Tongkat Ali vs Shilajit: Which Boosts Testosterone Better for Australian Men in 2026?

Last updated: September 26, 2026 · Originally published: April 29, 2026 · By Eternal Elixir Editorial

Tongkat ali and shilajit sit side by side on most men’s supplement shelves, and they are often sold as a pair. They are very different things. Tongkat ali (Eurycoma longifolia) is the root of a South-East Asian shrub. Shilajit is a tar-like resin that seeps from rock in the Himalayas and other high mountain ranges, made up mostly of fulvic acids, dibenzo-α-pyrones, proteins and minerals.

This guide compares them on what the human trials measured, what they cost in Australia, how long the trials ran, and whether it makes sense to take both. For everything on tongkat ali alone, start with our tongkat ali Australia guide.

Tongkat ali vs shilajit at a glance

Read it by your goal. If testosterone, drive or stress hormones are the reason you’re buying, tongkat ali has the human data. Shilajit’s human data is thinner, mostly from one branded extract, and its best-known claims about “cellular energy” come from animal work. The detail is below.

What tongkat ali is and what the trials found

Tongkat ali root has a long history as a traditional tonic in Malaysia and Indonesia. Supplements use a hot-water extract, labelled either by a concentration ratio (200:1 means 200 parts of root went into one part of extract) or by a marker compound called eurycomanone. A ratio tells you how concentrated the powder is. A eurycomanone percentage tells you how much of one active marker it holds. Few labels give both.

Testosterone

A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis in Medicina included nine clinical studies and pooled five randomised trials. Men given tongkat ali had significantly higher total testosterone than controls, both in healthy volunteers and in men who started with low levels (Leisegang et al., 2022). The authors called it promising and said more research was needed before it is used in clinical practice.

The shortest trial is also one of the cleanest. Thirty-two healthy young men, average age 24, took 600mg a day of tongkat ali or a placebo for two weeks. Total and free testosterone rose in the tongkat ali group compared with placebo. Oestradiol rose as well, while luteinising hormone, FSH and SHBG did not change (Chan et al., Andrologia, 2021). That last point matters, because tongkat ali is often marketed as “freeing” testosterone from SHBG, and in this trial SHBG stayed put.

A 2024 systematic review of 52 studies covering 27 products sold as testosterone boosters found that most of them failed to raise total testosterone. Tongkat ali was one of the few rated “possibly effective”, and it earned that rating in two of the four groups of men the authors looked at (Morgado et al., 2024).

Stress hormones and mood

In a four-week randomised trial, 63 moderately stressed adults (32 men, 31 women) took 200mg a day of a standardised hot-water extract called Physta, or a placebo. The tongkat ali group ended with 16% lower cortisol and 37% higher testosterone, both measured in saliva. They also scored better for tension (down 11%), anger (down 12%) and confusion (down 15%) (Talbott et al., Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2013). The extract’s maker funded the study.

Strength in older adults

In a five-week pilot study, 25 physically active adults aged 57 to 72 (13 men and 12 women) took 400mg of tongkat ali extract a day. Total and free testosterone rose, and so did handgrip strength, in both men and women (Henkel et al., Phytotherapy Research, 2014). There was no placebo group, so treat it as a lead rather than proof.

Libido and quality of life

A 12-week randomised, placebo-controlled trial gave 109 men aged 30 to 55 either 300mg a day of Physta or a placebo. The tongkat ali group improved on the physical-functioning part of a quality-of-life questionnaire and on a sexual function questionnaire, with libido scores up 14% by week 12. Safety measures were comparable with placebo (Ismail et al., 2012).

The longest trial ran for six months. Forty-five men averaging 47 years were split into four groups, with or without 200mg of tongkat ali a day and with or without training three times a week. The group that combined the supplement with training had the largest gains in sexual function scores and a rise in total testosterone (Leitão et al., Maturitas, 2021).

What hasn’t been shown

• Most trials are small and short, and several were funded by the companies that make the extracts.
• The trials used 200mg to 600mg a day of specific standardised extracts. We found no trial testing whether larger amounts do more.
• Results vary a lot from trial to trial, and the meta-analysis authors said more research is needed.

We cover the wider research in what the research shows on tongkat ali benefits, and tolerability in our tongkat ali side effects guide.

What shilajit is and what the trials found

Shilajit forms over a very long time from plant matter broken down in rock crevices. It has been used in Ayurvedic practice for centuries. Its make-up varies with where it is collected, and a 2025 chemical analysis of a native Himalayan sample stressed that origin, altitude and environment all change the profile (Basavaraja et al., ACS Omega, 2025). That is why the controlled research uses purified, standardised extracts.

Testosterone

The main testosterone trial was randomised, double-blind and placebo-controlled, in healthy men aged 45 to 55. They took 250mg of purified shilajit twice a day for 90 days. Total testosterone, free testosterone and DHEAS rose significantly compared with placebo, and LH and FSH stayed steady (Pandit et al., Andrologia, 2016). A later paper summarised the rises as about 20% for total testosterone, 19% for free testosterone and 31% for DHEAS, and identified the extract as PrimaVie (Keller et al., 2019).

The 2024 review mentioned above rated purified PrimaVie extract “possibly effective” in one of its four groups of men, on the strength of that single study (Morgado et al., 2024).

The newer evidence points the other way. In a 28-day open-label study published in 2026, 25 healthy men aged 21 to 55 took 500mg a day of a shilajit resin (250mg twice daily). Total testosterone did not change significantly: the average went from 394 to 383 ng/dL. Leg-press strength rose 12.94%, but there was no placebo group, and most of the authors are listed as working for the company that makes the resin (Yadav et al., Cureus, 2026). Seven of the 25 men (28%) reported mild side effects that settled on their own.

Strength and fatigue

In an eight-week trial, 63 recreationally active men averaging 21 years were split into three groups of 21: 250mg a day of PrimaVie shilajit, 500mg a day, or a placebo. After a hard set of leg extensions, the 500mg group lost less strength than the 250mg group, and in the stronger half of the sample it also did better than placebo. Strength before the fatiguing test did not change in any group (Keller et al., Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2019). The shilajit supplier funded the study.

Energy claims

Shilajit is often sold on “cellular energy” and ATP. That idea comes from animal work: in a mouse study described by Keller’s team, purified shilajit given before forced swimming left more ATP in the muscle afterwards. We found no placebo-controlled human trial showing that shilajit raises ATP or energy levels in people, so treat those claims as unproven.

What hasn’t been shown

• Both placebo-controlled trials used one branded extract, PrimaVie, standardised to at least 50% fulvic acid. Their results may not carry over to other shilajit.
• The trials we found used no more than 500mg a day.
• The only testosterone result since 2016 found no change, though it was short and uncontrolled.

For more on shilajit specifically, read what the research says about shilajit for men and our comparison of shilajit resin vs capsules.

Which is better for testosterone, shilajit or tongkat ali?

Tongkat ali. It has more trials, a meta-analysis and results across healthy young men, stressed adults and active older adults, at 200mg to 600mg a day. In the Chan trial, changes showed up within two weeks.

The strongest case for shilajit is the Pandit trial. It was randomised and placebo-controlled, it ran for 90 days, and total testosterone rose by about a fifth. That is a respectable result. It is still one trial of one extract, and the only later study that measured testosterone found no change.

So if testosterone is the reason you’re buying, start with tongkat ali. If your main interest is holding strength through hard training, shilajit has one small trial behind it. Neither replaces a check-up: if you think your testosterone is low, ask your GP for a blood test before you buy anything. Our natural testosterone plan for men over 35 covers the lifestyle side.

Tongkat ali and shilajit supplements in Australia compared

Prices are as of Sep 2026, read from each product listing. Cost per serve uses each brand’s own serving size, so check the “Serve” column before comparing. Eternal Elixir makes the first two products and they are our picks. Every other row is described from its own listing.

Who each one suits, and who it doesn’t

• Eternal Elixir Tongkat Ali 2000mg (our pick). Suits you if you want capsules, a 90-capsule bottle and a low price per bottle, shipped from Sydney. Not for you if you want a stated eurycomanone percentage (our label gives the 200:1 ratio instead) or an amount that matches the trials: our serve is well above them.
• Eternal Elixir Shilajit 1000mg (our pick). Suits you if you want shilajit in a capsule, with no spoon, no resin and no taste, at $1.00 a serve. Not for you if you want the exact extract used in the trials: ours states 20% fulvic acid, and PrimaVie is standardised to at least 50%.
• Evolution Botanicals Tongkat Ali. The lowest cost per serve of the tongkat ali products here, at $0.58, and it states 1% eurycomanone. The trade-off is paying $69.95 up front for a four-month supply.
• Emrald Labs Tongkat Ali. One capsule a day of 500mg 200:1 extract, sold by Elite Supps. The capsules are gelatin, and the listing says it is made in a facility that also handles milk and soy.
• AKARALI Premium Tongkat Ali. The brand says it uses Physta, the extract in the Talbott and Ismail trials, and one or two capsules gives 200mg to 400mg, close to the amounts those trials studied. It is the most expensive tongkat ali here per capsule.
• Evolution Botanicals Himalayan Shilajit Resin. The cheapest resin per serve here at $0.67, with 50%+ fulvic acid stated and two certificates of analysis on the product page. You measure it with a spoon and dissolve it in water.
• Lifecykel Shilajit Pure Resin. Sold online through Chemist Warehouse and shipped by Lifecykel. The listing says each batch is third-party tested for heavy metals, microbes and pesticides. It is the most expensive shilajit-only product per serve in the table.
• Wanderlust Shilajit tablets. The cheapest shilajit here per serve at $0.32, available at Chemist Warehouse. The listing does not say how much shilajit is in each tablet. The 1g serve is the weight of two tablets, which also contain inulin.
• ATP Science Tongkat Ali + Shilajit Powder. The only product here with both in one scoop, and its 400mg of tongkat ali and 500mg of shilajit sit close to the amounts used in trials. It is a flavoured powder at $2.50 a serve.

For eight tongkat ali products side by side, see our full comparison of the best tongkat ali supplements in Australia.

Our tongkat ali and shilajit: what’s in each bottle

Both of our products come in 90-capsule bottles and ship from Sydney, with free shipping on orders over $100. Here is what each label and product page states, and how the amounts compare with the trials above.

Eternal Elixir Tongkat Ali 2000mg

Each serve is three capsules holding 2,000mg of 200:1 tongkat ali extract, so one bottle is 30 serves. At $39.99 that is $1.33 a day. The directions say to take it on an empty stomach.

To be plain about the dose: our serve is higher than any amount used in the trials, which ranged from 200mg to 600mg a day. Each capsule holds about 667mg, already a little above the highest trial dose. No trial has tested 2,000mg a day, so we can’t tell you the extra amount does more. If you’d rather stay nearer the studied range, talk to your GP about the amount that suits you.

The product page offers 10% off two bottles, 15% off three and 20% off five. Three bottles at 15% off comes to $101.97 for 90 serves, or $1.13 a day, and it ships free because the order is over $100.

Eternal Elixir Shilajit 1000mg

Each serve is two capsules. Our product page gives 1,000mg of shilajit extract per serve and 20% fulvic acid. A bottle is 45 serves, so at $44.99 it costs $1.00 a day.

To be plain again: the placebo-controlled trials used 250mg to 500mg a day of PrimaVie, an extract standardised to at least 50% fulvic acid. Our serve has more milligrams, a lower stated fulvic acid share and a different extract, so those trial results don’t transfer to it directly. What you get is a measured dose in a capsule, with no resin to weigh out. Three bottles at 15% off is $114.72 for 135 serves, about $0.85 a day.

Our product pages say every batch is third-party tested and that we will send the current batch certificate of analysis on request. Ask for it. With shilajit especially, that certificate is the thing to check, whichever brand you buy.

Can I take shilajit and tongkat ali at the same time?

Many people do, and we found no reported interaction between them. But no trial has tested them together. Our PubMed search found no study of the combination, so any claim that they “work better as a stack” is a guess.

At our prices, one bottle of each is $84.98, which is $2.33 a day while both last (the tongkat ali runs out after 30 days, the shilajit after 45). The ATP Science powder, the one combined product in the table, is $2.50 a serve.

If you want to try both:

• Start with one for four to six weeks, then add the other. If you start both at once, you won’t know which one is doing what.
• Take them in the morning. Our tongkat ali directions say to take it on an empty stomach, and our shilajit directions say to take it with water.
• Keep to the label serve of each product.
• Stop and see your doctor if you notice anything unusual.

Talk to your GP before taking either if you take any prescription medicine, especially one that affects hormones, or if you have a hormone-sensitive condition. Neither is for anyone under 18, or for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

If you are weighing tongkat ali against the Fadogia combination popularised by podcasts, see our tongkat ali Huberman protocol guide. For amounts and timing, see our tongkat ali dosage guide.

Which should you choose?

Choose tongkat ali if

• Testosterone, libido or stress hormones are your main interest.
• You want the ingredient with more human trials behind it.
• You want to judge results over the two to twelve weeks the trials ran.

Choose shilajit if

• You train hard and care most about holding strength late in a session, and you accept that this rests on one trial.
• You want a fulvic acid and mineral resin supplement and are comfortable with a thinner evidence base.

Take both if

• You have used one for a few weeks and want to add the other, knowing that the combination itself hasn’t been studied.

Comparing tongkat ali with other options? See tongkat ali vs ashwagandha and tongkat ali vs turkesterone. If muscle is the goal, our turkesterone vs creatine breakdown covers that side, and our list of supplements for men over 40 puts tongkat ali in a wider routine.

How long do tongkat ali and shilajit take to work?

The best guide is how long each trial ran before it measured a change. Tongkat ali trials found testosterone changes after two weeks (Chan), four weeks (Talbott) and five weeks (Henkel), and quality-of-life changes after 12 weeks (Ismail). The positive shilajit testosterone trial measured at 90 days, and the strength trial at eight weeks. Give tongkat ali at least four weeks and shilajit around three months before you judge it.

Our guide to how long tongkat ali takes to work goes through the timeline week by week.

What’s better than tongkat ali or shilajit?

Start with the basics your GP will ask about: sleep, training and body weight. Among supplements, the 2024 review of 52 studies found that most products sold as testosterone boosters did not raise total testosterone. The few exceptions were narrow:

• Betaine and HMB were rated effective for male athletes.
• Tongkat ali and ashwagandha were rated possibly effective for healthy men.
• Tongkat ali, purified shilajit (PrimaVie) and a pomegranate and cocoa extract blend were rated possibly effective in a group of older men.

Betaine and HMB earned the only “effective” ratings, but only in male athletes. Tongkat ali is the only ingredient in the review rated possibly effective in two groups of men, while shilajit’s rating rests on a single study (Morgado et al., 2024).

Buying tongkat ali or shilajit in Australia

• Tongkat ali: look for a hot-water root extract with a stated ratio (such as 200:1) or eurycomanone percentage (such as 1%). Most trials used standardised extracts at 200mg to 400mg a day, with one at 600mg.
• Shilajit: look for “purified” and a stated fulvic acid percentage, and ask for a heavy-metal certificate of analysis. Raw resin varies with where it comes from.
• Cost per serve: work it out from the brand’s own serving size, not the capsule count. A 60-capsule bottle at one a day lasts two months, and at three a day it lasts 20 days. Our bottles hold 90 capsules.
• Where to buy: Chemist Warehouse sells Wanderlust shilajit tablets and, online only, Lifecykel resin. For tongkat ali at pharmacies, see our guide to tongkat ali at Chemist Warehouse.

You can browse the full Eternal Elixir range in our online shop.

Frequently asked questions

Which is better for testosterone, shilajit or tongkat ali?

Tongkat ali. It has several randomised trials and a 2022 meta-analysis showing higher total testosterone at 200mg to 600mg a day. Shilajit has one 90-day placebo-controlled trial of one purified extract in men aged 45 to 55, which found total testosterone rose by about 20%, and a 28-day uncontrolled study that found no change.

Add Tongkat Ali 2000mg to cart · $39.99

Can I take shilajit and tongkat ali at the same time?

Many people do, and we found no reported interaction between them. No trial has tested them together, though. Start with one, add the other after a few weeks, keep to each label serve, and talk to your GP first if you take any prescription medicine.

Add Shilajit 1000mg to cart · $44.99

What is more powerful than shilajit?

For testosterone, tongkat ali has stronger human evidence than shilajit. In a 2024 review of 52 studies, tongkat ali was rated possibly effective in two groups of men and purified shilajit in one, based on a single study. If you think your testosterone is low, see your GP for a blood test.

What’s better than tongkat ali?

For most men, no supplement has clearly stronger testosterone evidence. The same 2024 review rated tongkat ali possibly effective in two groups of men, more than any other ingredient it looked at. Betaine and HMB were rated effective, but only for male athletes, and ashwagandha was rated possibly effective for healthy men.

How long do tongkat ali and shilajit take to work?

Tongkat ali trials found changes after two to 12 weeks. The positive shilajit testosterone trial measured after 90 days, and the strength trial after eight weeks. Give tongkat ali at least four weeks and shilajit about three months.

Are tongkat ali and shilajit safe for men in their 20s?

The Chan trial gave 600mg a day of tongkat ali to men averaging 24 years for two weeks, and found higher testosterone and higher oestradiol. The Keller trial gave up to 500mg a day of purified shilajit to men averaging 21 years for eight weeks. Neither was designed to test long-term safety, and neither product is for anyone under 18.

What are the side effects?

In the 12-week Ismail trial, safety measures for tongkat ali were comparable with placebo. In the 28-day shilajit resin study, 28% of the men reported mild side effects that settled on their own. A 2014 review described shilajit’s safety as well documented in animal and human studies, while noting that few well-controlled human trials exist (Stohs, 2014). For shilajit, product quality is the bigger issue, so buy a purified product and ask for the heavy-metal certificate.

What is the best tongkat ali or shilajit to buy in Australia?

Our pick is Eternal Elixir Tongkat Ali 2000mg: 90 capsules of 200:1 extract for $39.99, which is $1.33 a day, shipped from Sydney. For shilajit, our pick is Eternal Elixir Shilajit 1000mg at $1.00 a day. Eternal Elixir makes both. If price per serve matters most, Evolution Botanicals Tongkat Ali ($0.58) and Wanderlust Shilajit tablets ($0.32) cost less, and AKARALI says it uses the Physta extract from several trials.

Add Tongkat Ali 2000mg to cart · $39.99

The bottom line

For testosterone, tongkat ali has the better evidence: several randomised trials, a meta-analysis, and changes within weeks at 200mg to 600mg a day. Shilajit has one encouraging 90-day trial and one strength trial, both on a single purified extract, and a newer short study that found no testosterone change. Start with tongkat ali, and add shilajit later if you want to try it for training. Our Tongkat Ali 2000mg is 90 capsules at $1.33 a day, with the caveat that its serve is above the amounts the trials used.

Sources

1. Leisegang K, Finelli R, Sikka SC, Panner Selvam MK. Eurycoma longifolia (Jack) improves serum total testosterone in men: a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials. Medicina (Kaunas). 2022;58(8):1047. PubMed 36013514
2. Chan KQ, Stewart C, Chester N, Hamzah SH, Yusof A. The effect of Eurycoma longifolia on the regulation of reproductive hormones in young males. Andrologia. 2021;53(4):e14001. PubMed 33559971
3. Morgado A, Tsampoukas G, Sokolakis I, et al. Do “testosterone boosters” really increase serum total testosterone? A systematic review. International Journal of Impotence Research. 2024;36(4):348-364. PubMed 37697053
4. Talbott SM, Talbott JA, George A, Pugh M. Effect of Tongkat Ali on stress hormones and psychological mood state in moderately stressed subjects. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2013;10(1):28. PubMed 23705671
5. Henkel RR, Wang R, Bassett SH, et al. Tongkat Ali as a potential herbal supplement for physically active male and female seniors: a pilot study. Phytotherapy Research. 2014;28(4):544-550. PubMed 23754792
6. Ismail SB, Wan Mohammad WM, George A, et al. Randomized clinical trial on the use of PHYSTA freeze-dried water extract of Eurycoma longifolia for the improvement of quality of life and sexual well-being in men. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2012;2012:429268. PubMed 23243445
7. Leitão AE, Vieira MCS, Pelegrini A, da Silva EL, Guimarães ACA. A 6-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial to evaluate the effect of Eurycoma longifolia (Tongkat Ali) and concurrent training on erectile function and testosterone levels in androgen deficiency of aging males (ADAM). Maturitas. 2021;145:78-85. PubMed 33541567
8. Pandit S, Biswas S, Jana U, De RK, Mukhopadhyay SC, Biswas TK. Clinical evaluation of purified Shilajit on testosterone levels in healthy volunteers. Andrologia. 2016;48(5):570-575. PubMed 26395129
9. 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. 2019;16(1):3. PubMed 30728074
10. Yadav D, Mishra S, Shah KM, Reddy ST, 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. PubMed 41613504
11. Stohs SJ. Safety and efficacy of shilajit (mumie, moomiyo). Phytotherapy Research. 2014;28(4):475-479. PubMed 23733436
12. Basavaraja D, Katkar R, Dhaka P, Tomar S, et al. Chemical analysis of native Himalayan shilajit: an evaluation of an Ayurvedic formulation. ACS Omega. 2025;10(47):57097-57106. PubMed 41404054
13. Eternal Elixir product pages (label facts, directions, testing statement, multi-bottle pricing): Tongkat Ali 2000mg, Shilajit 1000mg.
14. Competitor listings, all read on 26 September 2026: Evolution Botanicals Tongkat Ali, Emrald Labs Tongkat Ali (Elite Supps), AKARALI Premium Tongkat Ali, Evolution Botanicals Shilajit Resin, Lifecykel Shilajit Pure Resin (Chemist Warehouse), Wanderlust Shilajit 120 Tablets (Chemist Warehouse), ATP Science Tongkat Ali + Shilajit Powder.