# Using Expired Lutein?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-expired-lutein/694211>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [July 28, 2014, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-expired-lutein/694211 "2014-07-28T05:14:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-expired-lutein/694211/1 "2014-07-28T05:14:17Z")

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Macular degeneration runs in my family. Both my father and his father had it.

Anyways, a doctor’s office recently told me taking the health supplement Lutein is supposed to prevent it. So recently, I bought some, two bottles actually (on sale), at a local drug store. The only thing is, I failed to look at the expiration date. It expired August 2013–almost a full year ago.

I guess I could always return it (I got it at CVS, BTW). But that seems rather a hassle. And I don’t know CVS’s return policy.

So. does anyone know if it is safe to use expired Lutein? (Also, BTW, I recently got a fresher bottle, to take while I determine if the safety of these two bottles.)

:):)🙂

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**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-expired-lutein/694211/2 "2014-07-28T08:39:50Z")

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If you have the receipt, return it. Point out the expiration date. (I too use this supplement for the reason you mentioned.)

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**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-expired-lutein/694211/3 "2014-07-28T14:04:44Z")

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Expiration date is the last date on which a retailer will guarantee that the product is fully effective. How long it lasts after that will depend on whether it has been stored properly (cool and dry and dark are the main factors).

Lutein that I buy appears to have about a 2-year expiration, and I buy online in bulk, ordering about 3 years supply at a time. I keep the stock in the fridge. Very few things have an expiration date of more than about two years, even if their active ingredients don’t degrade at all.