Aisle guide
Gym & capsules
A tub of creatine and a creatine capsule are not the same question. Check the powder (or isolate), then check the shell. This is a procedure, not a factory certification.
Two-minute gym check
- Unflavoured powder first. Creatine, beta-alanine, citrulline and taurine in a tub avoid the shell question.
- Then the shell. HPMC, pullulan, or named fish/zabiha gelatin. Bare “gelatin” follows the capsule row.
- Then the other ingredients. Magnesium stearate, glycerin, flavour carriers, MCT softgels, BCAA instantising lecithin.
A “halal-friendly” claim on the active does not settle the capsule.
Other ingredients — the bottle audit
Pharmacists do not certify a brand from the front of the tub. They read the shell, the lubricant, the carrier and the colour. Each line is a catalogue row. This is not a product certificate.
- Capsule shell. Gelatin, HPMC (hypromellose) or pullulan. Bare gelatin follows the capsule row — it is not the powder. Gelatin capsules · HPMC · Pullulan
- Glycerin / glycerol. Softgels and liquid drops. Plant or synthetic settles it; animal fat does not. The bottle rarely says which. E422 glycerol
- Magnesium stearate. The lubricant in most tablets. Vegetable or synthetic vs animal including porcine. A vegetarian capsule does not settle the powder inside. E572 magnesium stearate
- Flavourings. Natural flavour can hide an ethanol carrier. Vanilla extract is a different, disputed row. Natural flavours · Vanilla extract
- Colour. Carmine / cochineal (E120) is insect. Plant colours are a different page. Natural colour is not a plant guarantee. E120 carmine
Creatine powder is a different question from a creatine capsule. D3 wants lanolin vs lichen. Collagen wants a species.
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Source-dependent
Creatine monohydrate
The powder is typically made by chemical synthesis (sarcosine and cyanamide) or fermentation — no animal tissue in the powder itself. Capsule shells (…
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Unverified
Creatine hydrochloride
A salt of creatine, made so it dissolves more easily than monohydrate. The creatine itself is the same synthetic/fermentation question as the monohydr…
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Unverified
Taurine
An amino-sulfonic acid used in energy drinks and pre-workouts. Industrial taurine is usually synthetic; it can also be isolated from ox bile. Until a …
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Unverified
Beta-alanine
A non-essential amino acid in pre-workouts, typically made by chemical synthesis. The powder itself is not animal tissue. That process is not yet back…
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Unverified
L-citrulline
An amino acid in pump / pre-workout formulas, typically fermented or synthetic. No named certifier page is cited yet. Capsule shells are a separate ro…
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Source-dependent
Whey
Whey is milk's leftover liquid from cheese making — which means every whey product silently answers the rennet question, one way or the other.
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Source-dependent
Whey isolate
A more-filtered form of whey. The ruling still follows the cheese: microbial or plant rennet vs animal rennet from a non-halal slaughter. This inherit…
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Unverified
Ashwagandha
A plant-root extract used in sleep and stress formulas. The plant is not the issue; extraction solvents (ethanol) and the capsule shell are. No named …
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Source-dependent
Gelatin capsules (medicines and supplements)
Nearly every softgel and most hard capsules are gelatin, and the bottle rarely says which animal. This is the supplement version of the gelatin proble…
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Unverified
Hypromellose (HPMC)
Hypromellose (HPMC): A plant-derived cellulose polymer used in vegetarian capsules and coatings. Plant-derived; generally considered permissible.
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UnverifiedE1204
Pullulan
A capsule-shell polysaccharide from tapioca starch fermented by Aureobasidium pullulans. Secondary guides treat it as animal-free, which is why it is …
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Source-dependentE572
Magnesium stearate
If you take one supplement habit seriously, make it this one. Magnesium stearate is in most tablets and capsules, it can be plant or pork derived, and…
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Source-dependentE422
Glycerin (glycerol)
A sweet humectant that keeps foods moist. The molecule is identical whether it came from palm oil or pig fat — which is exactly why the source has to …
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Source-dependent
NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide)
A vitamin-B3 related NAD precursor. Commercial NMN is made by fermentation or synthesis — not animal tissue. IFANCA has certified specific NMN powders…
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Unverified
MCT oil
Medium-chain triglycerides, usually from coconut or palm kernel oil, occasionally from dairy fat. Until a named certifier page is cited, Muttoo does n…
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Unverified
Spirulina
A cyanobacterium (blue-green algae) sold as a powder and a colour. The organism is not an animal. Growth media and tablet binders are unverified. No n…
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Source-dependent
BCAA
Leucine, isoleucine and valine. Fermentation and chemical synthesis are the usual industrial routes and IFANCA certifies some of those factories. Chea…
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Unverified
L-carnitine
L-carnitine on a gym label is usually synthetic or fermented. Historically it was isolated from meat. Liquid shots often use glycerin; capsules may be…
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Unverified
L-glutamine
L-glutamine powder is typically produced by bacterial fermentation. The amino acid is not gelatin. Flavoured tubs and capsules still need their own ch…
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Unverified
Micellar casein
Casein is the slow milk protein. It inherits the dairy question: the milk itself, then any rennet used upstream, then flavour and lecithin in the tub.
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Unverified
HMB
A leucine metabolite sold for recovery. Industrial HMB is synthesised. No A/B certifier page is on file, so the powder stays unverified — capsules sti…
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Unverified
ZMA
Gym blend of zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6. The letters are not a ruling. Aspartate, stearate and the capsule shell are the checks. Muttoo catalogue …
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Unverified
D-aspartic acid
Amino acid sold as a gym capsule. The molecule is not the ruling. The shell, stearate and any flavour carrier are. Muttoo catalogue desk (grade C): no…
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Source-dependent
Magnesium citrate
A magnesium salt of citric acid. The mineral and the acid are not a meat question. Capsules, magnesium stearate and flavour carriers are. Powder in a …
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Source-dependent
Electrolytes
A marketing name for sodium, potassium, magnesium and sometimes glucose. The salts are mineral. Flavourings, glycerin, stevia subtypes and any gelatin…
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Source-dependent
L-tryptophan
An essential amino acid sold for sleep. Industrial tryptophan is usually fermented; older extraction routes used animal protein. Without a named A/B p…
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Source-dependent
Flaxseed oil
Pressed flax seed. The oil is plant. The usual miss is the porcine gelatin softgel it is sold in. Liquid in a bottle avoids that. Not a ruling on alga…
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Unverified
Citicoline
A choline donor sold for cognition. Synthesis is typical. No A/B certifier page is on file. Capsules follow the shell row. Not the same as alpha-GPC o…
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Unverified
Melatonin
Melatonin sold today is almost always synthetic. Historical animal-pineal material exists in textbooks, not in most tubs. Gummies re-open gelatin; spr…
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Source-dependent
Probiotics
The bacteria are microorganisms, not meat. The usual doubts are the capsule (gelatin vs HPMC), the growth medium (dairy vs plant), and any glycerin in…
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Source-dependent
Magnesium glycinate
A chelate of magnesium and glycine. The mineral is mined/synthesised; the usual doubt is the capsule shell and any magnesium stearate. Powder in a tub…
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Disputed
Krill oil
Oil from Antarctic krill, a crustacean. Cited Hanafi fatwas disagree with each other (one treats krill like prawns, one rejects it as not-fish). Shafi…
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Source-dependent
NAC (N-acetylcysteine)
An acetylated cysteine. L-cysteine (E920) is already source-dependent (hair vs fermentation). NAC inherits that split. Capsules are a second check.
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Source-dependent
Pea protein
Protein from yellow peas. The pea is plant. Flavoured isolates add emulsifiers, natural flavourings and sometimes a dairy-style instantising lecithin.…
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Source-dependent
Algae DHA
DHA from microalgae, sold as a vegan alternative to fish oil. The oil is microbial/plant-route. Softgels still wrap it in gelatin unless the pack says…
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Source-dependent
Pre-workout
A branded blend: caffeine, citrulline, beta-alanine, flavour, sweeteners. Each amino has its own row (fermentation vs keratin for BCAAs). The blend al…
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Source-dependent
Protein bar
A candy bar with a protein claim. Whey (rennet), collagen/gelatin, glycerin, E471, natural flavour and a yogurt coating are the usual mashbooh list. P…
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Source-dependent
Nicotinamide riboside
Another NAD precursor, related to NMN and niacin (E375). Commercial NR is synthetic or fermented. IFANCA and other bodies certify some SKUs — that is …
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Source-dependent
Berberine
An alkaloid from Berberis, Coptis and related plants; some cheap lots are synthetic. The plant extract is not meat. IFANCA has certified specific berb…
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Unverified
Phenibut
A GABA analogue sold as a nootropic. No named certifier or scholarly page is on file, so this is insufficient-evidence — not verified-haram by analogy…
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Unverified
Vinpocetine
A periwinkle (Vinca minor) alkaloid derivative in focus formulas. Plant origin is not a verified-halal upgrade. Extraction solvent and the capsule she…
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Unverified
Huperzine A
A club-moss alkaloid (Huperzia serrata) in memory stacks. Plant origin is not a ruling. Dual extracts may use ethanol. Capsules follow the shell row. …
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Unverified
Agmatine
Decarboxylated arginine, usually as the sulfate, in pre-workouts. Synthetic or fermented. No animal tissue in the powder is not a verified-halal upgra…
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Unverified
Ketone esters
Esters of beta-hydroxybutyrate, sold as drinks or shots. Different chemistry from BHB mineral salts (that row exists). Synthesis is not a verified-hal…
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Unverified
SAM-e
S-adenosyl-L-methionine, a methyl-donor supplement. Not vitamin B12 (adenosylcobalamin is a different row). Enteric coating, residual solvents and the…
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Unverified
Mucuna pruriens
Velvet bean. Plant. Standardised L-DOPA extracts, extraction solvent and capsules are separate checks. Unverified as a class. Not a ruling on every Ay…
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Unverified
Fadogia agrestis
A Nigerian shrub extract in men’s formulas. Plant. Unverified as a class. Capsules and the rest of the blend (tongkat, boron, flavour) are separate ro…
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Unverified
Cistanche
A parasitic desert plant used in Chinese tonic formulas. Plant. Dual extracts may use ethanol. Capsules follow the shell. Unverified as a class.
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Unverified
Sea moss
A marketing name for red algae (often Chondrus or Gracilaria) sold as a gel. The alga is not meat. Prepared jars add lime, flavour, and sometimes swee…
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Disputed
CBD (Cannabidiol)
Named Hanafi fatwas disagree on the frame, not on THC. Darul Ifta Birmingham and FatwaCentre permit CBD when it is not intoxicating and THC is absent.…
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Haram
THC
Tetrahydrocannabinol, the intoxicating cannabinoid in cannabis. IslamicPortal states THC is not permitted. SeekersGuidance names marijuana among forbi…
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Unverified
L-tyrosine
An amino acid, usually fermented or synthesised. Secondary gym guides treat the powder as plant/microbial. No named certifier class page is on file. C…
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Source-dependent
Creatine gummy
Creatine in a gummy. The powder row is insufficient-evidence. The gummy adds gelatin or pectin, flavour, colour and sugar. A ‘vegan creatine gummy’ st…
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Source-dependent
Collagen gummy
Collagen in a gummy. Collagen is already source-dependent (hide vs fish vs recombinant). The gummy adds a second gelatin or pectin shell plus carmine.…
Reference information, not a fatwa. See the methodology.