Do they lose their effectiveness past the expiration date? If a child ingests a whole bottle of expired vitamins, there is the potential for liver damage. The expiration date guarantees that the vitamins will include the listed ingredients up until the date on the label. Before you ring up Poison Control or try to flush your system out, here’s everything you need to know about expired vitamins. Taking expired vitamins isn't harmful, but expired vitamins aren't likely to do you much good. Is it dangerous to take expired vitamins? Send thanks to the doctor. Can they be harmful by taking them, or are they just not as potent at this point? What to Do With Expired Prescription Pills (Safe Disposal) January 15, 2019 | Jonathan Rosenfeld. Talk to your physician. Vitamins can be a good thing when you take them properly and under the supervision of your doctor. A member asked: i drank a vitamin water that has been expired for 8 moths what should i do? But do vitamins expire the same way that milk does? That is the safest way to dispose of pills, so that an animal or child doesn't find them in the trash. There are a few different ways you can get rid of expired vitamins. It is not dangerous to take expired vitamins, but as mentioned, the vitamins will lose their potency. The only difference between prenatal vitamins and regular vitamins is that prenatal vitamins contain higher levels of some nutrients. I have a multi-vitamin that expired the 1st of February, 2012, so they are expired about 10 days. While they are not completely bad for you, your body cannot utilize them as they can natural vitamins, which contain ingredients from plants or food. While taking vitamins or other supplements may not be harmful, it may be a waste of time and money. Expired vitamins do not go bad like food does and they do not turn into poison or toxins. Vitamins and iron can be fatal in high doses even when the potency has been compromised. If you find expired vitamins, minerals, and supplements in your medicine cabinet, there's likely no risk in taking them, but they may have lost their potency. As you sort through the old vitamin bottles in your medicine cabinet, your only clue to their general age may be the amount of dust on the bottle caps, especially if they don't have an expiration date. If you’re like many Americans, your medicine cabinet is full of pill bottles you no longer use — stamped with expiration dates that passed ages ago. While you certainly shouldn't take those old vitamins, you can't just toss them in the trash either. Prenatal vitamins do not last any longer than regular vitamins. Do vitamins expire? Did some googling and was happy to see, it seems that it could be beneficial in the garden. We include an expiration date on the bottom of our bottles to help ensure the freshness and quality of multivitamins.But here’s a fun fact: With a few exceptions, the FDA doesn’t require that dietary supplements include expiration or “best by” dates on their packaging. Side effects of taking expired vitamins As research indicates that expired vitamins are typically safe to take, these products are unlikely to cause side effects just because they are out of date. It is a smallish square bin purchased. With that said, I am not telling anyone what to do with their expired vitamins and medicines, I am not a M.D. Do vitamins really expire? The short answer: probably not. How to dispose of expired vitamins. Then you get vitamins or nutrients like folic acid, some of the B vitamins, vitamins D and C, as well as beta-carotene, these deteriorate quicker than others do. Once they expire, the vitamins may have already decomposed to the point where they're not very potent. The U.S. Do you have vitamins, supplements, and prescription medications stored up to help you stay healthy during a worst case scenario? When you have expired or old vitamins on hand, however, vitamins can transform into something potentially dangerous. Taking expired prenatal vitamins will not harm you, but it probably will not help you, either. Doing so is unsafe and can harm the environment. So, taking “expired” vitamins might not give you the full effect you’re looking for. The difference between expired and non-expired vitamin tablets is the expired ones are possibly going to be less potent. Many expiration dates are set very conservatively because it benefits the supplement company. While taking vitamins or other supplements may not be harmful, it may be a waste of time and money. Decreased dose: By using expired prenatal vitamins, you may not be getting the full dose intended. What Happens When Prenatal Vitamins Expire? 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. Many of us have a section in our bathroom cabinet dedicated to multivitamins and other health supplements that we haven’t quite gotten around to finishing off. But are they still safe to consume after the best before date? they expired in february of this year. The short answer is yes.But not all dietary supplements are created equal, so allow us to elaborate. The only real side effect of taking an expired vitamin is that it will be less potent and may taste a lot bitterer when you swallow it. Synthetic vitamins are created using chemical compounds that are not found in nature. i just found out i am pregnant, maybe 5 … hi, i just realized today that for the past month i have been taking expired prenatal vitamins. “Exceptions to this rule are if supplements are stored … “Expired vitamins will not become poisonous, but rather lose their potency,” says Dr. Levine. How to dispose of expired vitamins. If you do need to throw out vitamin supplements (or medications) that have expired, don't flush them down the toilet or throw them in the garbage. Have half a Costco jar full of expired fish oil pills, and am afraid to use them myself or even give to the cats since they are probably somewhat rancid. If you do throw your vitamins away in the trash, be sure that children do not have access to the trash. All vitamins are not created equal. Can you take expired vitamins? Vitamins don’t ‘expire’ in the same way food… I hate throwing out supplements, and any type of animal product. do prenatal vitamins help increase progesterone levels? The manufactures might even beef up the strength of some of these vitamins by adding 30-40% more than what is on the label to try and ensure that their nutrients supplied remain at 100% strength at the time the expiry date comes around. The difference between expired food and most expired vitamin products is this: With an expired vitamin product, you’re not at immediate risk. So if you decide to get rid of them, they should be flushed down a toilet. Pregnancy is one time when it’s particularly important to discard and replace Hello I have started a compost bin this August, at the suggestion of some nice members here. “As they break down, vitamins are not toxic in any sense and will not lead to any adverse consequences. Fortunately, vitamins do not go bad like food or other common items that have clear drawbacks when they go bad or become rancid. One thing you may have been concerned about was the expiration date on those bottles. I had the same exact question. Dr. Roy Arnold answered. Synthetic Vitamins. Some pharmacies may be prepared to dispose of them using the same route as they do for unwanted or out of date medicines, says Dr Brewer. Placing a vitamin or medication in a cool and … Is it dangerous to take a multi once that “Best By” date is long gone? my progesterone supplements are "expired", so trying to find natural ways to increase progesterone and increase chances of a healthy pregnancy. Luckily, taking a vitamin after it expires shouldn’t lead to any harm. Right, we’ve looked at the importance of vitamins, and we now know more about what vitamins are and what they do in the body, so now let’s look at whether or not taking expired supplements is in fact detrimental to your health.