Safety of Using Expired Vitamins

If you're not getting the nutrition you need from your diet, vitamins can help offset the balance. Because vitamins are useful, if you're like me, when you see them on sale, you may be tempted to stock up and buy in bulk. However, what do you do when all the extra vitamins expire before you get around to using them? Do you toss them or are they still okay to use?

What Happens When Vitamins Expire?

When vitamins expire, they no longer meet the manufacturers intended purpose since they break down and lose their strength and ability to work well in your body's various systems.

How is an Expiration Date Determined?

To determine a vitamin's expiration date, the manufacturer will test the product over time to determine at what point the chemical constitution and strength of the vitamins alters. If properly stored in an appropriate environment, vitamins should stay potent for five years or longer.

Sometimes you will see vitamins with no expiration date on the label. This occurs because some supplements aren't regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Your best bet is to avoid these and choose only vitamins that have an expiration date on the label.

Is it Safe to Take Expired Vitamins?

According to The New York Times, vitamins do not become toxic as they age, so if you are in a hurry and expired vitamins are the only ones available, then go ahead and use them; they won't hurt you. The only way an expired vitamin could be hazardous is if your daily nutritional needs are not met due to the vitamin's lost potency. Additionally, if you must take expired vitamins, use your common sense; if they don't smell or look right, discard them and get new ones as soon as possible.

How to Dispose of Expired Vitamins

Check with your local waste disposal organization before you throw your expired vitamins into the trash, as some municipal waste management systems prefer that all pharmaceutical waste is placed at the bottom of landfills and covered with fresh municipal waste to ensure that no scavenging takes place.

Liquid vitamins are classified as readily biodegradable organic material, so they can be poured down the drain or flushed down the toilet.

Extending the Shelf Life of Vitamins

To ensure that you get the full shelf life of your vitamins, store them properly. Follow the manufacturer's instructions so that you can enjoy the full nutrients for the longest possible time.

Some manufacturers would say it is okay to keep your vitamins in a place that is cool and dry.

Never store vitamins in the refrigerator unless the label specifically tells you to do so, as refrigeration can accelerate the degradation of the nutrients in vitamins.

Also, keep your vitamins in their original packing, which is already designed to maximize shelf life.
References

• Oregon State University: "Expired vitmains?" [http://studenthealth.oregonstate.edu/answerspot/message.php?message=113]
• Jigsaw Health: "My Supplements Have Expired, Now What Do I Do?" [http://www.jigsawhealth.com/faqs/expired-supplements]
• MedicineNet:"Ask the Expert:Diet and Nutrition Q&A" [http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=79165]
• The New York Times:"Consumer Saturday; Storing Vitamins, From A to K" [http://www.nytimes.com/1981/02/14/style/consumer-saturday-storing-vitamins-from-a-to-k.html?&pagewanted=2]
• World Health Organization:"Guidelines for Safe Disposal of Unwanted Pharmaceuticals in and after Emergencies" [http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/medicalwaste/unwantpharm.pdf]

Resource

• FDA Consumer Health Information: "Fortify Your Knowledge About Vitamins" [http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm118079.htm]