Vegetarians do not eat meat, poultry, game, fish, shellfish, crustacean or animal products such as gelatine. There are three main types of vegetarian:
- Lacto-ovo-vegetarian who eat both dairy products and eggs
- Lacto-vegetarians who eat dairy but not eggs
- Vegans who do not eat dairy products, eggs or any other animal products.
Around 5% of the UK population is vegetarian. With a large number of people avoiding some or all animal products for reasons of faith, ethics or allergy, information on the origins of active ingredients and excipients in medicines is often requested.
Proprietary calcium and vitamin D preparations contain calcium and colecalciferol or calcium and ergocalciferol. Colecalciferol and ergocalciferol are traditionally considered equal in potency. Pharmacopoeias state that one unit of vitamin D is contained in 25 nanograms of colecalciferol or ergocalciferol. The BP 2010 states that when calciferol or vitamin D is prescribed, colecalciferol or ergocalciferol should be dispensed. However some authors have suggested that colecalciferol be used as the preferred form of vitamin D as colecalciferol has been reported to raise serum vitamin D concentrations more effectively than ergocalciferol. Colecalciferol (vitamin D-3) is produced in the skin after sun exposure. It is produced commercially by extracting 7-dehydrocholesterol from wool fat, followed by UVB irradiation and purification. Ergocalciferol (vitamin D-2) has a different side chain than colecalciferol and is commercially made by irradiating and then purifying the ergosterol extracted from yeast. Wool fat derived products are unacceptable to vegans and would only be approved by the Vegetarian Society if the sheep’s wool had been pressed and not derived from slaughter. Yeast derived products are acceptable to vegetarians and vegans.
For information on suitable calcium tablets for vegetarians and vegans please see Medicines Q&A What are the excipients in calcium supplements? UKMi Q&A 35.5 What are the excipients in calcium supplements?