Maca vs Shilajit for energy
Short answer: For energy, more users report improvement with Shilajit — 94% of 67 reports, versus 85% of 48 for Maca.
Maca has 13 meta-analyses and 13 randomized trials on PubMed; Shilajit has 1 and 7.
Based on 405 reports about Maca and 427 about Shilajit. Not medical advice.
| Maca Supplement | Shilajit Supplement | |
|---|---|---|
| Users say it helped | 53%helped190 reports · high confidence | 61%helped154 reports · high confidence |
| Verdict | Mixed | Mostly positive |
| Research | AResearch: Strong | BResearch: Moderate |
| Meta-analyses / RCTs | 13 / 13 | 1 / 7 |
| Mainly used for | ||
| Libido % reporting improvement | 90% (152) | 87% (45) |
| Energy % reporting improvement | 85% (48) | 94% (67) |
| Mood % reporting improvement | 83% (41) | 93% (28) |
| Hormones % reporting improvement | 74% (19) | 89% (38) |
| Anxiety % reporting improvement | 44% (9) | 84% (19) |
| Common side effects | anxiety, stomach issues, acne, headache | irritability, anxiety, drowsiness, insomnia |
| Typical dose reported | 1 rounded tbsp (~9 g) / 3 days on / 2 days off, then a week off | 400-600 mg / daily with food |
Conclusion: The evidence from the included studies suggests unclear effects of maca on semen quality parameters in both men experiencing infertility and healthy men. However, the total number of RCTs and the total sample size were too small to draw firm conclusions.
Front Pharmacol, 2022 ↗“The better experiences were with gelatinized maca powder, 20g or so in a cup and my cock was hard as El Peñón de Gibraltar.”
The exceptions were β-hydroxy β-methylbutyrate and betaine, which can be considered effective for male athletes. Eurycoma longifolia, a blend of Punica granatum fruit rind and Theobroma cacao seed extracts (Tesnor™) and purified Shilajit extract (PrimaVie™) can be considered possibly effective for men with late-onset hypogonadism; Eurycoma longifolia and Withania somnifera possibly effective for healthy men; and a non-hormonal aromatase inhibitor (Novadex XT™) possibly effective for male athletes.
Int J Impot Res, 2024 ↗“Shilajit actually did wonders for me, I'm chronically ill so energy levels and mental clarity were in the dumps and it's the first thing I've tried that boosts a noticeable amount.”
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Percentages come from first-hand user reports and are not clinical outcomes. Talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. How we rate