
Shelf
life of supplements
Dietary
supplements are comprised of a wide range of different kinds of
materials, and therefore display a broad range of sensitivity
to temperature and light. Thus, some supplements tend to deteriorate
or lose their potency faster than others and may need special
storage conditions.
Should
dietary supplements be kept in the dark or in the refrigerator
to lengthen their shelf life?
Generally
speaking, all dietary supplements should be tightly sealed
and protected from light. This is usually not a problem since
most supplements are sold in opaque plastic or colored jars
or bottles.
Minerals
Minerals
should be stored in dry, room temperature or cool areas.
These include both macrominerals (calcium, chloride, magnesium,
phosphorous, potassium, sodium, sulfur) and trace minerals
(boron, cobalt, copper, chromium, iron, iodine, manganese,
molybdenum, selenium, silicon, vanadium, zinc) -- including
chelated mineral forms.
Vitamins, herbals, and amino acids
Vitamins,
herbal remedies (botanicals) and amino acids should be stored
in dry, cool areas.
Fatty acids and antioxidants
Fatty
acids and antioxidants, including vitamin E
and the carotenoids (beta-carotene, xanthins, luteins,
etc.), should be stored in dry, cool areas and tightly
sealed to protect them from air oxidation. Polyunsaturated
oils are especially vulnerable to oxidative damage at
room temperature. Thus, store all essential fatty acids
in dark bottles in the refrigerator once they are opened.
Temperature-sensitive supplements
A
few temperature-sensitive dietary supplements, such as
SAMe (SAM-e, S-Adenosylmethionine, Sammy, Samie), should
be tightly sealed and stored in the freezer.
Other supplements
With
all this said and done, the shelf-life of most, if not all,
dietary supplements is much longer than the usual period of
normal consumption or use. In addition, reputable manufacturers
and suppliers conduct aging and shelf-life research and put
expiration dates on their labels.
Therefore,
simply leaving the dietary supplement in its closed bottle
in a closed cupboard for normal periods of use will not cause
any loss of potency.
Sources:
Paul Wakfer (was Tom Matthews)
& Louis
Scarmoutzos
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