Although the bathroom or the kitchen may be the most conveniant place to keep your supplements and medications, a new study by Purdue University has shown that high humidity degrades the vitamins and health supplements stored in those rooms, even if the lids are on tight.
Lisa Mauer, a Purdue associate professor of food science, has shown that subjecting certain products, such as vitamin C, to humidity can chemically change their compositions, eliminating the health benefits associated with those products. She also says that crystalline substances – including vitamin C, some vitamin B forms and other dietary supplements – are prone to a process called deliquescence, in which humidity causes a water-soluble solid to dissolve.
Keeping those supplements away from warm, humid environments can help ensure their effectiveness. So where should you store vitamins? Try a drawer in your bedroom or on your dresser as an alternative. And if you have children, make sure that they are out of reach of their curious hands.
