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From: Russell Hendel <rhendel@mcs.drexel.edu>
Date:
Subject: RE: Vitamins (Kasruth and Shabbath Use)

A related issue (to Kashruth of Vitamins) is whether you can consume
them on shabbath: The source of the question is the prohibtion against
taking medicine (for light diseases) on shabbath--so if vitamins are
classified as MEDICINE they are prohibited; if they are classified as
NUTRITION they are permitted.

I was told that Rav Moshe paskens that if you ROUTINELY take them then
they are nutrition and hence can be eaten on Shabboth. If you just start
to take them for a disease then they are prohibited.

With regard to eating I was told by a Rabbi that since the vitamins are
not food & don't have taste it is permissable to consume them
(Explanation: Biblical prohibitions of Kashruth require taste. When I
protested that >>But you can by Kosher ones<< I was told that >>it is
wrong to charge extra money when ordinary vitamins are perfectly good.<<

Some food for thought
Russell Jay Hendel; PHd ASA RHendel @ mcs drexel edu