By Rajnish Mago, MD (bio)
Mental health clinicians sometimes recommend certain vitamins (e.g., vitamin D), minerals (e.g., zinc), and other supplements (e.g., omega-3 fatty acids). For those of our Jewish patients who follow kashruth (Jewish dietary law) strictly, taking vitamins and other medications can be a problem, especially if the product contains gelatin. If we are culturally sensitive and proactively recommend a kosher product to Jewish patients to whom this is important, they are likely to be appreciative.
On this page, I discuss general issues regarding kosher medications, vitamins, and supplements. On another page on this website, I discuss SPECIFIC kosher products that mental health clinicians may recommend to patients who request kosher products only.
The following brands of vitamins and supplements have been recommended by my Jewish patients because they offer kosher vitamins and other supplements. In addition to learning about this from my own patients, I also consulted this website: https://www.star-k.org
Disclaimer: The resources below are provided for information only and it is up to the readers to research them further. This should not be construed as an endorsement of these products. Please note that not every one of their products may be certified as being kosher. The websites are listed in here in alphabetical order.
Freeda Vitamins
Maxi-Health
Shaklee
Another brand of vitamins that was recommended for Jewish patients who keep kosher is Shaklee™ (www.shaklee.com). The children’s multivitamin, shown below is kosher certified. But, as with Freeda, not all products are kosher-certified.
Shaklee Vita-Lea Ocean Wonders 120 ct.
On this page, I discussed general issues regarding kosher medications, vitamins, and supplements. On another page on this website, I have discussed SPECIFIC kosher products that mental health clinicians may need to recommend to patients who request kosher products only.
Related Pages
Kosher medications, vitamins, and supplements: Specific products
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Vitamin D for depression?
What is vitamin D?
How should vitamin D status be measured?
How should we define vitamin D insufficiency (deficiency)?
How should vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency be treated?
Potential adverse effects of vitamin D
Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Mental Health
Omega-3 fatty acids for depressive disorders?
Which omega-3?
Omega-3 fatty acids for vegetarian and vegan patients
How to improve the tolerability of iron supplementation
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