Does a dietary supplement past its expiry date necessarily have to be thrown away? Read on for the answers.
There will definitely be a date marked on the label of your supplement. But do you know what it really means?
It is normally a best before date (BBD), indicating the limit of its period of optimum efficacy . Up to this date, the product will still retain all its physical, organoleptic (eg, taste, colour, odour and feel), and biochemical properties.
So it is not, strictly speaking, a use by date (UBD) which is the date beyond which a product should not be consumed in order to avoid any risk to health.
If your supplement expired just a few days or weeks ago, there is no need to put it straight in the bin. As explained, the date indicated does not relate to its safety. At worst, your product will have a reduced effect but it will not pose a risk to your health: generally speaking, supplements (with the exception of probiotics) can actually be taken as much as 3-6 months after their BBD.
Nonetheless, it pays to remain vigilant. As with foodstuffs, trust your instincts when it comes to spotting any unwelcome microbial growth. If you see any sign of mould on your vitamins, or notice an odd smell coming from the jar or pot – chuck it!
A dietary supplement’s stability will vary somewhat depending on its composition or delivery method. Various parameters intrinsic to the product may require a greater degree of compliance with the date stipulated by the manufacturer:
Over time, certain vitamins degrade faster than others and lose their potency. Therefore, once the expiry date has passed, it is best to replace them quickly to ensure their health benefits remain optimal.
Vitamin C (present in Triple C, an excellent, synergistic trio of ascorbic acid, calcium ascorbate and ascorbic palmitate) and vitamin B1 or thiamine (present in Benfotiamine, a highly-available source of thiamine) are particularly subject to deliquescence : by dint of opening the container every day, they partially dissolve on exposure to humidity. So it makes sense to keep them in a cool, dry place! (3)
Another delicate substance is vitamin K (the ingredient in Complete K, a cutting-edge complex combining the 3 best forms of vitamin K).
As mentioned above, take extra care with microbiotic supplements (such as Colon Friendly, Lactobacillus reuteri and Derma Relief, all of which provide invaluable support to gut flora) which are live organisms: while they keep well in the fridge, it’s best to get rid of them once they’ve passed their expiry date (4).
When it comes to pregnancy, don’t take any chances! When a health professional advises a pregnant woman to take supplements, it’s because it‘s necessary in order to meet herbasic needs and those of her foetus (5).
We’re talking in particular about folate (vitamin B9) which supports maternal tissue growth during pregnancy(6). In most of Europe, supplementation is routinely recommended before conception and during the first weeks of pregnancy. In this particular case, reduced efficacy is not an option: if it’s expired, throw it away!
If you’re tempted to take them back to the pharmacy, remember that dietary supplements are not drugs: they, like personal care products, will not be collected.
You can therefore throw them away… making sure you follow these rules: the supplements themselves go in with the household waste (usually a black bin), while the plastic containers and cardboard packaging go into their respective recycling bins (usually red for plastic and blue for cardboard).
Avoid pouring any liquid supplements down the drain in order to protect drinking water supplies. Instead, follow the advice of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to dispose of any such out of date vitamins, minerals and the like, in the proper manner:
Although most supplements can be taken beyond their expiry date without any risk, they will undoubtedly not deliver their maximum potential. And if you’ve made the choice to take a supplement, it’s primarily because you want to obtain its benefits: it’s therefore highly advisable to go through your supplements regularly and replace any that are well past their date with new ones. Spring cleaning should also apply to supplements from time to time!
References
7 Days
Great product. Fast and efficient service.
Sheba Kelleher
12 Days
Easy to order, good and fast delivery to Finland, the box was intact and the content exactly what I ordered. I am satisfied. Product prices are on moderate level. Thank you Supersmart!
VIITANEN Esa
17 Days
Thanks to team who met what I need such as trust, good packages and fast delivery. Regarding products it is too early to give a comment. After using for a while, I gonna update my review. I had bought supplements mostly for autism.
Fatma Coltu
17 Days
efficient eqsy to use
Mr G Birtles
23 Days
You are so quick in processing orders and prompt in shipping too. Very easy to do business with you. Thanks a lot for your great service.
JOAQUIN Epifanio
29 Days
I am merely judging the delivery system, which was flawless. It wouldn't make any sense to comment on the efficacy of the supplements, since that is only possible on a statistical basis. Even if something doesn't improve, that doesn't have to mean that the supplement doesn't work, since one doesn't know how it might have worsened without the supplement and the opposite might also apply, since many symptoms are psychosomatic and the supplement might provide a placebo effect.
Roger De Backer
37 Days
Perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Patrick
39 Days
Magnesium and Zinc Orotate are top supplements. Highly recommend!
Kristjan
50 Days
Nothing to complain. Delivers everything fast, attentive to their regular customers. Best experience.
FABIO I.
53 Days
Possibility to enjoy a variety of high quality suppléments. Fast delivery Good packaging Clear information and website
Vov Oo
55 Days
Efficient ordering and delivery. Happy with products. I order fairly regularly. Reliable
Gill Lee
55 Days
Supersmart sell the best products and are effecient when it come to handling and dispatching orders. Also, their return and refund policies is very simple and easy for the customer. The creme on top is the return customer discounts. Keep up the good work.
ABDULQADER Jehad
59 Days
Prompt and reliable.
MIFSUD Joseph
66 Days
I don't use the word great; everything was OK; it is maybe too early to expect an effect of the supplements
STAEHLI C
72 Days
Well,It was yesterday I started using it but I can tell the supplement is working perfect,will definitely still give best comments once I'm done using it ...
ANTHONY Oluwaseun Ugwu