Most people keep their vitamins in the bathroom cabinet or on a sunny kitchen windowsill. Both are convenient, and both are among the worst places for them. Supplements are sensitive to heat, moisture and light, and poor storage can make them lose strength before the expiration date. A few simple habits keep them fresh, safe and worth the money you paid.
The three enemies: heat, humidity and light
- Heat speeds up the breakdown of many vitamins and can melt gummies and softgels.
- Humidity is especially damaging. Moisture can break down vitamins, make tablets crumble and powders clump, and kill probiotics.
- Light degrades some nutrients, such as vitamin A, riboflavin and fish oil.
The best place to store supplements
A cool, dry, dark cupboard away from the stove, oven, dishwasher and sink is ideal for most supplements. A bedroom drawer or a closet shelf works well too.
Avoid:
- The bathroom, where showers create steam.
- Above the stove or near the kettle.
- Windowsills and sunny counters.
- Your car, where temperatures can soar in summer.
Keep them in the original container
Original bottles are designed to protect what is inside. Many have dark glass or plastic, a seal and a small desiccant packet to absorb moisture. Leave the desiccant in the bottle. Keep the lid tightly closed.
If you use a weekly pill organizer, fill it for only a week at a time, and keep it somewhere cool and dry.
Supplements that may need the fridge
- Some probiotics are labeled "refrigerate after opening." Others are shelf-stable. Follow the label. See how to choose a probiotic.
- Liquid fish oil usually needs refrigeration after opening to slow it from going rancid. Fish oil capsules are generally fine in a cool cupboard, but some people refrigerate them to reduce fishy burps.
- Some liquid vitamins, such as certain vitamin D drops, may say to refrigerate after opening.
Do not refrigerate products unless the label says to. Taking a cold bottle in and out of the fridge can cause condensation, which adds moisture.
Signs a supplement has gone bad
- Fish oil smells strongly fishy or sour. Rancid fish oil should be thrown out.
- Tablets are crumbling, discolored or have spots.
- Capsules are sticky or stuck together.
- Powders have hardened into clumps that do not break up.
- Gummies have melted and fused together.
- An unusual smell.
Expiration and "best by" dates
Supplements often carry a "best by" or expiration date. After that date, the product may contain less of the active ingredient than the label says. Most expired vitamins are not dangerous, but they may not work as well. Probiotics in particular lose live organisms over time, so the count at expiration is what matters. When in doubt, replace it.
Safety: keep them away from children
Supplements, especially gummies and iron-containing products, are a common cause of accidental poisoning in young children.
- Store them up high, ideally in a locked cabinet.
- Close child-resistant caps every time.
- Do not leave pills in purses or on bedside tables where children can find them.
- In the US, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 if a child swallows a supplement.
The same goes for pets. Some supplements, such as xylitol-sweetened gummies and iron, are dangerous for dogs.
How to dispose of old supplements
For most vitamins and supplements, you can mix them with something unappealing, such as used coffee grounds or cat litter, put them in a sealed bag and throw them in the household trash. Drug take-back programs at pharmacies may also accept them. The FDA has guidance on disposing of medicines safely.
Traveling with supplements
See how to travel with supplements for tips on packing, airport security and keeping products cool.
The bottom line
Store supplements in their original containers, in a cool, dry, dark place out of reach of children, not in the bathroom or the car. Refrigerate only when the label says so. Throw out fish oil that smells off and anything that has changed in texture or color. Good storage protects your health and your wallet.