In our previous post we discussed the rules surrounding expiration dates on vitamin bottles and we came to the conclusion that it’s probably best to dispose of expired vitamins, as they are less likely to be effective. In this post, we thought it would be beneficial to dig a little deeper and explore the safe places where vitamins could be stored to ensure ultimate freshness.
Most of us have spent our lives storing vitamins in bathroom and kitchen cabinets for the simple fact that those living areas are where we typically take our daily medications. However; these are actually two of the worst places to store vitamins because they are more likely to have higher levels of heat and humidity, which can make them lose their potency even before the expiration date. It’s best to store them in a cool, dry place like a bedroom drawer or a linen closet. Be on the lookout for light. Try your best to avoid exposing them to light, because prolonged exposure will likely lessen the vitamin’s strength. If you really want to up the shelf life of products that don’t do well at room temperature, you can put them in the refrigerator. Some products that do well with refrigeration are flaxseed, fish oil, probiotics, and vitamin E.
After a product has expired, it will still contain all of the added dietary supplement ingredients that are listed on the label, as long as it was stored properly, as described above. Once the expiration date is hit, the product starts to decline, losing its effectiveness at a rapid rate.
Expiration dates can often get overlooked when we are out shopping, so it’s important to always glance at the date on the bottle before purchasing. While it’s unacceptable for a store to have an expired item on the shelves, it does happen all too often. In fact, one major department store was caught selling several different expired products including baby food and children’s over-the-counter medication.
If you are a health-conscious person, it’s important to be aware of other items that expire and have a tendency to go unnoticed. Sunscreen is one item that is usually no longer effective after two or three years, however; it often ends up sitting in our medicine cabinets or in the beach bag long after that. This could leave you with a brutal sunburn after hours in the sun spent reapplying expired sunblock, which will ultimately increase your risk for cancer.
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