Speak to a GP or pharmacist first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, under 18, take prescription medicines, have a long-term condition or are due to have surgery. There is little or no safety data for these groups. See Is shilajit safe?
How shilajit is usually taken
| Form | Usual method | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Resin | Dissolve in warm (not boiling) water, tea or milk; some place it under the tongue | Stir for a minute or two; resin dissolves slowly in cold liquid |
| Powder | Mix into a drink or food | Use the scoop supplied and level it off |
| Capsules / tablets | Swallow with water | Count capsules per serving, not per day, when comparing labels |
| Gummies | Chew | Check sugar per serving if you take them daily |
Preparing resin, step by step
- Measure the servingWeigh it on a scale that reads to 0.01 g, or use the scoop supplied. “Pea-sized” is not a measurement.
- Warm the liquidAround a mug of warm water or tea. Very hot liquid isn’t needed.
- DissolveStir until no visible pieces remain. A small amount of fine sediment can be normal.
- Drink it straight awayThe taste is bitter and smoky; honey or lemon can help.
- Clean the tool and close the jarMoisture and heat make resin sticky and harder to measure next time.
Consistent measuring is covered in how to measure shilajit resin consistently.
How much: studied amounts vs label servings
There is no official recommended dose for shilajit in the UK. The best reference points are the amounts used in human trials, all of which tested specific purified or standardised preparations:
| Study | Daily amount | Duration | Who took part |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biswas et al., 2010[1] | 200 mg (100 mg twice) | 90 days | Men with low sperm counts |
| Pandit et al., 2016[2] | 500 mg (250 mg twice) | 90 days | Healthy men aged 45–55 |
| Keller et al., 2019[3] | 250 or 500 mg | 8 weeks | Recreationally active men |
| Pingali & Nutalapati, 2022[4] | 250 or 500 mg | 48 weeks | Postmenopausal women with osteopenia |
| Mosavi et al., 2023[5] | 400 mg (200 mg twice) | 60 days | Reproductive-age women |
These are research doses of particular extracts, not recommendations. A resin from another source is a different material.
Stay within the serving on your product’s label, and don’t combine several shilajit products, because contaminant exposure adds up. See studied doses vs label doses and what happens if you take too much.
Best time of day and how long to take it
Timing: no study has compared morning with evening use, or taking it with or without food. The trials that split doses gave them twice a day. A consistent routine that you can stick to matters more than the clock.
Duration: published trials lasted between 8 and 48 weeks.[3][4] Nothing is known about use beyond that, which is why our safety guide covers daily and long-term use separately. If you notice no difference after a reasonable period, there is no evidence that taking more will help.
How long a jar lasts
Divide the net weight by your serving size. A 30 g jar at 0.3 g a day lasts 100 days; at 0.5 g a day, 60 days. The jar duration guide has a table for common sizes, and the cost-per-gram calculator turns that into cost per serving.
Storing shilajit
- Keep it sealedClose the jar after each use to keep out moisture.
- Avoid heatResin softens and becomes runny in warm places; this is normal, not a defect.
- Cool, dry and darkA cupboard away from the cooker is fine; refrigeration is optional and makes resin hard.
- Respect the date markUse within the best-before date on the label.
See how to store shilajit resin and storage, shelf life and expiry.
When to stop
- Any sign of allergyRash, swelling or breathing difficulty: stop and seek help.
- New symptoms after startingStomach upset, palpitations or dizziness that persist.
- Before surgery or a new prescriptionTell the clinician you take it.
Full guidance: when to stop shilajit and get medical advice.
Common questions
Can I take shilajit with coffee?
Many people dissolve resin in hot drinks. There is no research on combining it with coffee specifically; if you are sensitive to caffeine, judge the drink on its own merits.
Should I take shilajit on an empty stomach?
There is no evidence either way. Taking it with food may suit people who find it upsets their stomach.
Do I need to cycle shilajit?
“Cycling” advice is common online but untested. What is known is that trials lasted up to 48 weeks; use beyond that hasn’t been studied.
Sources & further reading
Primary research, regulators and standards bodies are cited first. A source being listed here does not mean it supports every claim made by sellers; it supports the specific statement it is attached to.
- Biswas TK, Pandit S, Mondal S, et al.. Clinical evaluation of spermatogenic activity of processed Shilajit in oligospermia. Andrologia 42(1):48–56, 2010. PMID 20078516. View source (opens in a new tab) [Uncontrolled clinical study]
- Pandit S, Biswas S, Jana U, De RK, Mukhopadhyay SC, Biswas TK. Clinical evaluation of purified Shilajit on testosterone levels in healthy volunteers. Andrologia 48(5):570–575, 2016. PMID 26395129. View source (opens in a new tab) [Randomised controlled trial]
- Keller JL, Housh TJ, Hill EC, Smith CM, Schmidt RJ, Johnson GO. The effects of Shilajit supplementation on fatigue-induced decreases in muscular strength and serum hydroxyproline levels. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 16:3, 2019. doi:10.1186/s12970-019-0270-2; PMID 30728074. View source (opens in a new tab) [Randomised controlled trial]
- 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 105:154334, 2022. doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2022.154334; PMID 35933897. View source (opens in a new tab) [Randomised controlled trial]
- Mosavi et al.. Effects of oral Shilajit tablets on sexual function and sexual quality of life among reproductive-aged women: a triple-blind randomized clinical trial. Traditional Medicine Research 8(11):66, 2023. View source (opens in a new tab) [Randomised controlled trial]