Vitamins and minerals; do they really “expire”?

As part of my "spring-cleaning-ritual" I purge my outdated vitamins/minerals, checking the expiration date, to see how much I really used them over the past year. It's amazing to discover the truth; I really only use about 25% of the supplements in my cabinets. If I go through the cost of each one I'm sure to find I've spent a pretty good penny on the overall investment with very little in return. Having taken as many as twelve vitamin and mineral supplements a day I've learned that quality and necessity (taking what I need when I need it) is more important than volume. In reality, unless you're deficient in a particular area, a "One a Day" supplement should contain all your body needs. Once I started investing in my health through eating/drinking the proper foods/beverages my need for all these "supplements" changed drastically. Why? Because I was getting what I needed from the food I ate. But let's move on to the real question being asked; do vitamins/minerals expire? Yes and no. Below are some simple guidelines to follow before you pitch that expensive bottle of health down the drain:

*Expiration dates

Pharmaceutical companies determine the expiration date of vitamins and minerals. But the truth is this: unless the vitamin is in "capsule or gel" form (which means it contains fats) the quality doesn't degrade/decompose as quickly and minerals don't really expire (unless they've been exposed to conditions which are not conducive to their life expectancy). If you keep your vitamins/minerals in a cool, dark and moisture controlled environment they will (more than likely) be acceptable to take past the expiration date. Especially minerals; as long as they have not oxidized they're usually good past the expiration date. Often, expiration dates are set to expire "sooner" than the predicted life expectancy in order to drive up sales, so don't be fooled.

Here's another funny little known fact: The FDA doesn't require expiration dates on vitamins/supplements. That means the pharmaceutical companies place the date on the package "voluntarily". One reason is due to the guarantee of effectiveness/potency for the product they're selling (but how anyone would be able to prove the effectiveness of these products within their own body would be nothing shy of a monumental task). Another is due to sales. Like a lot of us, we will pitch an expired product in exchange for a new one all day long (we're geared that way for good reason). If you're in doubt, use practical/common sense before you pitch your investment. How "out of date" is it? If it's under a year and it hasn't changed (oxidized) in appearance or isn't a gel/capsule then the product is probably still effective/potent. My research tells me that vitamins/minerals will not become "toxic" past their expiration date (http://www.livestrong.com/article/28625-happens-expired-vitamins).

Always, always, always check the expiration date on the products and don't ever buy the products pushed to the front of the shelf first. Check through the products on the shelf for the expiration date further out. Newer products are stocked in the back, with the older products pushed to the front so they'll be purchased first.

*Potency

As a product ages past the expiration date the potency can start to change (slightly), based upon the conditions in which the vitamins/minerals are being kept and how they were produced (i.e. solid versus gel form). Discoloration and decomposition (if it's a gel/capsule it might start changing in appearance) is a sign of oxidization. Again, gels and capsules age more quickly. So if you have a choice when purchasing vitamins and minerals, choose solid formed products. They're just a potent and they'll last longer. According to one FDA expert, Glen Shue, vitamins can maintain their potency for up to five years. Isn't that an amazing "tid-bit".

*Risks

Taking a vitamin supplement past the expiration date will not (more than likely) hurt you….but once it starts to expire it probably won't help you (slightly) as much, either. Unless there is some particular scenario involved, vitamins will not become "toxic", so taking them post recommended "use by date" isn't a problem. Minerals usually never expire (regardless of the date on the label) unless they've started to oxidize or are in gel/capsule form (which do expire more quickly).

If I've learned anything at all about purchasing supplements, vitamins/minerals, I've learned these three things:

1. Avoid buying capsule or gel products.
   
2. Read the label to see what "daily recommended amount" you're receiving from the product you're taking. Some of these products are overloaded with certain vitamins/minerals and others are insufficient for the basic vitamins/minerals our bodies need.
   
3. Review (periodically) what you're taking and note any changes/differences your body is receiving from the use of these products. If you are not experiencing any significant benefits then you might not be consuming what your body really needs. Seek the advice of a nutritionist for a complete analysis of your wellness needs. Most doctors (who are not licensed as nutritionists) will not be qualified to evaluate your overall vitamin/mineral requirements in comparison to a nutritionist.
   

Stay tuned for tomorrows blog on "Vitamin Quality; the ABC's of vitamins"