How important is the expiration date on your vitamins?

Do you have a cabinet full of multi-vitamins and other supplements in your kitchen?

If you’re like many of us, the answer is YES. And, if you’re like many people, you haven’t paid too much attention to the expiration dates on those bottles.

If you’re a fan of milk or yogurt, you’d probably never dream of keeping a container past its expiration date in your fridge for too long. Those foods spoil, and you could be eating or drinking harmful bacteria. Plus, it’s easy to tell if dairy has expired: just give it a sniff.

But what about vitamins and supplements? Is it actually harmful to use them past their expiration date?

The answer is… it depends.

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What it means when your vitamins are expired

The difference between expired food and most expired vitamin products is this: With an expired vitamin product, you’re not at immediate risk.

Charlotte Traas, director of education for the vitamin company New Chapter, Inc., explains: Vitamins are made of nutrients, and the reason they expire isn’t that they go rancid or develop harmful bacteria, the way many foods do. “It’s because they experience nutrient degradation or breakdown.”

In other words, an expired bottle of vitamins is simply less potent than a newer one. You may be wasting your time and money by using them because you’re not getting what you think you are.

Related: The truth about expiration dates on medication

For example, if you’re taking vitamin B12 to avoid anemia, and the bottle is expired, you’re likely not getting all the B12 you should be, and you probably won’t feel a difference in your energy level or other symptoms as a result of using the vitamin.

On the other hand, if you were taking a potent B12 vitamin, the difference would soon become evident.

Be careful of oil and gel caps

“Fish oils or any liquid capsule has a hard line as to its expiration date and that expiration date should be heeded, as we check expiration dates on nut butters and vegetable oils,” says Cynthia Marie LaBonte, a chemist and owner of Newport Herbal Formulas in Newport, Rhode Island.

Because oil can indeed become rancid, you should take expiration dates on these types of capsules as seriously as you do with your milk or butter, and discard them after the date has passed.

Also, never try and save money by buying vitamins that are just passed their expiration date. You won’t be getting a bargain, and you might be buying something that could harm you.

Following storage directions matters

By following the storage directions on your supplements, you can extend their life. This is particularly true for powdered supplements such as protein powders, and for “gummy” chewable supplements, both of which tend to absorb more moisture than regular pills, and can tend to go “bad” faster.

Even before the expiration date, these types of supplements can develop mold if not stored properly. So, take those directions seriously!

Most of us keep our vitamins in the kitchen or bathroom for convenience, but these are two of the most humid rooms in our homes. A better choice would be a bedroom drawer or closet.

How to dispose of expired vitamins

Treat expired vitamins as carefully as you would expired medications, in terms of disposal.

Do not just throw them in the trash, where children and pets have access to them. And don’t flush them down the toilet. Not only will this clog your toilet, but it will also result in water contamination.

Instead, the FDA recommends you:

• Mix the vitamins with coffee grounds or cat litter
• Put the mixture into a sealed bag
• Put the bag into the trash

Alternately, if your town or city has a hazardous waste drop-off site, you can take them there.

Sources:

Is It Safe To Take Vitamins After The Expiration Date? — MSN

Do Vitamins Expire? — Healthline

Is It Safe to Take Expired Vitamins? — Verywell Fit