Most vitamin D3 supplements are made from lanolin, the oily wax that coats sheep's wool. That works perfectly well, but it is not vegan. If you avoid animal products, or simply want to know what is in your supplement, here is where vitamin D comes from, what the plant-based options are, and how to choose one.
Where does most vitamin D3 come from?
Vitamin D3 in supplements is typically made by taking a cholesterol-like compound from lanolin and exposing it to ultraviolet light, much as your skin does in the sun. Sheep produce lanolin to waterproof their wool, and it is collected when wool is cleaned.
To be clear, lanolin-derived D3 is real, effective vitamin D3: it is the same molecule your skin makes. The reason to choose an alternative is not that it works better or worse, but that it comes from an animal.
Why choose vegan vitamin D?
If you eat a vegan diet, vitamin D is harder to get from food. The best natural sources are fatty fish, egg yolks, cheese and liver, which leaves fortified foods such as plant milks and cereals, plus mushrooms exposed to UV light. Many people also make less vitamin D from sunlight than they think, especially in winter; our guide to sources of vitamin D explains why.
A supplement fills that gap, and if you are vegan, you will want one whose vitamin D does not come from wool.
What vegan forms of vitamin D are there?
Vitamin D2
Vitamin D2 is made by irradiating ergosterol from yeast and is naturally vegan. It is the form in UV-exposed mushrooms and in many fortified plant foods.
Vitamin D3 from lichen
Lichens make vitamin D too: researchers have measured both vitamin D2 and D3 in lichen, with higher amounts in lichens that grow under stronger UV light. That makes lichen a source of vegan vitamin D3.
The form matters. A meta-analysis of randomized trials found that vitamin D3 raises blood levels more than D2, so lichen-based D3 gives vegans the form with the stronger evidence. We compare the two in vitamin D2 vs D3.
What is lichen?
Lichen is not a plant and not moss. It is a partnership between a fungus and a photosynthesizing partner, usually a green alga or a cyanobacterium, living together as one organism. The fungus provides structure and shelter, and its partner makes food from sunlight. Our article on what lichen is goes deeper into the biology.
How much vegan vitamin D should you take?
The same amount as anyone else. The RDA is 600 IU (15 mcg) a day for ages 1 to 70 and 800 IU (20 mcg) after 70, and the upper limit for adults is 4,000 IU (100 mcg) a day. Our article on how much vitamin D you need explains what changes those numbers.
We made Sol Food because we wanted vitamin D3 from lichen, not lanolin: 2,000 IU in one small organic, vegan tablet, above the RDA and within the upper limit. Take it with a meal that contains some fat. If you are pregnant, have kidney disease or take prescription medicines, check with your doctor before starting.
