# Can vitamins go bad/old

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-vitamins-go-bad-old/96899>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 4, 2001, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-vitamins-go-bad-old/96899 "2001-12-04T20:33:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Zazie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Zazie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zazie)\
**Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-vitamins-go-bad-old/96899/1 "2001-12-04T20:33:19Z")

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I found an old bottle of Vitamin C caplets in my cupboard… It is a year old.  
Is it safe to take still? Do vitamins have an expiration time (I can’t find a date on the bottle).

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**Author:** ![robcaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@robcaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robcaro)\
**Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-vitamins-go-bad-old/96899/2 "2001-12-04T21:20:22Z")

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Vitamins usually have a shelf life date someplace on the label or on the cap. It is required by some law. If your vitamin bottle doesn’t have a date, it is not sure that the vitamin is still potent. Better to buy a new vitamin.

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**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\
**Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-vitamins-go-bad-old/96899/3 "2001-12-04T21:53:22Z")

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Some last 2 years (based on my containers). May be very old if not dated.

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**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2001, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-vitamins-go-bad-old/96899/4 "2001-12-05T03:09:42Z")

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They may lose their potency with age, much like us, but they are not dangerous to ingest. They don’t become toxic.

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**Author:** ![jk1245](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/49beb7/32.png) [@jk1245](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jk1245)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2001, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-vitamins-go-bad-old/96899/5 "2001-12-05T04:20:27Z")

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Pretty much waht everyone else said.

I’ll just add that vitamin C is one of the least stable. Degrades on exposure to oxygen and white light (ordinary household lights).

Have a glass of orange juice instead!

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**Author:** ![Zazie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Zazie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zazie)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2001, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-vitamins-go-bad-old/96899/6 "2001-12-05T14:49:42Z")

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ha ha! you are right JK, I’ll get my OJ today! I guess I’ll toss the old vitamins! Thanks everybody

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**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2001, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-vitamins-go-bad-old/96899/7 "2001-12-05T20:48:07Z")

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Yeah, but OJ doesn’t have enough. Buy some new C. You can buy powder C from Bronsons Pharmaceuticals, which is where I get mine. (I believe they have a website.) I put that in my OJ.