3 min read
Key Points
Expired vitamins usually won’t make you sick, but they may lose potency over time.Experts recommend replacing expired vitamins because effectiveness can decline and contamination risk may increase.Expiration dates mainly reflect guaranteed strength/potency, not safety.Older vitamins may be especially problematic for people with nutrient deficiencies who rely on consistent doses.Supplements are not FDA-regulated like prescription or OTC medications, so manufacturers set expiration standards.
People tend to fall into one of two camps when it comes to expiration dates: those who treat the dates as hard-and-fast rules and those who view them as mere suggestions. Vitamin containers come stamped with expiration dates, but do they actually spoil in the same way foods like milk or meat can? Is it safe to use them after their “best by” date has passed?
The answer isn’t cut-and-dried. Experts say consuming expired vitamins most likely won’t make you sick or cause harm, but plenty of factors can affect their potency and shelf life. Here’s what you need to know if your vitamins are nearing (or have passed) their expiration date.
Is it ever OK to take expired vitamins?
The short answer? It depends.
“From a clinical perspective, the recommendation is to discontinue use of expired vitamins or supplements,” says Aiya Almogaber, PharmD, clinical pharmacologist and toxicologist at Clinical Pharmacological Services and assistant professor at the University of South Florida Taneja College of Pharmacy. “At minimum, potency becomes compromised, and at worst, there is an increased risk of microbial contamination.”
The most likely consequence of consuming old vitamins is that they just won’t work as well. This is particularly concerning for people with nutritional deficiencies or conditions that require strict adherence to a particular vitamin intake.
“It’s not to say that a vitamin or supplement will suddenly become unsafe at a certain point, but you may not get the full benefit of the supplement you are taking,” says Andrew Fuchs, PharmD, RPhI, BCGP, director of practice experience and assistant professor of pharmacy practice at Touro College of Pharmacy in New York City.
For vitamins, the “best by” or expiration date is about product potency. The expiration date on a bottle is set by the manufacturer of the product as a “guarantee that the product maintains the strength listed on the label up until that date,” Almogaber explains.
Vitamins and other supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration like over-the-counter or prescription medications are. That means manufacturers alone are responsible for the safety and potency of their products, Almogaber says.
Are there differences in vitamin types or formulations?
Absolutely. There are big differences among the vitamins themselves and their formulations as a tablet, gummy, gelcap, or liquid. The form they come in also determines how quickly they’ll break down. Almogaber explains how they all stack up:
Gummies are popular with kids and adults alike. They’re often formulated with sugar, moisture, gelatin, pectin, and other ingredients that make them both palatable and prone to sticking together, melting, and growing bacteria or mold.Liquids start to degrade quickly once they’re opened, as they get exposed to air and light. They’re also more susceptible to mold and bacteria.Gelcaps contain oil-based ingredients, which makes them reactive to air, heat, and light. The oil inside can go rancid over time.Tablets have the longest shelf-life, as they’re made with compressed powders and binders.Fat-soluble vitamins—A, D, E, and K—are more sensitive to light, heat, and air. But water-soluble vitamins—the B and C vitamins—are less stable overall and degrade more quickly.How should you store vitamins?
Keeping your vitamins in a bathroom medicine cabinet might be a convenient and obvious choice, but it’s actually the worst place for them, both experts agree. So are kitchen cabinets next to the stove. Heat, moisture, and rapid temperature changes from steamy showers, simmering soups, and boiling water can degrade vitamins more quickly.
Always keep vitamins in a cool, dark, and dry place away from excess heat, light, and moisture. The experts suggest storing them in a bedroom nightstand, dresser drawer, pantry shelf away from the stove, or a cabinet in a temperature-stable room. Wherever you store them, make sure they’re far out of reach of children and pets.
When should you throw vitamins away?
There’s no strict deadline of weeks or months post-expiration date when you should toss old vitamins. But pay attention to how they look for signals that it’s time to replace them. Changes in color, smell, and texture indicate the ingredients have degraded and will be less potent, Fuchs says.
“A good rule of thumb is that if it is not too far past the date and it looks normal, you could comfortably take it—after you make a note to stock up on more,” Fuchs says.
Almogaber adds, “When in doubt, throw it out.”
Stefani (she/her) is a registered dietitian, a NASM-certified personal trainer and the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition and Fitness Lab, where she oversees all nutrition and fitness-related content, testing and evaluation. She holds a master’s degree in clinical nutrition from New York University, as well as advanced certifications as a Women’s Fitness Specialist and a Behavior Change Specialist. Stefani is dedicated to providing readers with evidence-based content to encourage informed food choices and healthy living. She is an avid CrossFitter and a passionate home cook who loves spending time with her big fit Greek family.