You're Probably Storing Your Vitamins The Wrong Way
Vitamins and supplements are an important part of many people's daily lives, but they often go overlooked when it comes to proper storage. Since vitamins can lose their potency over time, or even become dangerous if stored improperly, it's important to know how to correctly care for them (via Mindbodygreen). How you store your vitamins can impact how long they are safe and effective.
One of the most important steps in ensuring that your vitamins stay fresh is keeping them away from moisture and heat. Heat can speed up the degradation process for certain ingredients in your supplements, while moisture can promote mold growth or other issues with contamination. You should keep your vitamins in a cool, dry place away from bright lights, and make sure to keep them in their original packaging. In addition to protecting your vitamins from outside moisture, you should also be mindful of how much moisture is inside the bottle itself. To minimize condensation buildup between uses, take care not to overfill the bottle when putting pills back in. You can also consider storing your vitamins in a sealable plastic bag or another small container that won't be affected by any excess moisture.
Do you need to take vitamins?
There is a lot of debate surrounding whether or not it is necessary to take vitamins. Some people believe that taking vitamins and supplements can help your body function better and improve overall health, while others think that the benefits are minimal and may even cause adverse effects in some cases. Some people argue that most people actually consume more than enough vitamins and minerals through their diet, and that taking additional supplements is unnecessary and may even be harmful (via National Health Service).
However, taking vitamins can be helpful for some people. If you are deficient in a vitamin or mineral, taking a supplement can help you get the nutrients you are not getting through food alone (via Penn Medicine). "In addition to a healthy diet, there is evidence that some supplements can benefit your overall well-being with little to no risk," said Jeffrey Millstein, MD, a physician at Penn Internal Medicine Woodbury Heights. While there is some evidence to support both sides of this debate, it's ultimately up to each individual to decide whether or not they want to take vitamins.