# are my vitamins doing more harm then good?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-my-vitamins-doing-more-harm-then-good/46309>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 19, 2000, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-my-vitamins-doing-more-harm-then-good/46309 "2000-12-19T07:03:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Aceospades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Aceospades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aceospades)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2000, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-my-vitamins-doing-more-harm-then-good/46309/1 "2000-12-19T07:03:39Z")

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About two years ago I bought three bottles of Centrum vitamins. There were 250 tablets per jar. Here’s the thing. The expiration date on them is July 2000. Now I know I’m not going to poison myself by taking these vitamins, but I would like to know what happens to them after they expire?

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**Author:** ![Aceospades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Aceospades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aceospades)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2000, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-my-vitamins-doing-more-harm-then-good/46309/2 "2000-12-20T22:14:10Z")

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can no one help me out on this one?!?

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**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2000, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-my-vitamins-doing-more-harm-then-good/46309/3 "2000-12-21T01:22:12Z")

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The efficacy of your vitamins depends on many things. Were they stored in a temperature stable location out of the light? Were they left sealed the entire time? All sorts of crap…

I get my nutrition from food, not pills. Consequently, I’m not the best authority on this subject.

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**Author:** ![Danielinthewolvesden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Danielinthewolvesden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danielinthewolvesden)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2000, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-my-vitamins-doing-more-harm-then-good/46309/4 "2000-12-21T01:50:58Z")

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Vitamins rarely go bad- they more often lose their potency\*. However, why not just get some new ones?

- apparently, just the opposite happens with GOP politicos- now that Viagras here. 😃

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**Author:** ![Aceospades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Aceospades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aceospades)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2000, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-my-vitamins-doing-more-harm-then-good/46309/5 "2000-12-21T03:42:17Z")

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They were stored at a stable temperature and out of light. The container was sealed until I opened it.  
I have considered getting new ones, but I don’t want to through out a whole bottle of vitamins if they’re still good.

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**Author:** ![peace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@peace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peace)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2000, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-my-vitamins-doing-more-harm-then-good/46309/6 "2000-12-21T03:50:42Z")

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Most vitamins (and drugs) remain stable under normal conditions. The only danger is that they become less potent. But you will never know it if you are healthy and take vitamins simply because they are available. Normal American/European diet provides adequate supply of all vitamins.