When it comes to dietary supplements, the answer to the question of whether they have an expiration date is not a straightforward one. While the FDA does not require manufacturers to include an expiration date on their products, some do so voluntarily. Generally speaking, vitamins and other supplements tend to lose potency over time, and the expiration date can indicate when these supplements have lost a significant amount of their effectiveness. However, it is important to note that after their expiration date, taking vitamins isn't usually dangerous.
It's unlikely to cause harm, since most expired medications and supplements don't usually become toxic. The USP (United States Pharmacopoeia) Dietary Supplement Verification Program (USP) is a voluntary program open to manufacturers of dietary supplement products around the world. The Food and Drug Administration states that it is not mandatory for supplement manufacturers to use an expiration date, but if they do, they must provide sufficient data to prove that the expiration date is accurate. To ensure the quality of supplements, it is best to choose those that have undergone independent third-party testing. It is also important to keep in mind that certain groups of people may be at greater risk than others if they take expired vitamins.
For example, if a person doesn't know that their supplement has expired, they may believe that they are consuming more nutrients than they actually consume. Dr. Pavlick, a physician at the Cleveland Clinic, encourages patients to “check with their healthcare providers and read the label before taking any dietary supplement” and “think about the impact of opening and closing supplement bottles day after day or storing them in the kitchen window or in the bathroom with high humidity”.In addition to a healthy diet and regular exercise, certain vitamins and supplements can also help increase energy levels. Ultimately, the expiration date of a drug or supplement is a point where the manufacturer can no longer guarantee that you'll have the same thing you originally bought.
