Expiration Dates

EXPIRATION DATES EXPLAINED

Dietary supplements like we sell at OVitaminPro.com are perishable so will be best if used before a certain date. Often products will have a stamped expiry date or more commonly a date of manufacture. We support the inclusion of the date stamped on the bottle as it does give you an idea of how old the product is as it helps us identify the products that should be sold first.

Confusion has followed these dates, however. An stamped expiry date isn't a hard off for the potency of that product but is the date that we can no longer sell the product. If the expiration date is June 2019 and you buy it June 15, 2019, you are in the safety zone for a valid product. The product will still be useful for some time after you receive as will be explained in more detail later.

Storage method is important. Some big companies like Amazon don't have climate controlled storage so that may affect the potency which is one reason we recommend you buy your supplements from smaller companies like OVitaminPro.com. If you store your items in a cool dark place, you can find a different length of potency time than if you store it in the back window of your car in the summer.

So if a product has a stamped expiry date of Oct 1, 2020 and maybe you have had it in your pantry for six months and are ready to use it Oct 2, 2020, is it still good? The short answer is "yes" but I will attempt to give you some general guidelines to help you understand the basics of potency and best-by and expiry dates.

The information provided here explains the details of best before dates which I will use to mean the expiry date particular to the type of dietary supplement. Each supplement will vary on product efficacy, depending on the manufacturer and the quality of raw materials used.

Herbal Products

Herbal products will slowly degrade with age and maintain potency for approximately 3 years following production. These products tend to maintain potency for two years past the best by date or expiry date.

Vitamin Mineral Supplements

Vitamin and mineral supplements will slowly degrade with age with the exception of B vitamins. It is best to use B vitamins before the best before date. Most all other vitamin supplements maintain efficacy approximately 2 years following the best before date or expiration date.

Enzymes

Enzymes will slowly weaken with age. They will maintain potency approximately for two years after manufacture or 1 year past the best before date or expiry date.

Protein and Amino Acids

Protein and Amino acid supplements slowly weaken with age. Quality protein and amino acid supplements will maintain potency approximately 2-3 years past date of manufacture or 1 to 2 years past best before date or expiration date.

Glandular Supplements

Glandular supplements are more delicate than vitamins. They maintain potency approximately 2 years past date of manufacture or 1 year past the best before date. In order to optimize shelf-life, glandular supplements should be stored in cool temperatures.

Liquids

Liquid supplements will slowly weaken with age; however, they will maintain efficacy approximately 1 year past the best before date.

How to Extend the Life of Supplements

The higher the quality and grade of a particular supplement, the longer it will maintain potency following the expiration date so it pays to buy the good stuff, not the cheap knockoffs at big box stores. Do not refrigerate supplements unless the label advises to do so. All drugs and vitamin supplements should be stored in airtight containers. Keep all dietary supplements away from light, moisture, and heat so that is why you are advised to keep them in a dark, cool, dry place.

That's it. We don't want you to stress too much about those dates on the bottle. Those are helpful guidelines to potency but not meant to activate your OCD. Generally our stock is rotated quickly so this isn't a factor and if we see a product is approaching its expiration date, we often pull it out of rotation and put it in our expired bin anyway. I personally check the expired bin for supplements I might personally need. I have no problem with using them within the time frames listed above.