In 1912, Polish biochemist Kazimierz Funk isolated a chemical compound he thought gave brown rice its protective properties. He coined the phrase "vitamin,” to describe it. Funk realized there were probably other compounds that had potential to fight certain health deficiencies. Between the time of his discovery, until 1948, all essential vitamins were identified. By the 1950s, mass production of vitamin supplements had begun, including the concept of a multivitamin. This marked the beginning of an era where obtaining nutrition became more accessible, though not without its complexities.
Today, multivitamins have become a staple in the daily health regimen of millions worldwide. They’re a way to obtain the nutrition you may not be getting from food — although food is always a better source, whenever possible. Multivitamins are usually cost-effective, as opposed to taking individual vitamins, but there are some things you should know before taking them.
1. You Can Take Expired Vitamins
Just like prescription medications, vitamins have expiration dates. But there are a couple of differences. Vitamin manufacturers aren’t required to include an expiration date. Another distinction is that certain prescriptions can be dangerous to consume after they’ve expired. Vitamins don’t go bad or become harmful after they’ve expired.
They simply become less potent and won’t provide their full nutritional benefit. Typically, vitamins are fine to take up to two years after the expiration date. In general, vitamins in tablet form have a longer shelf life than gummies/chewable.
