Kosher Question: Vitamins

[Nora7]

Shalom Everyone,

Are vitamins and even medications that come in gel caps OK to eat?

I was just reading the ingredient label and the gel caps are made of gelatin..
What a "duh" moment. :doh:

Since gelatin that does not have a heksher (spelling?) is questionable as to whether it came from a source that is non kosher--I thought I would ask if any of you had come across that dilemma before.

I take calcium because of problems with my teeth and the kosher products that are available are not necessarily the most effective.

Any thoughts? :scratch:

[Henaynei]

Many are NOT kosher - for just the reqason you mention - I have a site on kosher vitamins some where....hmmmm where did I put that?? While I am looking, remember that the mitzvah of preserving life supercedes all others except Glorifying the Name..... so in the case where there is no Kosher alternative to a lifesaving drug, then the non-kosher version is permissible....

gone fishing for that site..... http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/1002.gif (http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb001)

[Henaynei]

Haven't visited some of these links in a whole so you may need to get creative with them ;) in order to find what's there.........

http://www.kashrut.com/articles/med/

http://www.koshercare.com/index.htm

http://www.kashrus.org/kosher/medicine.html

http://www.koshervitamin.com/

http://www.star-k.com/cons-appr-medecine.htm

http://www.star-k.com/articles/vitamins.html

http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/shop_cat_list.asp?dispmode=brand&brandid=VSU

[I’m_Lesha]

I take calcium because of problems with my teeth and the kosher products that are available are not necessarily the most effective.

Any thoughts? :scratch:
Doesn't most calcium come from shell fish?

I had a hard time with this also. Many vitamins are taken from animal products and who knows if they are kosher. Isn't there parts of the animal other than the blood that is not fit for food also? You can be sure that if it can be used for some sort of profit they will use it. :sick:

I haven't went to any of Henaynei's sights yet, but I plan too.

Here is where I get my vitamins:

https://secure5.nexternal.com/shared/StoreFront/default.asp?CS=differentd&BusType=BtoC&Count1=360241115&Count2=277381539

Just type vitamins in the search and you will find all you need. ;)

Lesha

[Sephania]

Thanks for the sites Henaynei, this is the next areas of cleansing in my life.

I have a question sortof pertaining to the topic. My dog recently had to undergo and examination and X-Rays under anesthesia to determine why she has been limping. THe doctor thought that it might be a torn ligament in her knee, but found that she has tiny bone chips in that area as well as the cartilage at her kneecaps has deteriorated and there was swelling. She is not sure why this happened but said it could have come from an old injury when she was a pup. She is now on med to reduce the swelling and that is a blessing that it is working, also that she doesn't need an operation to repair a tear as that would have been over a grand for that.

The thing is that the doctor also recommended that we give here these glucosamine tablets to rebuild her knee, but they are made from New Zealand Mussels and I refused to buy them until I could make sure that it was OK to give these to my pet. She said there is an ulturnative but that it costs three times as much and she would be on these the rest of her life.

Do you know of any case like this and what I should do? Is it Ok in any circumstance to give her these? Are pets allowed? I know during Pasach that chametz containing dog food can't be used, but didn't have time to get any this year so put it in the garage. I thought I read somewhere that the halacha was that the animal if in your home can't have any chametz in their stomach or system?

[Henaynei]

Thanks for the sites Henaynei, this is the next areas of cleansing in my life.

I have a question sortof pertaining to the topic. My dog recently had to undergo and examination and X-Rays under anesthesia to determine why she has been limping. THe doctor thought that it might be a torn ligament in her knee, but found that she has tiny bone chips in that area as well as the cartilage at her kneecaps has deteriorated and there was swelling. She is not sure why this happened but said it could have come from an old injury when she was a pup. She is now on med to reduce the swelling and that is a blessing that it is working, also that she doesn't need an operation to repair a tear as that would have been over a grand for that.

The thing is that the doctor also recommended that we give here these glucosamine tablets to rebuild her knee, but they are made from New Zealand Mussels and I refused to buy them until I could make sure that it was OK to give these to my pet. She said there is an ulturnative but that it costs three times as much and she would be on these the rest of her life.

Do you know of any case like this and what I should do? Is it Ok in any circumstance to give her these? Are pets allowed? I know during Pasach that chametz containing dog food can't be used, but didn't have time to get any this year so put it in the garage. I thought I read somewhere that the halacha was that the animal if in your home can't have any chametz in their stomach or system? There is nothing in scripture that states that our animals should eat kosher - it is only for us humans. Even some of the kosher animals we eat, eat non-kosher food sources: fish and chicken come to mind. In addition these medications will relieve suffering in your dog and scripture states that "a righteous man is kind ot his animals."