Does Shilajit Boost Testosterone? What the Human Trials Show
Last reviewed October 2026 · 6 min read
The short answer
Possibly, in some men, but the evidence is thin. One randomised, placebo-controlled trial in healthy men aged 45 to 55 reported higher total and free testosterone after 90 days of purified shilajit. A systematic review of testosterone boosters rated purified shilajit "possibly effective" for late-onset hypogonadism, which is more than most boosters earned. That is still one trial of one extract at one dose, and the published abstract does not give its sample size or how large the rise was. Nothing here shows shilajit treats low testosterone, and nothing shows that a gummy, a capsule or a resin you buy will do what the studied extract did.
What the studies found
There are three pieces of evidence on testosterone. Their designs differ a lot, and the differences matter more than the headline numbers.
Biswas 2010 · Andrologia · 28 completed
Open-label, single arm, no placebo. 60 infertile men assessed, 35 oligospermic enrolled, 28 completed.
Dose: 100 mg twice daily, 90 days
Against each man's own baseline: total sperm count +61.4%, motility +12.4–17.4%, normal forms +18.9%, semen MDA −18.7%, serum testosterone +23.5%, FSH +9.4%. Liver and kidney markers unchanged.
Limits: No placebo group and no blinding. Often misdescribed as a randomised trial or as 60 men treated.
Pandit 2016 · Andrologia
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled. Healthy men aged 45–55.
Dose: 250 mg twice daily, 90 days
Total testosterone, free testosterone and DHEAS rose significantly compared with placebo (P < 0.05); LH and FSH stayed where they were.
Limits: The abstract gives no sample size and no effect sizes.
Morgado 2024 · Int J Impot Res
Systematic review. 52 studies of 27 proposed testosterone boosters.
Dose: Not applicable
Most testosterone boosters failed to raise total testosterone against placebo. Purified shilajit extract (PrimaVie) was rated "possibly effective" for men with late-onset hypogonadism.
Limits: "Possibly effective" is the review's middle rating, for one population, on few studies.
| Study | Design | Dose & duration | What it found |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biswas 2010 Andrologia · 28 completed | Open-label, single arm, no placebo. 60 infertile men assessed, 35 oligospermic enrolled, 28 completed. | 100 mg twice daily, 90 days | Against each man's own baseline: total sperm count +61.4%, motility +12.4–17.4%, normal forms +18.9%, semen MDA −18.7%, serum testosterone +23.5%, FSH +9.4%. Liver and kidney markers unchanged.Limits: No placebo group and no blinding. Often misdescribed as a randomised trial or as 60 men treated. |
| Pandit 2016 Andrologia | Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled. Healthy men aged 45–55. | 250 mg twice daily, 90 days | Total testosterone, free testosterone and DHEAS rose significantly compared with placebo (P < 0.05); LH and FSH stayed where they were.Limits: The abstract gives no sample size and no effect sizes. |
| Morgado 2024 Int J Impot Res | Systematic review. 52 studies of 27 proposed testosterone boosters. | Not applicable | Most testosterone boosters failed to raise total testosterone against placebo. Purified shilajit extract (PrimaVie) was rated "possibly effective" for men with late-onset hypogonadism.Limits: "Possibly effective" is the review's middle rating, for one population, on few studies. |
The controlled trial
Pandit and colleagues gave healthy men aged 45 to 55 purified shilajit, 250 mg twice a day, or placebo for 90 days. Total testosterone, free testosterone and DHEAS (a precursor hormone) rose significantly against placebo, while LH and FSH, the pituitary signals that drive testosterone production, stayed where they were. PubMed 26395129. That is the best evidence there is. Two cautions belong beside it. The abstract does not state how many men took part or how large the increases were, and many articles online quote a specific sample size and percentages that we could not confirm from the abstract (the full text is paywalled). And the men were healthy, not men with low testosterone, so it does not tell you what happens to someone with a deficiency.
The open-label study
Biswas and colleagues followed men with low sperm counts taking 100 mg twice a day for 90 days and reported serum testosterone up 23.5% from each man's own baseline. PubMed 20078516. There was no placebo group and no blinding, only 28 men finished, and the men knew they were taking it. Changes against your own baseline are weak evidence, because testosterone varies from day to day and with sleep, weight and stress.
The systematic review
A 2024 review in the International Journal of Impotence Research examined 52 studies of 27 proposed testosterone boosters. Most failed to raise total testosterone compared with placebo. Purified shilajit extract (the branded PrimaVie) was rated "possibly effective" in men with late-onset hypogonadism. PubMed 37697053. That is the review's middle rating, for one population and a small number of studies, so read it as "worth a closer look", not as a recommendation.
What this does not show
- That shilajit treats low testosterone. No trial tested it as a treatment against a diagnosed deficiency.
- That a bigger dose does more. The two studies used 200 to 500 mg a day of a purified extract; there is no dose-response data.
- That any particular product works. Only the extracts used in the studies were tested, and products vary in dose and form.
- That the rise matters in practice. A statistically significant change in a blood level is not the same as a change in how a man feels or functions.
- That it is effective in the long term. The longest study ran 90 days.
Before you try it for this reason
Symptoms people attribute to low testosterone, such as fatigue, low drive and poor sleep, have many other causes. Low testosterone is usually confirmed with repeat morning blood tests ordered by a clinician, who can also look for treatable causes. If you are considering shilajit because of symptoms, getting tested first tells you whether this is the problem. Men with hormone-sensitive conditions, on testosterone therapy, or taking regular medication should ask their clinician before adding it. For the safety record, see shilajit side effects.
If you choose to try it
Match what you buy to what was tested. The trials used a purified extract at 200 to 500 mg a day. Gummies typically contain 50 to 200 mg per gummy, so reaching a studied dose can take several a day, and we cap their grade for that reason (see resin vs capsules vs gummies). Then check the lab evidence, because raw shilajit can carry heavy metals:
- Best shilajit for men, ranked by testing quality
- Best third-party tested, products with a named independent lab
- How to read a COA, so you can check any product yourself
ShilajitDB earns no money from any brand, and every product is graded by the same published formula. For the wider picture on men, see shilajit benefits for men and shilajit and erectile dysfunction.
Common questions
How long does it take to raise testosterone?
The controlled trial measured at 90 days. There is no good evidence on whether anything changes sooner.
How much should I take?
The studies used 200 to 500 mg a day of purified shilajit. We can't say a higher dose is better or safe; see our guide to taking shilajit and the clinical dosage guide.
Is it as good as testosterone therapy?
No study compares them. Therapy is a medical treatment for a diagnosed deficiency; shilajit has not been tested as one.
Does it work for women?
These studies were in men. See men vs women for what is known.
This page is general information from published research, not medical advice.