Key Takeaway
Shilajit supplementation helped maintain muscular strength during fatiguing exercise and increased serum hydroxyproline levels, indicating enhanced collagen turnover and connective tissue adaptation.
Summary
This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial investigated whether shilajit supplementation could attenuate fatigue-induced decreases in muscular strength and influence collagen metabolism. Recreationally active men were supplemented with either shilajit or placebo for 8 weeks and tested on fatiguing muscle protocols.
The shilajit group demonstrated better preservation of muscular strength following the fatiguing protocol compared to placebo. Additionally, serum hydroxyproline levels, a marker of collagen turnover, were significantly higher in the shilajit group, suggesting enhanced connective tissue remodeling.
These findings indicate that shilajit may support both muscular performance under fatigue and the structural adaptation of connective tissues. The increase in hydroxyproline suggests that shilajit promotes collagen synthesis or turnover, which could benefit recovery from exercise-induced muscle and tendon stress. This is one of the first studies to link shilajit supplementation to both functional performance and connective tissue biomarkers in a controlled setting.
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