# vitamins out of date **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 14, 2006, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamins-out-of-date/344553 "2006-02-14T23:13:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e79b87/32.png) [@mawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mawk)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamins-out-of-date/344553/1 "2006-02-14T23:13:44Z")
hey ive been taking vitamin and mineral suppliments for a while and i just noticed that the bottle is out of date by a while, so i was wondering what happens to the pills? do the vits break down and become ineffective, could it become harmful, or is it just put there by the makers to make me think i need to buy a new bottle? thanks in advance mawk ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamins-out-of-date/344553/2 "2006-02-15T02:19:55Z")
> [@mawk](#): > > hey ive been taking vitamin and mineral suppliments for a while and i just noticed that the bottle is out of date by a while, so i was wondering what happens to the pills? do the vits break down and become ineffective, could it become harmful, or is it just put there by the makers to make me think i need to buy a new bottle? > > thanks in advance > mawk I recall from a previous instance of this question that they lose their nutrient value but they won’t harm you. ---
**Author:** ![mawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e79b87/32.png) [@mawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mawk)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamins-out-of-date/344553/3 "2006-02-15T17:00:36Z")
cool thanks!