How Much Shilajit Per Day for Bodybuilding

Most lifters who use shilajit for training support stay in the 250–500 mg per day range, often 250 mg twice daily (BID) with meals for 8–12 weeks. Trials in active men show better strength retention under fatigue at 250–500 mg/day and higher type-1 collagen synthesis markers at 500–1,000 mg/day. A separate 90-day study in men 45–55 reported higher total and free testosterone at 250 mg BID, but no trial has shown bigger muscles directly from shilajit. Use it as a supportive aid, not a primary hypertrophy driver.

Why lifters even consider shilajit

At Fitness Fox, we think of shilajit as a training-quality and connective-tissue support tool, not a muscle-builder like creatine. The best evidence so far:

Fatigue study (8 weeks, active men): 250 or 500 mg/day reduced the drop in post-fatigue strength and lowered a collagen-breakdown marker (serum hydroxyproline) vs placebo. Baseline strength didn’t increase, and no hypertrophy was reported.
Collagen-synthesis study (8 weeks): 500–1,000 mg/day increased pro-c1α1, a circulating biomarker of type-1 collagen synthesis—useful for tendon/ECM support—but again no muscle-size data.
Endocrine study (90 days, men 45–55): 250 mg BID increased total and free testosterone and DHEAS vs placebo; performance or size weren’t measured.
Mechanistic clue: In overweight adults, shilajit up-regulated extracellular-matrix (ECM) genes in skeletal muscle—consistent with connective-tissue remodeling—but not direct hypertrophy.

Takeaway: For bodybuilding, shilajit may help you hold output when fatigued and support connective tissue over cycles—an indirect path to better training consistency.

Fitness Fox dose table (evidence-led)

Goal (what you care about)	Evidence-based dose	Duration in trials	Study population	Result vs placebo	What it means for lifters
Reduce strength loss under fatigue	250–500 mg/day (once daily)	8 weeks	Active men	Smaller drop in post-fatigue strength; ↓ serum hydroxyproline	Helps you maintain output across high-volume blocks; doesn’t raise baseline strength by itself.
Support tendon/ECM collagen turnover	500–1,000 mg/day (once daily)	8 weeks	Recreationally trained men	↑ pro-c1α1 (type-1 collagen synthesis biomarker)	Suggests connective-tissue support; no measured hypertrophy.
Endocrine support in middle-aged men	250 mg twice daily	90 days	Healthy men 45–55 y	↑ total & free testosterone, ↑ DHEAS	Hormonal signal only; training/size outcomes not tested.
Mechanistic muscle signal	Standardized extract (see paper)	8 weeks	Overweight adults	Up-regulation of ECM-related genes in skeletal muscle	Suggestive, not proof of performance or size.

All doses above refer to purified, standardized shilajit used in peer-reviewed studies—not raw, untested resins.

How we recommend dosing (bodybuilding context)

At Fitness Fox, we suggest choosing a dose by goal + training block:

General training support (most lifters): 500 mg/day or 250 mg BID with meals. Run it for 8–12 weeks, align with a high-volume phase or a cut where fatigue control matters most.
Connective-tissue emphasis (repeated tendon niggles, high plyo volume, new lever-belt work): 500–1,000 mg/day for 8 weeks, then evaluate. If you go above 500 mg/day, ensure you’re using a COA-verified product.
Men 40–60 with borderline T (after medical check): 250 mg BID for 90 days, understanding this is population-specific evidence without hypertrophy data.

Timing: With food; split AM/PM if using BID. No stimulant-type effects were reported in these trials.

Cycling idea: 8 weeks on during your hardest volume blocks → 4 weeks off. Repeat if useful.

What results to expect (and what not to)

Expect: a better ability to maintain reps/strength late in sessions or blocks; potentially happier tendons over time; possibly improved recovery feel. These are supportive effects.
Don’t expect: guaranteed PRs or visible hypertrophy from shilajit alone. Progressive overload, calories/protein, and sleep still decide growth; creatine remains the most supported supplement for strength and lean mass. (Hundreds of trials and position stands back creatine; shilajit doesn’t match that.)
Population note: Testosterone increases were shown in men 45–55 only, and without performance data—don’t over-generalize to younger lifters.

Stacking with proven basics (Fitness Fox philosophy)

Creatine monohydrate 3–5 g/day: unmatched for strength/lean mass in resistance training.
Protein 1.6–2.2 g/kg/day + small surplus (+5–10%) when bulking; maintain 1.8–2.4 g/kg on a cut.
Beta-alanine 3.2–6.4 g/day if your sport includes 1–4-minute efforts (tingling is normal).
Program first: progressive overload, ~10–20 hard sets per muscle/week, 7–9 h sleep.

Shilajit sits beside these—not above them.

Safety, quality, and how Fitness Fox evaluates shilajit

Regulation reality: Supplements aren’t pre-approved for safety/efficacy. Independent agencies have documented heavy-metal contamination in some Ayurvedic products (lead, arsenic, mercury). Choose purified shilajit with a Certificate of Analysis (COA) from a third-party lab.

Practical checklist we use at Fitness Fox:

Third-party COA covering heavy metals, microbes, and identity/standardization.
Clear dose per serving (match study ranges).
cGMP manufacturing.
Transparent source and standardization (e.g., PrimaVie® or equivalent).
Avoid “raw/unprocessed resin” that lacks testing.

If you have kidney disease, iron-overload disorders, are pregnant/breastfeeding, or take prescription meds, ask your clinician first. This article is informational, not medical advice.

FAQs (quick hits)

Is more always better (e.g., 1,500–2,000 mg/day)?

Human training data top out at 1,000 mg/day for collagen biomarkers and 500 mg/day for fatigue resistance; no added bodybuilding benefit above that is proven.

Capsule vs resin—does form matter?

Quality matters more than form. Use purified, tested products dosed to match trials (e.g., 250–500 mg/day).

How long until I notice anything?
Expect any benefits to emerge across weeks, not days, because outcomes (fatigue resistance; tissue remodeling) are gradual. Trials ran 8–12 weeks.

The Fitness Fox dose & goal matrix (print-friendly)

Your situation	Suggested approach	Why it fits
High-volume hypertrophy block (fatigue creeping in)	250–500 mg/day (consider 250 mg BID) for 8–12 weeks	Mirrors fatigue-resistance trial; supports holding quality late in sessions.
History of tendon niggles (elbows, knees, adductors)	500–1,000 mg/day for 8 weeks	Aligns with collagen-biomarker RCT (type-1 collagen signal).
Cutting phase (performance dip)	500 mg/day during hardest mesocycle	Indirect help via fatigue and tissue support; doesn’t replace carbs/sleep.
Male, 45–55, borderline T (talk to your clinician)	250 mg BID for 90 days	Matches endocrine study; no direct hypertrophy data—use expectations wisely.

Bottom line (Fitness Fox verdict)

For bodybuilding, 250–500 mg/day (often 250 mg BID) is the sweet spot we see supported by trials—mainly for fatigue management and connective-tissue signaling.
500–1,000 mg/day is the ceiling studied for collagen-synthesis markers; going higher isn’t backed by human lifting outcomes.
Shilajit won’t replace progressive overload, recovery, protein, calories, or creatine—but it can assist your ability to keep quality high across demanding blocks.

Our products (so you can apply this today)

If you’re ready to test this protocol, Fitness Fox Shilajit products are purified and third-party tested to align with the doses used in the literature. Choose the format you prefer:

Pure Organic Shilajit Resin (Unflavoured) — available in 20 g, 30 g, and 50 g jars; page includes COA/Lab Report download and “How to Use” (¼ spoon ≈ 250 mg once daily with water or milk).
Shilajit Gold (20 g) — resin infused with Ashwagandha, Gokshura, Swarna Bhasma, Safed Musli, and Kawach; includes lab-report section and the same 250 mg serving guidance.
Shilajit Resin Strawberry (20 g) — flavored variant; product page reiterates 250 mg “pea-sized” daily use and general benefits.
Shilajit Resin Blueberry (20 g) — flavored variant; product page details usage (¼ spoon ≈ 250 mg) and FAQs.
Shilajit collection hub — category page that aggregates all Fitness Fox Shilajit products.