Vegetarian supplements
Supplements without meat or fish ingredients: vegetarian capsules made with HPMC or pullulan, plus powders and drops. We explain which nutrients need extra attention and how to spot gelatin on a label.Read more →
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Vegetarian vitamins and gelatin-free capsules explained
What makes a supplement vegetarian
A vegetarian supplement contains no meat and no fish. The nutrient itself is often plant based, but the shell around it decides the answer. Most standard capsules are made of gelatin, a protein from pig or cow skin. Vegetarian capsules use HPMC instead, a fibre from wood pulp, or pullulan, made by fermenting starch. Both dissolve in the stomach just as well.
Other animal ingredients hide in the small print. Carmine (E120), a red colour, comes from insects. Shellac, used as a tablet coating, comes from a lac insect. Glucosamine is often made from shellfish shells. Omega-3 from fish oil is not vegetarian, while algae oil gives you the same EPA and DHA. Vitamin D3 is usually made from lanolin, the grease from sheep's wool: vegetarian, but not vegan.
Nutrients that deserve attention on a vegetarian diet
Eggs and dairy cover part of the gap. A few nutrients still stay tight when you eat no meat or fish.
- Vitamin B12: reliable amounts come from dairy, eggs and fortified foods only. B12 contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, which is why supplements with vitamin B12 are the most common starting point here.
- Iron: iron from plants is absorbed less easily than iron from meat. Iron contributes to the normal formation of red blood cells and haemoglobin.
- EPA and DHA: flaxseed gives ALA, which your body converts into EPA and DHA in small amounts only. Algae oil skips that step.
- Iodine and zinc: worth checking if you also eat little dairy. Zinc contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
Iron is taken up better together with vitamin C, so fruit or vegetables with your meal help. Tea and coffee do the opposite, because they bind iron. Keep roughly an hour between your cup and the iron products we carry.
How we choose vegetarian supplements
Three things decide whether a product joins this collection: the capsule shell, the source of the nutrient and the dose. We prefer HPMC or pullulan shells over gelatin, and algae oil over fish oil for EPA and DHA, because that fits a vegetarian diet without changing what you actually get. Doses follow the amounts used in research, not the highest number on the shelf. In more than ten years we have learned that a short, readable label beats a long one. We buy straight from the brands, and our compliance team checks every product before it goes live. read how we select
Who this collection suits
It suits vegetarians, and anyone who avoids gelatin for other reasons. Formulas change, so read the current label. A product marked vegan always meets vegetarian too, because vegan is the stricter of the two. The reverse is not true: something labelled suitable for vegetarians can still contain whey, egg or lanolin. You can compare both in our fully plant based range.
Give a new supplement time. With daily use, most people notice a difference after two to three weeks, and blood values move more slowly than that. Start with one or two products that match a real gap in your diet rather than a full shelf. If you also avoid lactose, gluten or gelatin, our other dietary preference filters narrow the choice further.
Frequently asked questions
A vegetarian supplement contains no ingredients from meat or fish. Dairy and egg derivatives are allowed, so whey protein or lactose can appear in a vegetarian product. The most common animal ingredient is the capsule itself: standard capsules are gelatin, made from pig or cow skin. Vegetarian alternatives are HPMC, a fibre from wood pulp, and pullulan, made by fermenting starch. Colours, coatings and fillers are worth a second look too.
No, and the difference matters when you read a label. Vegan means no animal ingredients at all. Vegetarian allows dairy and eggs, so whey, casein, lactose, egg-derived lysozyme and lanolin-based vitamin D3 can be present. It works one way round: anything labelled vegan is also fine for vegetarians, because vegan is the stricter standard. So if you want the shortest route, look for the vegan mark and you cover both.
Pick the shell first, then the nutrient. HPMC and pullulan behave the same in your stomach as gelatin, so you lose nothing by choosing them. Softgels are the usual exception: they are mostly gelatin, because oils need a soft shell.
| Shell or coating | Made from | Vegetarian |
|---|---|---|
| Gelatin capsule | Pig or cow skin | No |
| HPMC capsule | Wood pulp cellulose | Yes |
| Pullulan capsule | Fermented starch | Yes |
| Softgel | Usually gelatin | Usually not |
| Shellac coating | Lac insect | No |
Vitamin B12, iron, zinc and iodine come mainly from animal foods, so intake depends on how much dairy and egg you eat. The table shows the UK daily amounts for adults, as reference data, not as personal advice.
| Nutrient | Adults 19 to 64 |
|---|---|
| Vitamin B12 | 1.5 mcg |
| Iron (men) | 8.7 mg |
| Iron (women 19 to 50) | 14.8 mg |
| Zinc | 9.5 mg men, 7 mg women |
| Iodine | 140 mcg |
Through algae oil. Algae are where fish get their EPA and DHA in the first place, so algae oil delivers the same two fatty acids without the fish. Flaxseed, walnut and chia give ALA, which your body converts into EPA and DHA in small amounts only, so they are not a direct swap. EPA and DHA contribute to normal heart function at 250 mg per day. Check the label for the EPA and DHA amount, not just the total oil, in our omega-3 selection.
Iron from plants and supplements is absorbed less easily than iron from meat, but timing helps. Vitamin C improves uptake, so eat peppers, citrus or berries with the meal, or take the supplement with fruit. Tea, coffee and calcium bind iron, so leave about an hour between them. Iron on an empty stomach absorbs better but can feel harsh; gentler forms such as bisglycinate are usually easier with food.
Yes. Lanolin is the grease from sheep's wool, collected after shearing, so the animal is not slaughtered for it. That makes lanolin-based D3 vegetarian, but not vegan. If you want a plant source, look for D3 from lichen, a moss-like organism. D2 from yeast is also plant based, though D3 raises vitamin D levels more effectively. Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal bones. In the UK, 10 mcg (400 IU) a day is advised in autumn and winter.
Longer than most labels suggest. With daily use, people often notice a difference in energy after two to three weeks, once levels have had time to build. Blood values respond even more slowly: for iron and B12, a few months of consistent use is realistic before a test shows a clear change. That is normal, not a sign the product is weak. Choose a dose you can keep taking rather than a short, high burst.
Yes. Creatine occurs mainly in meat and fish, so vegetarians typically start with lower muscle creatine stores. That is not a health problem, but it does mean supplementing often shows a clearer effect in strength and sprint work. Creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high intensity exercise at 3 g per day. Creatine monohydrate is produced synthetically, so it is vegetarian by default; check the capsule shell or choose the powder.
