Last updated: September 26, 2026 · Originally published: August 3, 2026 · By Eternal Elixir Editorial
Quick answer: In the human trials we found, purified shilajit at 250mg to 500mg a day for four to 12 weeks produced few reported side effects. One eight-week trial in 63 men reported none at all. The larger risk is what else is in the product: lab tests on shilajit sold in India and Pakistan found lead, arsenic and mercury above permissible limits. Avoid shilajit if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, and talk to your GP first if you have an iron-related or hormone-sensitive condition or take regular medicines. Our pick is Eternal Elixir Shilajit 1000mg: 90 capsules for $44.99, two capsules a day with water, and a product page that states the amount, the fulvic acid content and offers the current batch certificate on request.
Eternal Elixir makes Shilajit 1000mg, and it is our pick. We read the other products in this guide on the Chemist Warehouse listings we link, in September 2026, and we have not lab-tested any of them. The trials below used particular purified extracts. They tell you about those extracts at those doses, not about any one jar or bottle on sale in Australia.
Shilajit side effects: what the human trials report
Shilajit is a sticky, mineral-rich resin that seeps from rock in mountain ranges such as the Himalayas. It is rich in fulvic acid and carries dozens of minerals from the rock it formed in. There are only a handful of human trials, and here is what they found on safety.
| Study | Who took part | Daily dose and length | What was reported on safety | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keller et al., 2019 | 63 recreationally active men, average age 21 | 250mg or 500mg of a purified extract (PrimaVie), or placebo, for 8 weeks | No adverse events reported during the study | Young men only. Funded by the extract’s maker. |
| Pandit et al., 2016 | Healthy men aged 45 to 55 | 250mg of purified shilajit twice a day, or placebo, for 90 days | Total testosterone, free testosterone and DHEAS rose against placebo. LH and FSH stayed steady. | Men only. Side-effect reporting is not described in the abstract. |
| Yadav et al., 2026 | 25 healthy men aged 21 to 55 | 250mg of shilajit resin twice a day for 28 days | No serious adverse events. Liver and kidney tests and blood counts stayed within normal limits. | No placebo group, four weeks only |
Put together, the trials found few problems at 250mg to 500mg a day for up to 12 weeks. That is reassuring, but read it with the limits in view. The trials were small, almost all in men, and short. An effect that turns up in one person in a few hundred would not show up in groups this size. None of these trial reports describes the stomach upset, headaches or skin reactions people mention online, which tells you they were uncommon in these groups, not that they never happen.
What has not been shown
- We found no human trial that ran longer than 48 weeks. The longest, in 60 women aged 45 to 65, reports bone and blood markers in its abstract, not side effects.
- We found no trial that tracked hormone levels in women taking shilajit.
- We found no human study testing shilajit alongside specific prescription medicines.
- No published trial has tested our product or the other retail products in this guide.
The hormone effect: a reason some people buy it, and a caution for others
In the 90-day trial in men aged 45 to 55, 250mg of purified shilajit twice a day raised total testosterone, free testosterone and DHEAS compared with placebo, while the pituitary hormones LH and FSH stayed steady (Pandit et al., Andrologia, 2016). Many men take shilajit for exactly that reason. Our guide to shilajit for men covers that research.
The same result is a reason for care in other people. If you have a hormone-sensitive condition, or you take hormone therapy, talk to your doctor before you start. Women weighing it up can read our review of shilajit research in women, bearing in mind that we found no trial measuring hormone levels in women.
The bigger risk: what else is in the jar
Raw shilajit is scraped from rock, so it can carry whatever metals were in that rock. It has to be purified before it is fit to take.
A 2022 lab study tested shilajit samples sold in India and Pakistan using three analytical methods. Both types contained lead, arsenic and mercury, among other metals, at levels the authors said exceeded permissible limits (Aldakheel et al., Biological Trace Element Research, 2022). A 2024 review of the published analyses gave a more mixed picture. It found about 65 metals reported in shilajit, including lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury, and said most studies reported levels below permissible limits, with a few that did not. Its conclusion was that taking shilajit without knowing its metal levels is not safe (Hussain and Saeed, Biological Trace Element Research, 2024).
Iron is the quieter issue. Shilajit contains iron among its minerals. In a 91-day rat study, iron in the liver rose only at the highest dose of 5,000mg per kg of body weight, and the liver and intestine showed only negligible changes at that dose (Velmurugan et al., Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine, 2012). That was in rats at a dose far above anything people take, so it cannot be read as a human result. It is still a reason for anyone with an iron-overload condition such as haemochromatosis to talk to their doctor first.
Our guides to spotting fake shilajit in Australia and to what pure shilajit looks like cover the checks you can do at home.
How to read a shilajit certificate of analysis
A certificate of analysis is a lab report on one production batch. Ask for it before you buy, and check six things.
- Batch match. The batch or lot number on the certificate must match the one on your jar or bottle.
- Each heavy metal listed. Lead, arsenic, mercury and cadmium should each have their own result. A single line saying “heavy metals: pass” tells you very little.
- Units. Results are usually in ppm, which is the same as mg per kg, or in ppb, which is a thousand times smaller. Read the unit before you read the number.
- Who ran the test. Look for a named outside laboratory, not the brand’s own quality team.
- Date. The test should be recent and belong to the batch you are buying.
- What else was tested. Microbes, and a fulvic acid result that matches the label claim.
That applies to us too. Our product page offers the current batch certificate on request, so ask for it and check it against this list.
Does the format change your risk?
Shilajit is sold as resin, capsules, tablets and powder. The format changes two things: how easy it is to take a consistent amount, and how much you can check about what is inside.
- Resin is the traditional form. You scoop a small amount with a spoon, so the dose depends on your scooping.
- Capsules and tablets give a fixed amount each time, provided the label states how much shilajit is in each one. Some listings do not.
- Powder is measured by the scoop, which is less precise than a capsule.
Whatever the format, the certificate matters more than the form. Our comparison of shilajit resin and capsules in Australia goes through the trade-offs in more detail.
Who should avoid shilajit, and what to ask your doctor about
- Pregnant or breastfeeding women. We found no safety data for these groups, so do not take it.
- Anyone under 18. The trials were in adults.
- Anyone with an iron-overload condition, such as haemochromatosis, unless their doctor agrees.
- Anyone with a hormone-sensitive condition or on hormone therapy, given the testosterone rise seen in men.
- Anyone with a kidney or liver condition, because of the metal content question. Ask your doctor first.
- Anyone taking prescription medicines. We found no human interaction studies, so ask your GP or pharmacist before you add it.
Our Daily Energy & Vitality Stack contains our shilajit capsules, so the same cautions apply to it.
How to lower your risk of shilajit side effects
Most of the risk is in the product and the amount, and both are within your control.
- Know your amount. The trials used 250mg to 500mg a day. Our label serve is two capsules (1,000mg), which is twice the highest daily amount in those trials, and one capsule holds 500mg. Ask your GP whether starting with one capsule suits you, and never go above the label serve. Our shilajit dosage guide covers amounts by product type.
- Follow the label directions. Ours says to take the capsules with water. Other products differ: one resin sold at Chemist Warehouse suggests five days on and two days off. We found no trial comparing cycling with daily use.
- Keep the batch number. If you feel unwell, stop taking it, keep the container and see your GP.
- Give it time before you judge it. The trials ran for four to 12 weeks. Our guide to how long shilajit takes to work sets out what changed and when.
Shilajit products in Australia: what the pages tell you
Here is what four shilajit products sold in Australia state about amount, fulvic acid and testing on their own pages. Prices are in Australian dollars as of Sep 2026. For more brands and where each is sold, see our shilajit supplement comparison for Australia and our guide to shilajit at Chemist Warehouse.
| Product | Form and label serve | Shilajit per serve (as stated) | Fulvic acid stated | Testing statement on the page | Price (AUD, as of Sep 2026) | Cost per day at label serve | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eternal Elixir Shilajit 1000mg (our pick) | Capsules, 2 a day with water | 1,000mg of shilajit extract | 20% | Says every batch is tested by third-party labs for heavy metals and microbes, with the current batch certificate on request | $44.99 for 90 capsules | $1.00 | View at Eternal Elixir |
| Lifecykel Shilajit Pure Resin 15g (Chemist Warehouse, sold by Lifecykel) | Resin, 0.25g per spoon, 5 days on and 2 off | 0.25g of purified resin | Not stated | Says each batch is third-party tested for heavy metals, microbes and pesticides | $92.00 | $1.53 | Chemist Warehouse |
| Wanderlust Shilajit 120 Tablets (Chemist Warehouse) | Tablets, 2 a day with water | Not stated on the listing | Not stated | None on the listing | $19.49 for 120 tablets | $0.32, the lowest here | Chemist Warehouse |
| Mister Jones Organic Shilajit 60 Capsules (Chemist Warehouse, sold by Mister Jones Health) | Capsules, 1 or 2 a day after a meal | Not stated on the listing | Not stated | None on the listing | $42.99 for 60 capsules | $0.72 (1 capsule) or $1.43 (2 capsules) | Chemist Warehouse |
Our details are from our live product page. Competitor details were read from the linked listings in September 2026 and can change, so check before you buy.
Add Shilajit 1000mg to cart · $44.99
Wanderlust’s tablets cost the least per day, at $0.32, but the listing does not say how much shilajit is in a serve or how much fulvic acid it contains. Lifecykel’s resin states batch testing for heavy metals, microbes and pesticides, and it costs $1.53 a serve. Ours states the amount per serve and the fulvic acid content, and our page offers the batch certificate, at $1.00 a serve.
Why Eternal Elixir Shilajit is our pick
Eternal Elixir makes this product. Here is what the product page gives you.
- What is in it: shilajit extract (asphaltum) with 20% fulvic acid, in a hypromellose capsule with magnesium stearate and silica.
- Amount: 1,000mg per two-capsule serve, 90 capsules per bottle, 45 serves.
- Price: $44.99 a bottle, which is $1.00 a serve.
- Buying ahead: the product page takes 10% off two bottles, 15% off three and 20% off five. Three bottles come to $114.72, which clears the $100 free-shipping threshold.
- Service: a 30-day money-back guarantee, dispatch from Sydney within 24 hours and Afterpay at checkout.
Where it does not win: Wanderlust costs less per day, and our label serve is higher than the amounts used in the trials. The trial extract in the eight-week study, PrimaVie, is standardised to at least 50% fulvic acid, against 20% in ours, so the two are not the same material. You can read the full details on our Shilajit 1000mg product page or browse the Eternal Elixir shop.
If shilajit turns out not to suit you, there are other herbs in the same space with their own cautions. From our range, Tongkat Ali 200:1 Extract and Korean Panax Ginseng 1600mg are the two people most often compare with it. Our tongkat ali and shilajit comparison sets out the research on both, and our tongkat ali side effects guide covers that herb’s safety.
Shilajit side effects: frequently asked questions
Are there any bad effects of shilajit?
The small human trials we found reported few side effects at 250mg to 500mg a day for four to 12 weeks, and one eight-week trial in 63 men reported none. The main risk is contamination: lab tests on some shilajit samples found lead, arsenic and mercury above permissible limits. Stop taking it and get medical help if you have swelling, trouble breathing or chest tightness.
What happens if I take shilajit daily?
The trials gave it daily for 28 days to 90 days in healthy men, and one 28-day study found liver and kidney tests stayed normal. In men aged 45 to 55, daily use for 90 days raised testosterone and DHEAS. Long-term daily use has not been studied for side effects, so review it with your GP every few months if you take it regularly.
What should you avoid while taking shilajit?
Avoid shilajit from unknown sources with no batch certificate, and do not take more than the label serve. Do not add iron supplements without asking your doctor, since shilajit contains iron. If you take prescription medicines, ask your GP or pharmacist first, because we found no human studies on shilajit and medicine interactions.
Why do I feel weird after taking shilajit?
We found no trial that describes an odd feeling after shilajit, and the trials reported few side effects. If you feel unwell, stop taking it, keep the container with its batch number and talk to your GP. A product without a batch certificate is one possible cause to rule out.
Is shilajit hard on your kidneys?
In a 28-day study of 25 healthy men taking 500mg a day, kidney tests stayed within normal limits. The concern is contamination, since heavy metals can burden the kidneys. If you have a kidney condition, talk to your doctor before taking it.
Is shilajit safe for the liver?
In the same 28-day study, liver tests stayed within normal limits. In rats given very high doses for 91 days, only negligible liver changes appeared, at the highest dose. That is not proof of long-term safety in people. If you have a liver condition or take medicines processed by the liver, get your doctor’s advice first.
Can women take shilajit?
One 48-week trial randomised 60 women aged 45 to 65 to shilajit extract or placebo, but we found no trial that tracked hormone levels in women. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not take it, and women with a hormone-sensitive condition should ask their doctor first.
What is the best shilajit supplement in Australia?
Our pick is Eternal Elixir Shilajit 1000mg, which we make: 1,000mg per two-capsule serve with 20% fulvic acid, 90 capsules for $44.99, the current batch certificate on request, and dispatch from Sydney within 24 hours. Wanderlust’s tablets cost less per day, and Lifecykel’s resin states batch testing for pesticides as well as metals. The table above compares all four.
Add Shilajit 1000mg to cart · $44.99
The bottom line on shilajit side effects
In small trials of purified extracts at 250mg to 500mg a day, shilajit caused few reported problems over four to 12 weeks. The risk that matters most is contamination, which is why the batch certificate matters more than the format. Skip it if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, and check with your GP if you have an iron-related, hormone-sensitive, kidney or liver condition or take regular medicines. Our pick is Eternal Elixir Shilajit 1000mg, for the stated amount and fulvic acid content and the certificate on request, with one caveat: its label serve is above the trial amounts, so agree your dose with your GP.
Sources
- Keller JL, Housh TJ, Hill EC, et al. 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
- Pandit S, Biswas S, Jana U, et al. Clinical evaluation of purified Shilajit on testosterone levels in healthy volunteers. Andrologia. 2016;48(5):570-575. PubMed 26395129
- 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. PubMed 41613504
- 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. PubMed 35933897
- Aldakheel RK, Gondal MA, Alsayed HN, et al. Rapid determination and quantification of nutritional and poisonous metals in vastly consumed Ayurvedic herbal medicine (rejuvenator Shilajit) by humans using three advanced analytical techniques. Biological Trace Element Research. 2022;200(9):4199-4216. PubMed 34800280
- Hussain A, Saeed A. Hazardous or advantageous: uncovering the roles of heavy metals and humic substances in Shilajit (phyto-mineral) with emphasis on heavy metals toxicity and their detoxification mechanisms. Biological Trace Element Research. 2024;202(12):5794-5814. PubMed 38393486
- Velmurugan C, Vivek B, Wilson E, et al. Evaluation of safety profile of black shilajit after 91 days repeated administration in rats. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine. 2012;2(3):210-214. PubMed 23569899
- Product pages read in September 2026: Eternal Elixir Shilajit 1000mg, Lifecykel Shilajit Pure Resin 15g, Wanderlust Shilajit 120 Tablets and Mister Jones Organic Shilajit 60 Capsules at Chemist Warehouse.
