# Yadav 2026: shilajit resin pilot study

Source: https://shilajit.uk/research/yadav-2026-resin/
Author: Sam Rowan · Updated 2026-10-16

**Short answer:** In a 28-day open-label pilot with no placebo group, 25 healthy men took 500 mg a day of TruBlk shilajit resin. Leg press strength rose 12.9% and fatigue scores fell 32.4% from baseline, while testosterone did not change. Seven men reported mild side effects. Four of six authors work for the resin's maker.

Almost every earlier shilajit trial tested a purified extract in capsules. The authors of this 2026 pilot study describe it as the first to test shilajit resin, the sticky paste most people buy online. Healthy, moderately active men took it daily for four weeks, and almost every measure of strength, endurance and fatigue improved from where they started.

The problem is the design. There was no placebo group, everyone knew what they were taking, and the study was run largely by the company that makes the product. Improvements like these are common in any group of people who know they are in a fitness study.

## What did the Yadav 2026 study do?

Twenty-seven men were screened and 25 were enrolled. All took 250 mg of TruBlk shilajit resin twice a day, dissolved in about 200 ml of warm water with meals, for 28 days. Strength, endurance, fitness, fatigue, body composition and blood tests were measured at the start and the end, with safety checks at day 14 (Yadav et al., 2026).

| Detail | What the study reports |
| --- | --- |
| Design | Open-label, single group, no placebo; registered in advance with the Clinical Trials Registry-India |
| Participants | 25 healthy, moderately active men aged 21 to 55 (average 26.3) |
| Completed | All 25; no dropouts |
| Dose | 250 mg twice a day (500 mg a day), dissolved in warm water with meals |
| Product | TruBlk Shilajit Resin (Amaara Botanicals, Gurugram, India), described as standardised to at least 60% fulvic acids and tested for heavy metals, microbes, pesticides, aflatoxins and PAHs |
| Length | 28 days |
| Outcomes | Leg press 1-rep max, muscle endurance, grip strength, fatigue (Fatigue Severity Scale), perceived exertion; VO₂ max, body composition, CRP, creatine kinase, LDH, testosterone; liver, kidney and blood counts |
| Results (vs baseline) | Leg press +12.94%; endurance +12.30%; grip +5.73%; VO₂ max +1.36%; fatigue score −32.40%; perceived exertion −23.63%; CRP −25.35%; lean mass +1.5%; body fat −2.34%; testosterone unchanged |
| Side effects | 7 of 25 (28%) had mild, self-limiting events; none serious |
| Funding and conflicts | Four of six authors work for Amaara Botanicals; paper declares no financial support and no conflicts |
| Main limitations | No placebo, unblinded, short, small, manufacturer-run, no correction for multiple comparisons |

## What did it find?

After 28 days, compared with their own starting values, the men's leg press one-rep maximum rose by 12.94% and muscle endurance by 12.30% (both p < 0.001). Grip strength in the dominant hand rose by 5.73% and VO₂ max, a measure of aerobic fitness, by 1.36%. Scores on the Fatigue Severity Scale fell by 32.40% and ratings of perceived exertion by 23.63%.

CRP, a marker of inflammation, fell by 25.35%. Creatine kinase, a marker of muscle damage, fell by 41.70%, but this was not statistically significant (p = 0.059). Lean body mass rose by 1.5% and body fat percentage fell by 2.34%.

Total testosterone did not change significantly: 394 ng/dL at the start and 383 ng/dL at the end (p = 0.606). LDH also didn't change.

Liver, kidney and blood count results stayed within normal limits. Seven men (28%) reported mild side effects that resolved without treatment: acne (2), rash, itching, upper stomach pain, indigestion, cough and fever (1 each). The researchers judged the rash, cough and fever as possibly related to the resin, and the rest as unlikely to be related.

## What does this mean?

It shows that a carefully tested resin can be taken for four weeks without obvious harm in young men, and it gives researchers numbers to plan a proper trial. It is also a useful data point on testosterone: unlike the 90-day placebo-controlled trial in older men (see [Pandit 2016](/research/pandit-2016-testosterone/)), this study saw no rise.

## What doesn't it show?

- **That the resin caused the improvements.** Without a placebo group, gains could come from practice at the tests, men training harder or eating better because they were being measured, or simply expecting to feel better. Fatigue and exertion scores are especially open to expectation effects.
- **That the results are robust.** Many outcomes were tested without adjusting for multiple comparisons, which the authors acknowledge. Test enough things and some will reach significance by chance.
- **That other resins are the same.** This product was standardised and tested for contaminants. Many resins sold online are not.
- **Long-term safety.** Four weeks is short, and 28% of men reported a side effect, even if mild.

## How much should we trust it?

Very little, for benefits. The authors themselves say the open-label, single-arm design "limits causal interpretation" and call for a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Four of the six authors work in research, quality assurance and product development at Amaara Botanicals, which makes TruBlk, even though the paper declares no funding or conflicts.

That is why it adds little to our weak grades for [energy and fatigue](/benefits/energy-and-fatigue/) and [exercise performance](/benefits/exercise-performance/).

## Where does this study fit?

This is the only published human study of shilajit resin rather than a capsule extract. For how resin compares with capsules, see [resin vs capsules](/how-to-take-shilajit/resin-vs-capsules/). For the safety picture, including side effects, see [is shilajit safe?](/safety/). The full list of trials is in the [research library](/research/).

## Frequently asked questions

### Did shilajit resin raise testosterone in the Yadav study?

No. Total testosterone was 394 ng/dL at the start and 383 ng/dL after 28 days, a change that was not statistically significant.

### What side effects were reported with shilajit resin?

Seven of 25 men (28%) reported mild side effects that cleared up on their own, including acne, rash, itching, indigestion, stomach pain, cough and fever. None were serious and nobody stopped taking part.

### Is the Yadav study independent?

No. Four of the six authors work for Amaara Botanicals, which makes the TruBlk resin tested, although the paper declares no financial support or conflicts of interest.

## References

1. [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;18(1):e102372.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41613504/) Full text read on PubMed Central (PMC12848467). Registered as CTRI/2025/08/092294.
2. [Keller JL et al. The effects of Shilajit supplementation on fatigue-induced decreases in muscular strength and serum hydroxyproline levels. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2019;16(1):3.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30728074/)
3. [Pandit S et al. Clinical evaluation of purified Shilajit on testosterone levels in healthy volunteers. Andrologia. 2016;48(5):570-5.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26395129/)