# Shilajit for strength and exercise performance

Source: https://shilajit.uk/benefits/exercise-performance/
Author: Sam Rowan · Updated 2026-10-16

**Short answer:** The evidence is weak. In a placebo-controlled trial of 63 young men, 500 mg of shilajit a day for 8 weeks helped muscles hold their strength during a fatiguing test, but only in the stronger half of the group (Keller et al., 2019). A 28-day study reporting bigger gains had no placebo group.

**Evidence grade:** Weak evidence. Small, short or poorly controlled human studies, or animal and lab work only.

Shilajit is marketed to gym-goers as a natural way to lift more, last longer and recover faster. Two small studies have tested this directly. One was properly controlled and found a narrow benefit; the other found broad improvements but had no control group. Both were connected to companies that sell the product tested.

In 2000, a review of herbal products used in sport listed shilajit among herbs that remained "virtually untested" (Bucci, 2000). A quarter of a century later, that has only partly changed. We grade the evidence as weak.

## What did the placebo-controlled strength trial find?

Shilajit at 500 mg a day helped muscles keep their strength during an exhausting test, but only in the stronger men. Researchers at the University of Nebraska randomly assigned 63 recreationally active men, average age 21, to 250 mg or 500 mg a day of a standardised extract (PrimaVie) or a placebo for eight weeks, 21 men per group (Keller et al., 2019).

Before and after the eight weeks, the men did two sets of 50 maximal leg extensions, with strength measured before and after the sets. The key results:

- **Across all 63 men:** no significant difference between groups in strength or fatigue.
- **In the stronger half:** the 500 mg group lost 8.9% of their strength during the test, against 17.0% on 250 mg and 16.0% on placebo.
- **Hydroxyproline**, a blood marker of collagen breakdown, was lower in the stronger men taking 500 mg.
- **250 mg** did no better than placebo on any measure.
- There were no reported side effects.

The trial was funded by Natreon, the maker of PrimaVie. Splitting a group in half after the fact and finding an effect in one half is a known way to find results that later fail to repeat, so this should be treated as a hint, not a finding.

## What about the 28-day resin study?

It reported large improvements, but had no comparison group. Twenty-five healthy men aged 21 to 55 took 250 mg of a branded shilajit resin twice a day for 28 days (Yadav et al., 2026).

| Measure | Change after 28 days |
| --- | --- |
| Leg press one-rep max | Up 12.9% |
| Muscle endurance | Up 12.3% |
| Grip strength (dominant hand) | Up 5.7% |
| VO₂ max (aerobic fitness) | Up 1.4% |
| Lean body mass | Up 1.5% |
| Body fat percentage | Down 2.3% |
| CRP, a marker of inflammation | Down 25.4% |
| Creatine kinase, a muscle damage marker | Down 41.7%, not statistically significant |

These numbers look impressive, but in people who are tested twice on strength exercises, scores often rise simply through practice and familiarity with the test. Without a placebo group, there is no way to tell how much of the gain came from shilajit. Four of the six authors work for the resin's maker.

## Does shilajit help muscles adapt to exercise?

Possibly at the level of gene activity, though it hasn't been shown to make a practical difference. In a US study of overweight and mildly obese adults, 250 mg of a standardised extract twice a day for eight weeks switched on a cluster of 17 genes in muscle linked to the supporting tissue around muscle fibres, including collagen, elastin and fibronectin (Das et al., 2016). The study continued for four more weeks with added exercise. Blood glucose, cholesterol and markers of muscle damage did not change. One author worked for Natreon.

A related trial in 35 trained young men found 500 or 1,000 mg a day for eight weeks raised a blood marker of collagen production (Neltner et al., 2024). Collagen matters for tendons and ligaments, but neither study measured injuries, recovery time or performance. See [skin and collagen](/benefits/skin-and-collagen/) for detail.

## What about shilajit in pre-workout blends?

Combination products tell us little about shilajit itself. A Texas trial of 166 sedentary adults with signs of metabolic syndrome tested chromium, amla fruit extract and shilajit during a 12-week diet and exercise programme (Martinez et al., 2025). The shilajit dose was just 6 or 12 mg a day, a tiny fraction of the doses in other studies, and some benefits on fitness and body composition were seen in the groups that also got chromium and amla. It was funded by Kerry, an ingredient supplier. You can't attribute anything in it to shilajit.

## Should athletes use shilajit?

That's a personal choice, but the evidence doesn't justify expecting much. If you compete under anti-doping rules, the bigger concern is contamination. Shilajit varies widely in quality and some products contain heavy metals (see [heavy metals in shilajit](/safety/heavy-metals/) and our [certificate of analysis guide](/buying-guide/certificate-of-analysis/)).

If you want to try it, the one controlled trial found a possible effect only at 500 mg a day over eight weeks. The [energy and fatigue](/benefits/energy-and-fatigue/) page covers the overlapping evidence on tiredness, and the [benefits overview](/benefits/) puts all of this in context.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does shilajit build muscle?

There is no good evidence that it does. A 28-day uncontrolled study reported a 1.5% rise in lean body mass (Yadav et al., 2026), but without a placebo group that can't be separated from the effect of training and normal variation.

### Is shilajit banned in sport?

We have not found shilajit named on anti-doping lists, but any supplement can be contaminated with banned substances. Athletes who are tested should check with their governing body before using it and choose batch-tested products.

### What dose of shilajit was used in exercise studies?

The placebo-controlled strength trial found a benefit only at 500 mg a day, not 250 mg (Keller et al., 2019). The uncontrolled resin study used 250 mg twice a day (Yadav et al., 2026).

## References

1. [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(1):3.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30728074/) Funded by Natreon Inc, maker of the PrimaVie extract tested.
2. [Yadav D et al. Safety and Efficacy of TruBlk Shilajit Resin Supplementation on Physical Performance and Blood Biomarkers in Healthy Adults: A 28-Day Open-Label Pilot Study. Cureus. 2026;18(1):e102372.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41613504/) Authors employed by the manufacturer; open label, no placebo.
3. [Das A et al. The Human Skeletal Muscle Transcriptome in Response to Oral Shilajit Supplementation. J Med Food. 2016;19(7):701-9.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27414521/)
4. [Neltner TJ et al. Effects of 8 Weeks of Shilajit Supplementation on Serum Pro-c1α1, a Biomarker of Type 1 Collagen Synthesis: A Randomized Control Trial. J Diet Suppl. 2024;21(1):1-12.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36546868/)
5. [Martinez V et al. Effects of 12 Weeks of Chromium, Phyllanthus emblica Fruit Extract, and Shilajit Supplementation on Markers of Cardiometabolic Health, Fitness, and Weight Loss in Men and Women with Risk Factors to Metabolic Syndrome Initiating an Exercise and Diet Intervention. Nutrients. 2025;17(12):2042.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40573153/) Funded by Kerry Inc.
6. [Bucci LR. Selected herbals and human exercise performance. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000;72(2 Suppl):624S-36S.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10919969/)