Are you wondering what to do with your expired vitamins and supplements? If you have a medicine cabinet full of unused or expired dietary supplements, it's important to know the proper disposal requirements. In this article, we'll discuss the best way to dispose of expired, unwanted, or unused dietary supplements in order to protect the health of others and the environment. The EPA and FDA recommend mixing vitamins with another substance, such as ground coffee or cat litter, before throwing them away. This is to ensure that no one else can access them and that they don't end up in the water supply.
If you have leftover supplements, some considerations must be taken into account when discarding them. Unlike food, most dietary supplements, over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, and prescription drugs don't necessarily expire, but their potency may decrease over time. The best way to avoid the dilemma of discarding medicines is to avoid buying vitamins and minerals that you don't need. If you're still not sure what to do with your expired supplements or have questions about their storage, talk to your comprehensive healthcare provider.
If a supplement requires refrigeration as recommended by the manufacturer, it is usually indicated on the label.
Proper Storage of Dietary Supplements
When you order your supplement cabinet, be sure to dispose of expired supplements in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. According to Harvard Health Publishing, most of our knowledge about drug expiration dates comes from a decades-old FDA study requested by the military. If you have questions about the safety or effectiveness of taking a supplement after its expiration date, consider talking to your comprehensive health care provider or call the supplement manufacturer's number, which is usually listed on the product label, for more information.The most telling indicator that a supplement has “gone bad” is if the product tastes unusual or unpleasant.
