# Shilajit in pregnancy and breastfeeding Source: https://shilajit.uk/safety/pregnancy-and-breastfeeding/ Author: Sam Rowan · Updated 2026-10-16 **Short answer:** There are no studies of shilajit in pregnancy or breastfeeding, so its safety is unknown and it is best avoided. The only published case in pregnancy describes a woman who developed high blood pressure and low potassium after 6 months of mumijo. Contamination with lead, which can harm an unborn baby, is a further risk. Shilajit has never been studied in pregnant or breastfeeding women. Not in a trial, not in a follow-up of women who took it anyway, and, as far as we could find on PubMed, not in animal studies of pregnancy either. When there is no evidence at all, the sensible default for anything taken while pregnant is to leave it out. Two things push that default further towards "avoid". The single published case of shilajit use in pregnancy describes a real health problem. And shilajit, like other traditional remedies, can be contaminated with lead, which is known to harm unborn babies. The rest of this page explains both, and what to do if you have already taken it. ## Is there any research on shilajit in pregnancy? Only one case report. A 37-year-old pregnant woman in Greece was referred by her obstetricians with persistent high blood pressure and low potassium. She had been taking a supplement called mumijo, the Russian and Central Asian name for shilajit, for the previous 6 months. After a full work-up, doctors diagnosed a "licorice-like syndrome", in which the body behaves as though it has too much of the salt-regulating hormone aldosterone. Treatment was potassium supplements and stopping the mumijo (Stavropoulos et al., 2018). One case cannot prove that shilajit caused the problem, and the product was not analysed. But high blood pressure in pregnancy is serious, and the authors' conclusion was that doctors should ask pregnant women about herbal supplements. Most shilajit trials have been in men or in postmenopausal women (Pingali and Nutalapati, 2022), so there is nothing else to go on. ## Why is lead a particular worry in pregnancy? Because lead crosses to the baby. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that exposure before birth "can adversely affect neurodevelopment, decrease fetal growth, and increase the risk for premature birth and miscarriage" (CDC, 2012). Traditional remedies are a recognised source: - In New York City in 2011 to 2012, six pregnant women were found to have lead poisoning linked to 10 Ayurvedic medicines made in India. Their blood lead levels ranged from 16 to 64 µg/dL, and some of the medicines were up to 2.4% lead (CDC, 2012). - A 2026 review of 44 pregnant women in New York with very high blood lead levels found that 71% of those from India had used traditional remedies. The miscarriage rate in the group was more than twice the city average, and more of their babies than expected had a short birth length or small head size (Trim et al., 2026). - A JAMA study of Ayurvedic medicines bought online found that about 1 in 5 contained detectable lead, mercury or arsenic, including products made in the US (Saper et al., 2008). None of these reports named shilajit specifically. But shilajit is sold alongside these products, and lab tests have found lead above safe limits in some shilajit samples. See [heavy metals in shilajit](/safety/heavy-metals/) for the details. ## Could shilajit's effect on hormones matter in pregnancy? We don't know, and that uncertainty is itself a reason for caution. In a randomised trial in men aged 45 to 55, purified shilajit raised testosterone and another hormone, DHEA-S (Pandit et al., 2016). In rats, shilajit appeared to increase ovulation (Park et al., 2006). Nobody has looked at what these effects might mean for a pregnancy or a developing baby. This is a theoretical concern based on those findings, not a tested risk. ## Is shilajit safe while breastfeeding? Its safety while breastfeeding is unknown. No study has measured whether shilajit's components pass into breast milk. In one study in men, compounds from processed shilajit were detected in semen (Biswas et al., 2010), which shows that at least some of its constituents travel around the body and into body fluids. Whether the same happens with breast milk, and whether it would matter for a baby, has not been studied. Lead, if present in the product, is a further concern for a young baby. As a precaution, we suggest avoiding shilajit until you have stopped breastfeeding. ## Can shilajit help if we are trying to conceive? For women, there is no human evidence. The rat study above is the only research on female fertility (Park et al., 2006). For men, a small uncontrolled study found improvements in sperm count and movement after 90 days of 200 mg a day of processed shilajit (Biswas et al., 2010); our page on [shilajit and fertility](/benefits/fertility/) covers that evidence and its limits. If a male partner takes shilajit while you try for a baby, choose a product with a recent lab test for heavy metals. If you are trying to get pregnant yourself, we would not start shilajit, because you may be pregnant for several weeks before you know. ## What should I do if I took shilajit while pregnant or breastfeeding? Stop taking it, and don't panic: there is no evidence that short-term use has harmed a baby. Tell your midwife or GP what you took, how much and for how long, and keep the jar or packaging so they can see the product and its batch details. If the product was untested or bought from an unknown seller, ask whether a blood lead test is worthwhile. If you develop headaches, swelling or blurred vision, which can be signs of high blood pressure in pregnancy, contact your midwife or maternity unit straight away. For the wider picture, see our [safety overview](/safety/) and [shilajit side effects](/safety/side-effects/). ## Frequently asked questions ### Can I take shilajit while pregnant? We advise against it. No study has tested shilajit in pregnancy, it can affect hormones, and some products contain lead. If you are pregnant and want to take any supplement, ask your midwife, GP or pharmacist first. ### I took shilajit before I knew I was pregnant. Should I worry? There is no evidence that short-term use harms a baby, but there is also no evidence that it is safe. Stop taking it, tell your midwife or GP what you took and for how long, and keep the jar so they can see the product. ### Can I take shilajit while breastfeeding? There is no information on whether shilajit passes into breast milk or how it might affect a baby, so it is best avoided. Ask your health visitor, GP or pharmacist if you are considering it. ### Can shilajit help me get pregnant? There is no human evidence for women. One rat study suggested more ovulation, and a small study in men with low sperm counts reported improvements, but neither shows shilajit helps couples conceive. ## References 1. [Stavropoulos K et al. Pseudohyperaldosteronism due to mumijo consumption during pregnancy: a licorice-like syndrome. Gynecol Endocrinol. 2018;34(12):1019-1021.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29933704/) 2. [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Lead poisoning in pregnant women who used Ayurvedic medications from India: New York City, 2011-2012. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2012;61(33):641-6.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22914225/) 3. [Trim A, Ehrlich J, Sedlar S. Blood Lead Levels of 45 mcg/dL or more in Pregnancy: An Observational Study. BJOG. 2026;133(8):1652-1657.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41918451/) 4. [Pandit S et al. Clinical evaluation of purified Shilajit on testosterone levels in healthy volunteers. Andrologia. 2016;48(5):570-5.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26395129/) 5. [Park JS, Kim GY, Han K. The spermatogenic and ovogenic effects of chronically administered Shilajit to rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 2006;107(3):349-53.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16698205/) 6. [Biswas TK et al. Clinical evaluation of spermatogenic activity of processed Shilajit in oligospermia. Andrologia. 2010;42(1):48-56.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20078516/) 7. [Pingali U, Nutalapati C. Shilajit 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 trial. Phytomedicine. 2022;105:154334.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35933897/) 8. [Saper RB et al. Lead, mercury, and arsenic in US- and Indian-manufactured Ayurvedic medicines sold via the Internet. JAMA. 2008;300(8):915-23.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18728265/)