How long are Vitamins good for after the expiration date? We have some that have been out of direct sunlight in a medicine cabinet. Dates range from 1999-2000-2001.

-- Kenneth in N.C. (wizardsplace13@hotmail.com), January 08, 2002

Answers

We use to own a health food store---we were always told they were good forever---just don't have the same amount of fire power/ as they had before the expiration date----so you may have to take more to get the bang for you buck!!! This is what we were always told by the people who sold them to us---- so go figure-----

-- Sonda (sgbruce@birch.net), January 08, 2002.

The pharmaceutical companies guarantee that a particular medicine or vitamin is at 100% of its potency up to the expireation date. They make no guarantees after that. So if you kept the meds in a dark place where temperatures pretty much stayed the same, then perhaps 5 years after the expitation date the meds may only be 99.9% or 95% or 93% and after 10 years they may only be 89%. But rather then risk this there is an expiration date.

Makes ya kind of hope that the meds you are getting at the pharmacy are rotated frequently huh?

-- westbrook (westbrook_farms@yahoo.com), January 08, 2002.

yes it does westbrook. So basically our 1989 stuff should be ok. We had stocked up on children vitamins and "c". My wife got several pms formulas. There in a cabinet that seldom gets over 70 degrees.

Thanks for your help.

-- Kenneth in N.C. (wizardsplace13@hotmail.com), January 11, 2002.