Vitamins Supplements Lose Potency in a Week!
Do Vitamins Go Off in a Week?
The front page headline of the Metro today said “Stored vitamins go off in a week“. The Metro article was based upon some recent US research that could have a serious affect on the £600m/year vitamin and health supplements industry. The research stated that whilst the vitamins can become degraded, the product will still be safe to use, but less effective.
Before you start worrying that your supplements are no longer effective, it should be noted that the research is based upon supplements that are kept in humid locations, such as the kitchen or the bathroom. When the lids are taken off, the moisture from the humid atmospheres enters the tub and can destroy the product. Most people keep supplements in the kitchen, which is fine, as long as you only take the lids off when the window is open and the humidity is normal, i.e. not when you are cooking. Also, make sure your hands are dry, to avoid allowing any water into the tubs.
Don’t throw your Supplements Away!
If you have protein supplements with added vitamins and minerals at home in your kitchen or bathroom and you think that they have been affected, then don’t throw them away, just continue using them as protein supplements. You will still get the benefit from the protein, just not the vitamins.
Avoid Vitamin Degradation with Meal Replacement Shakes
To avoid these problems altogether, you could consider using meal replacement supplements – which are loaded with vitamins and minerals and come in individual sachets. This means that as soon as you open the sachets, they will be mixed, then consumed, meaning no time for degradation of the vitamins.
One last thing… don’t believe everything you read in the papers, it could all be hype! Either way, avoid the moisture!
Regards,
Gareth
May 3rd, 2010 at 8:50 AM
great post as usual!