# How long b4 Vitamins expire? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 27, 2006, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-b4-vitamins-expire/341921 "2006-01-27T22:25:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c2a13f/32.png) [@pace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pace)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-b4-vitamins-expire/341921/1 "2006-01-27T22:25:39Z")
I’m sure the box containing my vitamins had an expiration stamp on it, but I tossed it when I opened it over a year ago. Do you think my vitamins are still good, effective? Purchased at Walgreens. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-b4-vitamins-expire/341921/2 "2006-01-27T22:30:55Z")
I have a bottle of multivitamins in my desk. Based on approximately when I purchased them, they have a shelf life of about 2 years. ---
**Author:** ![Dahnlor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahnlor/32/533_2.png) [@Dahnlor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahnlor)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-b4-vitamins-expire/341921/3 "2006-01-27T22:34:28Z")
Based on [this Wikipedia entry](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_b), vitamin B-4 does not appear to be for human consumption. D ---
**Author:** ![pace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c2a13f/32.png) [@pace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pace)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-b4-vitamins-expire/341921/4 "2006-01-27T22:40:33Z")
> [@Dahnlor](#): > > Based on [this Wikipedia entry](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_b), vitamin B-4 does not appear to be for human consumption. > D har har! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![pace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c2a13f/32.png) [@pace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pace)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-b4-vitamins-expire/341921/5 "2006-01-27T22:52:51Z")
> [@cher3](#): > > I have a bottle of multivitamins in my desk. Based on approximately when I purchased them, they have a shelf life of about 2 years. 2 years? Good!! thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-b4-vitamins-expire/341921/6 "2006-01-27T22:55:30Z")
The bottle itself ought to have some kind of expiration notice on it, or at least say when it was made. Check the bottle again? ---
**Author:** ![twhitt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@twhitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twhitt)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-b4-vitamins-expire/341921/7 "2006-01-27T22:57:56Z")
> [@Dahnlor](#): > > Based on [this Wikipedia entry](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_b), vitamin B-4 does not appear to be for human consumption. You could consume adenine, but it is not considered to be a vitamin because it’s completely nonessential. Your body produces adenine in adequate amounts. Additionally, b4 in the title of the post is shorthand for “before.” For the OP, there’s simply no telling. It’s unlikely, in America, that the stamp with an expiration date would not be on the bottle itself… It could look like anything, though. Try looking for four digits, that were not printed but pressed into the label so that they look like tiny indentations. They would typically be next to a manufacturing lot number, and may not be at all obvious. I would never reccommend you take expired drugs, as even with vitamins there’s a small probability it could be harmful to your health. ---
**Author:** ![pace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c2a13f/32.png) [@pace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pace)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-b4-vitamins-expire/341921/8 "2006-01-27T23:34:15Z")
> [@twhitt](#): > > …America, that the stamp with an expiration date would not be on the bottle itself… It could look like anything, though. Try looking for four digits, that were not printed but pressed into the label so that they look like tiny indentations. They would typically be next to a manufacturing lot number, and may not be at all obvious. I would never reccommend you take expired drugs, as even with vitamins there’s a small probability it could be harmful to your health. i’ll take another look… if i see numbers which don’t make sense to me, I’ll just toss the bottles and purchase new vitamins. ---
**Author:** ![Bomzaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@Bomzaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bomzaway)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-b4-vitamins-expire/341921/9 "2006-01-27T23:43:30Z")
I saw on TV (I think it was one of those “give me a break” segments with John Stossel) that the expiration dates on vitamins and many OTC drugs are a bit bogus because the stuff doesn’t actually decline in effectivity very much, even after many years. But hey, I’m not doctor.