Vitamin D3 from lichen — why we don't use lanolin

The default in the industry

If you pick up a typical UK vitamin D3 supplement and read the ingredient deck, the vitamin D3 is almost certainly cholecalciferol extracted from lanolin — the waxy substance that protects sheep's wool. Lanolin is washed out of the wool during processing, and 7-dehydrocholesterol within it is UV-irradiated to produce cholecalciferol (vitamin D3).

Lanolin-source D3 is the cheapest, most-published, and most-used form. It is also animal-derived.

For most halal certifying bodies, lanolin from sheep that have been slaughtered halal can be halal-compatible — but the supply chain for vitamin D3 raw material rarely includes that documentation. Most lanolin-source D3 used in UK supplements comes from sheep slaughtered in non-halal-controlled facilities in Australia, New Zealand, or the UK. Whether it remains halal-acceptable depends on the certifying body's specific stance on lanolin derived from animals not slaughtered to halal protocol — and the stances vary.

Rather than fight that argument case-by-case, we use a different source entirely.

Lichen-source D3

Lichens are symbiotic organisms — a fungus living with an alga or cyanobacterium — that grow on rocks, trees, and walls in temperate climates including the UK. Certain lichen species naturally produce 7-dehydrocholesterol, which is the same precursor compound used in lanolin processing. UV-irradiation of lichen extract produces cholecalciferol — vitamin D3 — that is chemically identical to lanolin-source D3 at the molecular level.

The difference is that lichen-source D3 is:

- Plant-kingdom-derived (lichen is classified within fungi, but no animal in the supply chain) - Halal-compatible by default — no animal-slaughter audit required - Vegan-compatible - Kosher-compatible

The molecular structure of the cholecalciferol is identical. The biological activity is identical. The published research on vitamin D3 supplementation applies equally to either source.

Why most brands don't use it

Lichen-source D3 is approximately 3-5× more expensive than lanolin-source D3 per international unit. At supplement-scale dosing (at the level used in the published research per serving), the cost differential per bottle is around £0.20-£0.40. Not large in absolute terms, but enough to dissuade most mass-market brands.

At the premium end of the market — Form Nutrition, Athletic Greens, and a handful of brands — lichen D3 is now the standard. We share that standard.

Our dose: at the level used in the published research per serving

The Barakah Pill contains at the level used in the published research (at the level used in the published research) of lichen-source vitamin D3 per daily four-capsule serving. This is:

- Within the safe upper limit set by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) - Aligned with UK Department of Health autumn/winter supplementation guidance (which recommends at the level used in the published research / at the level used in the published research as a minimum; we provide 2.5× that for adult men) - Below the doses (4,000+ IU) that require clinical supervision

The UK is at a latitude where UVB radiation is insufficient for skin-synthesis of vitamin D for roughly six months of the year (October to April). For Muslim men in particular — who may have additional UV exposure barriers from clothing practices, working hours, or pigmentation — daily supplementation at the upper-recommended end is rational regardless of season.

The UK-authorised health claim

Vitamin D has multiple UK/EU-authorised health claims under the GB Nutrition & Health Claims Register. The ones we can cite (at the at the level used in the published research dose, which meets the relevant nutrient reference value thresholds) include:

- "Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal bones" - "Vitamin D contributes to normal muscle function" - "Vitamin D contributes to the normal function of the immune system"

We make the first two claims on the product. These are exact-wording claims authorised in the GB NHC Register — they are not "we say it works for muscles", they are the precise phrasing the regulator has authorised.

Why we pair D3 with K2

Vitamin D3 and vitamin K2 work together biologically. D3 increases calcium absorption from the gut; K2 (specifically the MK-7 long-chain form) directs that calcium into bones and out of soft tissue. The pairing is well-supported in published research — Schurgers et al. 2007, Rønn et al. 2016, Knapen et al. 2015 — and has become standard practice in premium vitamin D3 formulations.

The Barakah Pill includes at the level used in the published research of K2 (deferred to v4.1) vitamin K2 (MK-7 all-trans) per serving, paired with the at the level used in the published research D3.

Halal-side notes

The lichen-source vitamin D3 we use comes with a supplier halal declaration covering: - The lichen species (a specific Cladonia species commonly used in commercial production) - The harvesting and washing process (no animal-derived processing aids) - The UV-irradiation step (purely physical, no chemical solvents) - The carrier oil used to standardise the final product (we use medium-chain triglyceride oil from coconut, not bovine-derived lanolin oil)

Our HFA own-brand audit covers all of the above.

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Sources: Schurgers et al. 2007 (Blood 109(8):3279); Knapen et al. 2015 (Thromb Haemost 113:1135); EFSA NDA Panel on Vitamin D Tolerable Upper Intake Level; UK Department of Health guidance on vitamin D 2016; GB Nutrition & Health Claims Register.