AboutEric Brandt Expertise I am a practicing pharmacist.On my drug information website, I have answered hundreds of questions to date. The articles posted on my site include Parkinson`s disease. depression, menopause, diabetes, sleep and aging, congestive heart failure, calcium channel blockers, thyroid hormone replacement therapy, ADHD, multiple sclerosis an more.
Experience I have experience in retail as well as hospital pharmacy pracice. Currently working in a hospital pharmacy. I am experienced in drug information. Over the last 6 years I have developed a successful web site for drug information.
The addressfor my drug information website is http://www.druginformation.bc.caThere you can read articles on varios areas of health interest. You can also leave me questions which I will personally answer. I also have a free health information newsletter called The Caplet. To subscribe send e-mail to
thecaplet-subscribe@topica.com
Question My question is, "Is it ever a bad thing to refrigerate medication or supplements?"
Most bottles I read say either store between 15-25 degrees celsius, or in a cool dry place. My apartment at times can be beyond 30 degrees celsius everwhere except the refrigerator. I know heat acts as a catalyst speeding up chemical reactions, which means the hotter the faster supplements decompose. Therefore my refridgerator which would be about 3 degrees celsius should be a much better storage place than a 30+ degree apartment. But nobody so far seems to have a clear idea on this.... Currently I have Bupropion HCl, Tramadol HCl, DHA/EPA, Glucosamine/Chondroitin, 5-HTP, Amino Acid supplements, Creatine, Tribulus, Melatonin and a multivitamin, and occasionally I will have some other supplement(s). Is it okay to refridgerate any/all of theese?
Thankyou for your time
Xavier
Answer Hi Xavier,
Medications are best kept at the temperature recommended by the manufacturer. Keep them in a drawer in the bedroom where there is no moisture and the teperature is more constant. If the temperature flucctuates too much the you need to store the medications in an insulated bag. Do not refrigerate if it is not recommended by the manufacturer.
Thank you for using Allexperts
Sincerely,
Eric Brandt, B.Sc. Pharm
