Maintaining a well balanced diet is essential, as I’m sure you know – I talk about that all the time! Sometimes, though, a well-balanced diet requires vitamin supplementation. Did you know that vitamins, like food, need to be carefully stored and maintained? Appropriate storage and use of vitamins is important. In fact, where you store your vitamins may determine how effective they are!
Lisa Mauer, an associate professor of food science at Purdue, said that crystalline substances such as vitamin C, some forms of B vitamins, as well as other dietary supplements are prone to a process called deliquescence. This eloquent sounding words refers to situations where humidity causes a water-soluble solid to dissolve.
"If products ... haven't softened or developed darker spots, they are probably okay," she said. "Just don't store your next purchase there. If the products have softened or darkened, then I would recommend disposing of them. Once degradation has started, moving the products into a drier location will not stop it, and products will not regain their nutritional value if moved to a different location."
The bathroom cabinet (though convenient) is the worst place for storing vitamins. Constant exposure to high levels of humidity and fluctuations in temperature can actually reduce the potency of the vitamins and shorten their lifespan.
The next most common storage location is the refrigerator. There are very few vitamins that require refrigeration. Over time, opening and closing the bottle of chilled pills, exposing them to warm air, will create condensation that can eventually make the pills sticky, and they will begin to dissolve and lose their effectiveness.
Even the kitchen cabinet is not a good location for vitamin storage. Kitchens contain a large amount of moisture as well as vaporized fats. These collect on the vitamins, causing them to lose their potency.
So now that I’ve given you a list of places not to store your vitamins, you’re probably thinking, “Come on, Groupie, don’t be such a downer! Where else could I possibly store vitamins securely?”
The key to a maintaining the quality of your vitamins is keeping them in a dry location, with consistent room temperature. You also should ensure that they are sealed in an air tight container. For example, I keep my vitamins in my bedroom. I always take a glass of water to bed with me, so it’s easy for me to take them right before I go to bed!
Always remember to read the label to make sure that you are following the storage instructions and take note of the expiration date. For safety reasons, store them in a location where children or animals cannot easily access them.
Sources: AOLHealth
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