Is It Safe To Take Expired Vitamins?

Vitamins are some of the most commonly consumed supplements. Depending on whether or not you consume synthetic or natural vitamins, they will provide different benefits and offer different levels of potency.

However, overall, vitamin supplements can reduce your likelihood of vitamin deficiency, whilst also providing benefits such as supporting your overall health, improving energy levels, improving the condition of skin, hair, and nails, promoting better sleep, and more.

We have all forgotten about vitamin supplements in the back of our cupboard, should you take vitamins that may have expired?

In this article, we’re going to dive into this question, telling you exactly whether or not expired vitamins are safe to consume.

Do Vitamins Expire?

Yes and no – this question is a little complex! Vitamins have expiry dates but they don’t necessarily expire.

Vitamins don’t expire as foods do. Instead, they just become less potent over time.

As long as a supplement has been stored correctly (which we take a look at later in this article), it should still contain the same ingredients that it always has – these ingredients don’t go anywhere.

Vitamins themselves and ingredients within vitamin supplements break down and become less potent over time.

Therefore, after a vitamin supplement is “expired” the ingredients within the supplement are not going to be as powerful or as effective at providing you with the benefits it is supposed to.

So, Is It Safe To Take Expired Vitamins?

Since the ingredients within vitamin supplements just decrease in potency over time, it is generally safe to take expired vitamins. Most people likely won’t experience side effects from taking expired vitamins.

However, this is only true for most cases – certain supplements should not be consumed after expiration and certain categories of people shouldn’t consume expired vitamins.

However, it is extremely important to say that if vitamins have an odor or contain mold, they should not be consumed.

If a supplement looks or smells off, it could have been contaminated with bacteria or have broken down over time – this kind of supplement may cause side effects.

Who Definitely Shouldn’t Consume Expired Vitamins?

As mentioned above, there are certain groups of people that should definitely not consume expired vitamins – let’s take a look at them.

Pregnant or Breastfeeding Mothers

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you shouldn’t compromise your health by consuming expired vitamins.

Not only may you experience side effects, but you will most likely be taking prenatal vitamins that have to be consumed at the correct potency to support your health.

The Elderly

Generally, elderly people should stay away from expired vitamins. Naturally, as people age, they’re more susceptible to illnesses and health conditions.

So, there’s absolutely no point risking taking expired vitamins – elderly people should only be coming full-strength, potent vitamin supplements.

Those With Compromised Immunity or Health Conditions

The same applies to those with compromised immune systems or those dealing with health conditions.

You should be consuming full-strength vitamin supplements to support yourself, not expired vitamins that may not support your body in the way that they’re intended to.

Anyone Who Depends on Vitamins To Battle A Deficiency

Obviously, if you are someone that depends on consuming vitamins to battle a vitamin deficiency, you definitely shouldn’t be taking expired vitamins.

If you do consume expired vitamins, they will likely not provide you with the potency you need to battle your deficiency, which could lead to severe health issues.

What’s The Average Shelf Life For Vitamins?

The average shelf life for vitamins depends on a number of factors, all of which we will take a look at.

The Type of Vitamin

There are certain vitamin supplements that will have a shorter life than others.

For example, gummy supplements, liquids, and gels will have much shorter shelf lives than traditional tablets or capsules.

Vitamins in powdered forms, such as those seen in green powders, typically have a shelf-life of two years but are recommended to be consumed within three months of opening.

Additionally, vitamin C, vitamin K, and thiamin are more unstable than others and therefore they are likely to have a shorter shelf life.

The Type of Storage

How you store vitamins is incredibly important.

If you store your vitamins in the wrong temperature, humidity, or light, they will have a shorter shelf life than ones that are properly stored.

The Type of Container

Although this typically falls on the company that you buy supplements from, containers make a difference to the shelf life of a vitamin supplement.

If your vitamins are in a sealed, dark, or opaque container, they will likely have a longer shelf life since they can’t be exposed to as much sunlight or risk contaminants.

However, if they are in clear bottles or don’t have a properly sealed cap, they may risk a shorter life because of their exposure to different temperatures, humidity, sunlight, and contaminants.

How To Store Vitamins

Each vitamin supplement will need to be stored in a different way. Therefore, you should check storage instructions on each supplement you buy.

Storing your vitamins correctly will improve their shelf life.

However, generally, you should store vitamins in their original container in a cool, dark, dry place.

Try to avoid putting vitamins in direct sunlight, in extremely humid areas, or in hot areas.

So, Should You Consume Expired Vitamins?

Although most people can consume expired vitamins with no side effects, there’s not really much point in consuming expired vitamins.

Expired vitamins, as we have discussed, have much lower levels of potency, and therefore, you wouldn’t benefit from the vitamins in the way that you would if they were fresh.

If you have expired vitamins, I would recommend throwing them out and buying fresh vitamins so that you’re definitely being safe and benefiting from the full potency of the supplement.