How to Store Vitamins and Vitamin Supplements Properly

These days the use of vitamins and vitamin supplements is quite common. Vitamins are of two types, water soluble and fat soluble. The problem with water soluble vitamins is that the body is unable to store them and they are needed to be replenished on a daily basis. Vitamin C as well as the eight B vitamins are water soluble and the body cannot store them. The body on the other hand can store fat soluble vitamins which are stored in the fat cells for later use. Therefore fat soluble vitamins need not be taken as frequently as water soluble vitamins.

Normally healthy people should be able to able to obtain all the vitamins and minerals from a balanced diet but many people are not perfectly healthy and their bodies are unable to absorb the requisite quantity of vitamins. Vitamins are also lost during transportation, handling, washing, storage and overcooking of food items. As people are usually prescribed vitamins to be taken for long periods they buy discount vitamins and vitamin supplements in bulk to save money. However most people don't realize that vitamins can lose their potency if stored improperly and they will not obtain as mush benefit from them as they should.

Therefore proper storage of vitamins and vitamin supplements becomes very important. Many people store their supply of vitamins and vitamin supplements in the bathroom cabinet without realizing that it is the worst place for storing vitamins. They do this so that they will easily remember to take their vitamins in the morning. Constant exposure to high levels of humidity and fluctuations in temperature can actually reduce the potency of the vitamins and shorten their lifespan. The next common storage place used by most people for vitamins in the home is the refrigerator. Again this is not a very good place for storing vitamins and vitamin supplements.

Some vitamins only require refrigeration like the supplements for the intestinal flora. Storing other vitamins in the refrigerator is not advisable. The frequent opening and closing of the container exposes them to warm air and humidity frequently. They get chilled again and again and these fluctuations make the pills sticky and they even lose some of their effectiveness. A kitchen cabinet or pantry is also not the right place due to high humidity and temperature. Vitamins and vitamin supplements should be stored in a container with a tight lid and kept in a dry place at room temperature. Follow the storage instructions on the label where available. Make sure that they are all used before their expiry date.