Stocking up in November: how to store supplements and what is worth buying two of

Keep supplements in a cool, dry cupboard, in their own container with the lid on, away from the sun, the stove and the steamy bathroom. Use the fridge only when the label says so.

Then stock up with the date in mind. Count how many days are in the tub, check the best-before date, and buy only what you will finish before it. Buy two of what you already take every day. Buy one of anything new.

Where should you keep supplements?

Heat, air, light and moisture all work on capsules, tablets and powders. MedlinePlus, the US National Library of Medicine's health site, advises a cool, dry place such as a drawer, a closet shelf or a kitchen cabinet away from the stove and sink, and warns against the bathroom cabinet because steam from the shower and bath can spoil contents before the date on the pack.

In a Gauteng summer that rules out a few favourite spots:

• the bathroom cabinet or the windowsill above the basin;
• the shelf above the kettle, stove or dishwasher;
• the car's cubbyhole or a handbag left in a hot car;
• a sunny counter by the window.

A drawer or a kitchen cupboard away from the sun, the stove and steam works well, if the room stays cool. If your children can reach it, it is the wrong cupboard (more on that below).

Where to keep supplements at home

Spot	Good idea?	Why
Bathroom cabinet	No	Steam from the shower and basin
Above the kettle or stove	No	Heat and steam every day
Car cubbyhole	No	Gets very hot in a parked car
Bedroom drawer	Yes	Away from the sun, the stove and steam, if the room stays cool
Kitchen cupboard away from the stove	Yes	Dry and out of the sun
Fridge	Only if the label says so	The label decides

Should supplements stay in the bottle they came in?

Yes. MedlinePlus advises keeping medicines in their original container; the label also carries the best-before date and the storage line you need.

• Close the lid properly after every use, and do not leave a powder tub open on the counter while you make breakfast.
• Take out the cotton wool plug once the bottle is open; MedlinePlus notes it draws moisture in.
• Use a dry scoop for powders. A wet spoon is how a tub turns to a brick.

Do probiotics or fish oils need the fridge?

Only if the label says so. Some probiotics are made to sit in a cupboard and some ask for the fridge; the label on your product is the only answer that counts. The same goes for oils and liquids, which often carry a line such as "refrigerate after opening".

If the label says nothing about the fridge, the cupboard is the right home.

How much should you buy at once?

Do the sum before you put two in the basket. Divide the number of capsules by your daily serving on the label: a tub of 60 taken once a day lasts about two months; at two a day, one month. Then look at the best-before date on the pack.

If two tubs will be finished well before that date, buying two makes sense. If the second tub would still be sitting there after it, buy one now and the next one later. A supplement past its date, or one that has changed colour, smell or texture, or capsules that have stuck together, belongs in the bin, not in your morning routine; that is MedlinePlus's advice for medicines and it holds here too.

Buying for the household? Count each person's serving separately.

What is worth buying two of, and what is not?

Worth buying two of: the basics you already take every day and know you will finish. For example: a daily omega 3 such as Mega Omega 3+6+9, a vitamin D3 such as Sfera Vitamin D3 1000 IU, or a collagen you take daily. You can browse our best-selling supplements to see what else falls in that group.

Not worth buying two of: anything new to you. Try one first. You might not like the taste of a powder, the size of a capsule or the way it sits with your breakfast, and a second unopened tub does not help you then. The same goes for anything a doctor or consultant has asked you to take for a set time only.

This month's finds are on 30 Days of Finds, our November specials. STACK10 takes 10% off when you buy five or more items.

Keep it out of reach of children

A stock-up means more bottles in the house, so put them up high or in a cupboard children cannot open. MedlinePlus suggests a cabinet with a child latch or lock. Be most careful with anything that contains iron, including some multivitamins; check the label. MedlinePlus, a US site, notes that accidental overdose of iron products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6.

Chewable and flavoured products look like sweets to a small child. Keep them with the rest, not in the snack drawer.

When not to bother stocking up

If you are not sure you will keep taking something, do not buy two. If any of the points in Before you use it apply to you, ask us first, because what suits you may change. And you do not need to buy ahead out of fear of running out: you can always collect free in store, and delivery is free over R400 nationwide.

Questions we get asked

Where is the best place to store vitamins?

A cool, dry cupboard or drawer, away from the sun, the stove and the bathroom. Keep each product in its own container with the lid closed, and out of reach of children.

Do supplements go off after the best-before date?

Do not take a supplement after its best-before date. Throw out anything that has changed colour, smell or texture, or capsules that have stuck together, even before the date.

Should I keep my probiotics in the fridge?

Only if the label says so. Some probiotics are made for the cupboard and some for the fridge, so follow the storage line on your product.

Where these facts come from

• Storing your medicines
• Iron Supplements: MedlinePlus Drug Information

— the One Life Health consultants

From the apothecary shelf

A few products we'd hand a customer asking for a starting point. Not a paid placement — these are what we actually take, recommend, or keep at the front of the shelf.