If your family is anything like mine, you have a medicine box or cabinet where you store first aid supplies, medications, and vitamins. And if you’re anything like me, you store your most used items at the front of the box and the least used items in the back may go untouched for months… or *gasp* even years! 

Say you find some perfectly good, unopened vitamins in the back of your medicine cabinet. You’re probably wondering, how long do vitamins last, anyway? And do vitamins really expire?

Let’s explore whether vitamins expire and if it’s safe to give you child vitamins or supplements past their expiration date. 

Do vitamins expire?

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires medications to have expiration dates because they may become unsafe after they expire. But vitamins are different – they’re not FDA regulated and aren’t required to have an expiration date. 

Yet, you’ve probably noticed that many of the vitamins and supplements you use have “best if used by” or “expiration” dates on the bottle. This is because vitamins lose potency. Think of it as the vitamin’s “shelf life”: the time vitamins are freshest and offer peak nutritional value. 

How long do vitamins last?

For most vitamins and supplements, shelf life is 2 years. 

Vitamin shelf life depends on its form (tablet, capsule, chewable, or gummy), its contents (single vitamin supplement or multivitamin), and how it’s stored (cool & dry or sunny & moist). 

Why Some Vitamins May Not Last as Long

Some vitamins last longer than others. Whether you give your kid liquid vitamins or chewable supplements, a single vitamin or a multivitamin, it helps to know which ones you should try to get through faster and which ones can hang out for a bit. 

Form

Solid vitamins like pills, tablets, powders, and capsules last longer than liquid supplements. Chewable or gummy vitamins are more susceptible to moisture than capsules or tablets.  

Contents

Some research shows that vitamin C, vitamin K, and vitamin B-1 (thiamine) break down more quickly than other vitamins. Fat-soluble vitamins like A and E are more sensitive to light and oxygen and break down faster with lots of exposure to light and air.

Storage

The container matters! Maybe you’ve noticed vitamin and supplement containers are usually air-tight and dark-colored or opaque – so light and air can’t get in. Exposure to light, oxygen, and temperature extremes may cause vitamins to lose potency. 

Factors That Influence the Shelf Life of Vitamins

Vitamins don’t last forever. And certain conditions in your home may cause vitamins to become less effective. Exposure to the following factors can tank your vitamins potency: 

• Oxygen (prolonged exposure, not just opening the container for a dose)

• Direct sunlight

• Temperature extremes

• Humidity

Be sure to use high-quality products that are verified by third-party testing. High-quality products may be less likely to have poor production and storage practices that could make the vitamins or supplements less potent. 

Is it safe to take expired vitamins?

Back to that container of expired vitamins you found in the back of your medicine box. 

Are those expired vitamins still good? What happens if you take expired vitamins? Or give them to your kids?

It’s relatively safe to take an expired vitamin or supplement. It’s unlikely to cause harm, as most expired vitamins and supplements rarely become toxic. BUT, it’s always best to err on the side of caution, especially with your child’s health. When in doubt, ask your child’s healthcare provider for guidance. 

Be sure to toss any vitamins or supplements that are moldy, damp, or have a strange smell. 

Potential side effects of taking expired vitamins

Expired vitamins may not cause harmful side effects, but odds are they’re much less effective. 

One danger of expired vitamins or supplements — especially if your child counts on them to address a nutritional deficiency — is that your child isn’t getting enough because of decreased potency. You may think they’re getting the proper dose, when in fact it's far less. 

If your child needs a vitamin to correct a deficiency, don’t use expired products. 

How to store vitamins to ensure their longevity

To ensure your kid’s vitamins stay at their peak for as long as possible:

• Store vitamins in their original airtight container 

• Keep vitamins out of direct sunlight—a dark cupboard out of kids’ reach is a good option

• Try to maintain a dry, consistent temperature in your home —  77 degrees F is ideal

• Avoid humidity and temperature fluctuations — rethink storing them in your kitchen or bathroom if temperature changes and humidity are an issue

Be sure to read the storage instructions for each vitamin or supplement you use. Some products have specific storage instructions. For example, it is important to store some probiotics or liquid vitamins in the fridge while others should be kept at room temperature.

How to dispose of expired vitamins

Disposing of vitamins properly is important to protect kids and pets from accidentally getting into them. 

If there aren’t specific disposal instructions on the vitamin package, the FDA recommends:

• Remove the supplements from their containers.

• Mix them with coffee grounds, cat litter, or another unpleasant substance.

• Place the mixture in a sealable bag or container.

• Seal it and place it in a garbage can.

Help keep our water supply clean by not flushing supplements down the toilet.