This is partly due to the fact that gummy vitamins have limited storage stability and become less potent over time. To ensure that they contain at least as many nutrients as their labels claim, manufacturers package them with more vitamins than the label says, allowing their concentration to disappear over time. While vitamins don't expire or become unsafe, they will lose potency, meaning they aren't doing you any good. Manufacturers put dates on bottles to indicate when vitamins reach that point, so if the expiration date of a bottle has passed, throw them away, because, while they won't make you sick, they won't add any value.
Even vitamins and supplements have an expiration date, although it may not appear on the package. It's not like they have a hard and fast date after which it becomes dangerous to wear them. The reason they have expiration dates is that, over time, vitamins, supplements (and most medications) lose their potency. Some companies may claim that their products last forever, or at least for a seemingly inordinate period of time.
If they don't expire at the same time, you might be left with a potent vitamin in a not-so-tasty snack. According to Shilpa Raut, principal investigator at Amway, the typical shelf life of vitamins is two years. The Preventive Services Working Group has found “insufficient evidence that vitamin supplements are of any use.” The expiration dates on vitamins and dietary supplements are extremely conservative to ensure that consumers receive quality products. When they reach the expiration date, supplements begin to lose their potency and, ultimately, their effectiveness in meeting your supplementation needs.
If your doctor has told you to take something and you're having problems with other types of supplements, gummies can be a useful alternative. After all, placing supplements in the places where you do your daily routines instills the habit of taking your vitamins every day. Remember that your body needs 13 essential vitamins (classified as fat-soluble and water-soluble) and at least 15 essential minerals for your health, including vitamin A, all B vitamins (including folic acid), vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K. And be sure to store the vitamins in their original packaging, as the label includes the ingredients, dosage, interactions and other important information.
Once vitamin E oil is exposed to air and light, oxidation begins and the product will begin to lose its potency. You can store multivitamin supplements on the kitchen counter or in the bathroom cabinet. Once you've determined that your vitamins have passed the point of no return, it's important that you dispose of them safely. Look for words such as “Expiration Date”, “Consume by” or “Expiration Date” on the vitamin package.
Gelatin and pectin products, such as gummy vitamins, are more like foods than supplements, since they can become rancid over time, depending on how they are prepared and stored. Pay attention to the dates that manufacturers put on the bottles to know when their vitamins and supplements will stop working for you. The tablet, the powder, the chewable or the gummy are still dangerous, but their potency has declined beyond the point where the manufacturer can verify that you are receiving the promised dose of vitamin C.
