Shilajit vs CoQ10: An Honest Comparison
CoQ10 and shilajit often show up in the same conversation, usually about energy, men's health or sperm quality. They are very different products with very different amounts of research behind them. This comparison sticks to the one area where both have been tested in people, because that is where a fair comparison is possible.
Short answer
CoQ10 has a much larger body of randomised trials behind it, including meta-analyses of 781 and 877 participants on semen quality. Shilajit has one small unblinded sperm study of 35 men, 28 of whom finished, and one placebo-controlled testosterone trial. Neither case is settled: a 2026 review rated the certainty of evidence for antioxidants in male fertility as very low. If the question is "which has more evidence", it is CoQ10 by a wide margin.
In this article
What each one is
Coenzyme Q10 is a compound your body makes and uses in cellular energy production. It is sold as a supplement in standardised doses and has been studied in many conditions. Shilajit is a mountain exudation made largely of humic substances and plant and microbial metabolites. It is not a single compound, which is one reason studying it is harder, and preparations differ between suppliers. We cover the chemistry in shilajit by the numbers.
What the CoQ10 trials found
Three recent analyses, all of randomised trials in men with idiopathic (unexplained) infertility, give the picture. Meta-analyses of RCTs
- A 2025 meta-analysis in the World Journal of Men's Health pooled 9 studies and 781 participants. CoQ10 improved sperm concentration by about 10.2 million per millilitre on average and total motility by about 5 percentage points, and the odds of clinical pregnancy were higher (odds ratio 6.02, but with a very wide 95% confidence interval of 1.97 to 18.41).
- A 2024 meta-analysis in Frontiers in Pharmacology pooled 8 trials and 877 participants and found improvements in sperm count, motility and morphology, with significantly higher serum testosterone in the CoQ10 groups.
- A 2026 meta-analysis across all antioxidants for male infertility pooled 41 randomised trials and 3,615 men. It found improvements in sperm concentration and motility, but rated the certainty of evidence very low and noted that prediction intervals crossed the null for every outcome. Put plainly, a new trial could easily show no effect.
That last caveat deserves as much weight as the headline results. The CoQ10 evidence is bigger and more consistent than shilajit's. It is not strong.
What the shilajit trials found
Two trials overlap with the CoQ10 literature. One unblinded One placebo-controlled
- Biswas and colleagues (Andrologia, 2010) assessed 60 infertile men and enrolled the 35 whose sperm counts were below 20 million per millilitre. They gave 100mg of processed shilajit twice daily for 90 days. 28 completed treatment, and there was no placebo group. Among those 28, total sperm count rose 61.4% and serum testosterone rose 23.5%.
- Pandit and colleagues (Andrologia, 2016) gave 250mg of purified shilajit twice daily for 90 days to healthy men aged 45 to 55 in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Total testosterone, free testosterone and DHEAS were significantly higher than placebo.
Only the second of those is a proper controlled comparison, and it measured hormones, not fertility. For the full picture see Shilajit Science: What Human Evidence Actually Shows.
Comparing the size of the evidence
Numbers of people are a blunt measure, but they show the gap quickly.
Side by side
| Question | Shilajit | CoQ10 |
|---|---|---|
| Randomised trials on sperm quality | None with a placebo One unblinded study (Biswas 2010) | Multiple meta-analyses pooling 8 to 9 trials each |
| Testosterone | One placebo-controlled RCT (Pandit 2016), in healthy men | 2024 meta-analysis reported significantly higher serum testosterone with CoQ10 |
| Certainty of evidence | Low: small, unreplicated | Very low for antioxidants overall (2026 review), though larger than shilajit's |
| Standardised product | No. Preparations and processing differ. | Yes. A defined compound sold in set doses. |
| Clinical pregnancy outcome | Not measured | Odds ratio 6.02 (95% CI 1.97 to 18.41) in the 2025 meta-analysis of 9 studies |
Our reading
If you came here asking whether shilajit "beats" CoQ10, the research doesn't support that, and we'd be uncomfortable if a shilajit seller said otherwise. CoQ10 has more trials, a defined compound and a clinical outcome measured. Shilajit has an interesting but small body of work and a preparation problem: results from one processed extract don't automatically carry over to another.
We also won't pretend these are the only choices. Male fertility is a medical question, and the people best placed to advise on supplements are the clinicians managing your case. If you are trying to conceive, see a doctor first and bring a list of everything you take.
FAQ
Is shilajit better than CoQ10?
The evidence doesn't support that. CoQ10 has several meta-analyses of randomised trials on semen quality. Shilajit has one small unblinded sperm study and one placebo-controlled testosterone trial.
Can you take shilajit and CoQ10 together?
We found no study testing the two together. Ask your doctor or pharmacist, especially if you take other medication.
Does CoQ10 raise testosterone?
A 2024 meta-analysis of 8 randomised trials and 877 participants reported significantly higher serum testosterone with CoQ10. The overall certainty for antioxidants in male fertility is rated very low.
Does shilajit improve sperm count?
One 2010 study without a placebo group reported a 61.4% rise in total sperm count in the 28 men with low counts who completed it. That is a lead, not proof.
References
- Bakri S, Saleh R, Cayan S, et al. Efficacy and safety of coenzyme Q10 in idiopathic male infertility: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials. World Journal of Men's Health. 2025. PMID 40878114.
- Akhigbe TM, Fidelis FB, Adekunle AO, et al. Does coenzyme Q10 improve semen quality and circulating testosterone level? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2024. PMID 39830337.
- Melhem SJ, Melhem M, Haddad R, et al. Pharmacologic and nutritional therapies in idiopathic male infertility: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Andrology. 2026. PMID 42206761.
- Biswas TK, et al. Clinical evaluation of spermatogenic activity of processed Shilajit in oligospermia. Andrologia. 2010;42(1):48 to 56. PMID 20078516.
- Pandit S, et al. Clinical evaluation of purified Shilajit on testosterone levels in healthy volunteers. Andrologia. 2016;48(5):570 to 575. DOI 10.1111/and.12482.
This is general information, not medical advice. ShilNepal Shilajit Resin is not registered with the Therapeutic Goods Administration and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.