What happens if you take expired probiotics

While your chewable vitamin C or gummy multivitamin may still have as much as 90 per cent of its original potency three months past expiry, don't expect them to taste the same.

To prevent supplements from losing potency faster, follow storage directions on the label. Store vitamins in their original containers away from heat and light. Don't remove the little silica gel packet or canister that helps remove moisture from inside the bottle.

I used to always pitch it, not realizing its purpose. If you do need to throw out vitamin supplements or medications that have expired, don't flush them down the toilet or throw them in the garbage. Doing so is unsafe and can harm the environment. To dispose of them safely, take them to a pharmacy that participates in the Medication Return Program. The same goes for unused supplements that haven't yet expired. Leslie Beck is a registered dietitian.

Follow Leslie Beck on Twitter: lesliebeckrd Opens in a new window. Report an error. SF Broth ST Streptococcus thermophilus agar For probiotic products labeled as containing only one strain, a colony was isolated when there was growth.

From probiotic products containing multiple species that were differentiable by selective growth media, all differentiable colonies were collected. For the microwave method, a small portion of a colony is spread on the inside of a PCR tube and then microwaved on high for 3 min and then PCR mix is added directly to this tube. Samples were amplified using Taq DNA polymerase.

The proportion of cells that remained viable at the time of testing was used as a measure of viability. Data were log-transformed to increase validity, additivity and linearity. Significantly higher viability in package type and packaging materials was identified using one-way analysis of variance ANOVA and Tukey's honestly significant difference HSD post hoc test with Dunnett's multiple comparison test.

An unpaired t -test determined significantly higher viability based on storage conditions. Spearman correlation was used to analyze years vs viability. For all probiotics, the proportion of cells that remained viable at the time of testing was compared with the time since expiry Fig. There was a negative relationship between the time since expiration and viability, suggesting that after expiration, viability decreases over time. However, there is no specific point at which viability ceases.

The correlation between years expired and viability seen in this study is similar to several other studies of probiotics Mary, Moschetto and Tailliez ; Teixeira et al. This result is expected because older probiotics have been exposed to external stresses such as oxygen, light and moisture known to cause microbial death Tripathi and Giri for more extended periods, resulting in greater microbial death.

Pill type encapsulated, compressed powder or loose powder had no impact on the viability; most were encapsulated. This study did not identify any microorganisms that were not listed on the product labels, although not all labeled microorganisms were identified. All products with more than 6 unit dosages are shown in Fig.

These results indicate that labeling of genus and species in the products tested was accurate. This finding is interesting since past studies have shown inaccuracy in scientific labeling of probiotic genera and species Weese ; Coeuret, Gueguen and Vernoux One evaluation of Lactobacillus probiotics found that 3 of the 10 human probiotics products had misidentified the species present Coeuret, Gueguen and Vernoux A second study showed incorrect labeling of 9 out of 21 products, particularly in veterinary probiotic products Weese The impact on viability of the numbers of species or strains in a product was assessed, with between 1 and 12 present in a given product.

There was no difference in viability between one or more species when looking at total cell counts of the products or individual species cell counts where tested Fig. In this study, the number of species in a probiotic product had no observable impact on viability after expiration; however, only limited investigations of individual strain's viability were conducted here.

Expired probiotic packaging and material. There is no statistically significant relationship between the number of initial species and viability of probiotics after expiration. When recommended storage conditions were not followed, there was a significant decrease in strain viability past expiration [Fig. In general, manufacturers recommend that probiotics be stored in a cold, dark, dry place or a refrigerator.

Most of our expired probiotics were stored in a dark, dry box or a refrigerator for the time in our possession. Probiotics A and B had much higher viability than the other incorrectly stored probiotics. This could be because both expired relatively recently 4 and 7 years ago, respectively and were kept in metal packaging Table 1. Packaging material had a significant impact on bacterial viability, while capsule composition did not.

The protective abilities of various packaging materials were evaluated Fig. Capsule composition was categorized based on three main ingredients found in most of the tested probiotics Fig. Although there is no significant difference between plastic and glass overall, smaller scale analyses revealed that there may be a difference in some instances.

Probiotics T and U Table 1 expired 13 years ago were stored correctly and presumably contained the same organism S. Probiotic T, packaged in a plastic sachet, had no viability, while probiotic U, packaged in a glass bottle, had All other comparisons between packaging material and dosage composition were found to be non-significant. The type of seal used on the packing lids was not evaluated here and may have also been a factor.

Probiotics B and D were both contained in metal, while probiotics X and Z2 were in glass bottles with light protection. There was no other correlation between the probiotics; therefore, this difference may be due to packaging materials.

Overall, glass and metal were found to be better packaging material than plastic to ensure the long-term viability of probiotics, though further studies with greater numbers are required to confirm this. The results of this study suggest that packaging type may impact the long-term viability of probiotics after expiration. This is consistent with several other studies looking at the effect of packaging on probiotic viability prior to expiration Talwalkar and Kailasapathy ; Chaikham ; Pimentel et al.

The lack of a significant difference between glass and plastic might also be because glass, despite providing better protection against oxygen, allows more light to reach the probiotic. Over time, all packages lose their integrity and allow contaminants that lead to microbial death, regardless of composition or format.

These results show that none of the packaging tested consistently provided adequate protection over long periods of time. This study has some limitations to be considered when interpreting the results. First, we used the proportion of cells remaining to quantify viability.

This proportion was computed under the assumption that the number of live cells present at the time of expiry was exactly as guaranteed by the manufacturer.

Though this was acceptable for the study, it is likely not accurate across all products because manufacturers add excess bacteria or yeast to ensure their products contain the guaranteed count at end of shelf life.

Since the true count at the time of expiry may have been greater or less than estimated, this could have increased or decreased the proportions used in our analysis. In future experiments, it may be better to quantify the number of dead cells and use this to calculate a proportion that more accurately represents the change in viability. Second, the groups considered in each analysis varied in terms of characteristics other than the ones used to define the collection e.

Ideally, the groups would differ only in terms of the variable being investigated, so that any conclusion can be clearly linked to that factor. Third, many of the products were stored according to the manufacturer's instructions that may not be representative of the general public. It would be beneficial to do a larger study looking into extending the expiration of probiotic products and a survey of storage conditions in further research. This study found that many probiotic products retained their viability long after expiration, albeit lower than the recommended threshold for efficacy.

Currently, expired probiotics are not safe to consume past expiration despite containing viable cells due to the lack of safety studies. Companies often calculate expiration date based on accelerated studies alone. Ideally, they should re-evaluate their viable count to determine expiration in real time to more accurately reflect when the product no longer meets its efficacy threshold.

No ethics approval or consent to participate was needed for this study. No consent for publication was needed for this publication. All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article and its supplementary information files. Because probiotic supplements are so unreliable, Harvard Health Publishing recommends skipping them and getting your daily dose of beneficial bacteria through fermented foods , like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut and pickles, instead.

Nutrition Nutrition Basics Vitamins and Supplements. Do Probiotics Expire? By Lindsay Boyers Updated September 23, Claudia is a registered dietitian with a PhD in physical activity, nutrition and wellness.

She is an expert in intuitive eating and nutrition science. Lindsay Boyers. Lindsay Boyers is a holistic nutritionist with a Bachelor's degree in food and nutrition and a certificate in holistic nutrition consulting.

She has a background in functional nutrition and is currently studying for her RD exam. In addition to contributing to Livestrong.

If the milk curdles to a yogurt consistency, then your probiotics are still good. Some probiotic strains like those belonging to the genus Bifidobacterium do not cause milk to curdle. While harmful bacteria like the Streptococcus species can cause milk to curdle. This test may not also work in probiotic tablets as well as those with enteric coatings. Remember that the microbes have to be mixed directly with the milk for it to curdle. As such, the protective coatings have to be removed first.

A cold glass of milk may not be able to do that as these coatings are specifically designed to be dissolved in stomach acid. To get around this, you can crush the tablet or dilute the enteric coating in a baking soda solution with a pinch of salt before mixing it with milk.

Bionaze is a proprietary blend of probiotics proven to help help improve digestion, support your immune system, and promote ear, nose, and throat health. Judy Ponio is a firm believer in the health benefits of probiotics and she wants to share that with the world. She also loves to write about healthy foods and other healthy living tips.

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