment for any medical condition, and food supplements are not pre-approved before sale in the way medicines are.
How should I store Shilajit resin?
Keep the jar tightly closed in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Resin can firm up in cold weather and soften when warm. This is normal, and a firm resin softens again at room temperature or in warm water.
Related Nature Elixirs resources
Pure Himalayan Shilajit Resin, 30g
- Soft resin in a glass jar, with a measuring spatula
- Himalayan origin, purified at our own facility
- Every batch tested by an accredited laboratory, reports published
- Dispatched from London, with a 28-day returns window
Honest about the research. Open about the resin.
Pure Himalayan Shilajit Resin from Nature Elixirs comes with the batch report behind it, so you know exactly what you're taking.
Shilajit is sold in the UK as a food supplement, not a medicine. This page describes traditional use and published research for general information; it is not medical advice and makes no claim that Shilajit diagnoses, treats, cures or prevents any disease. Individual experiences vary. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or managing a health condition, speak to your GP or pharmacist before taking any supplement.
