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Medicine & Health Shelf Life Guide

OTC medications, vitamins, supplements, and first aid — 107 products covered

Medications, vitamins, and health supplements have expiration dates that directly affect their safety and effectiveness. While some expired medications simply lose potency, others can become chemically unstable and potentially harmful. The FDA requires all medications to carry expiration dates based on stability testing. This guide covers shelf life data for over 100 OTC medications, vitamins, supplements, and first aid products.

Medicine & Health Shelf Life at a Glance

Product	Unopened	Opened	Refrigerated	Frozen	Risk
Acetaminophen Tylenol	3-5 years	3-6 months	—	—	SAFE
Adhesive Bandages Band-Aid	3 years	Do not reuse; discard immediately after use	—	—	SAFE
Advil Ibuprofen	36 months	12 months	—	—	SAFE
Afrin Nasal Spray	24 months	30 days	—	—	SAFE
Aleve Naproxen Sodium	3 years	6 months	—	—	SAFE
Aloe Vera Gel	1-2 years	3-6 months	6-12 months	—	SAFE
Antacid Tums	2-3 years	6-12 months	—	—	SAFE
Antihistamine Benadryl	2-3 years	6 months	6 months	—	SAFE
Antiseptic Wipes	3 years	1 month	—	—	SAFE
Aspirin	2-3 years	6-12 months	6-12 months	—	SAFE
Bandages Adhesive	3-5 years	—	—	—	SAFE
Benadryl Diphenhydramine	2-3 years	6 months to 1 year	—	—	SAFE
Bengay Pain Relief Cream	3 years	6 months	—	—	SAFE
Benzoyl Peroxide Cream	24 months	12 months	—	—	SAFE
Biotin Supplement	2-3 years	6-12 months	6-12 months	—	SAFE
Blood Pressure Monitor Batteries	3-5 years	6-12 months	—	—	SAFE
Calamine Lotion	2-3 years	6-12 months	—	—	SAFE
Calcium Supplement	2-3 years	6-12 months	—	—	SAFE
Capsaicin Cream	3 years	6 months	—	—	SAFE
Cetirizine (Zyrtec)	2-3 years	—	—	—	SAFE
Chloraseptic Throat Spray	24 months	6 months	—	—	SAFE
Claritin Loratadine	24 months	12 months	—	—	SAFE
Clotrimazole Antifungal Cream	24 months	6 months	—	—	SAFE
Coenzyme Q10 CoQ10	24 months	6 months	—	—	SAFE
Colace Stool Softener	36 months	12 months	—	—	SAFE
Collagen Peptides Supplement	24 months	6 months	—	—	SAFE
Collagen Supplement	1-2 years	6-12 months	6-12 months	—	SAFE
Compound W Wart Remover	3 years	6 months	—	—	SAFE
Contact Lens Solution	2 years	3 months	3 months	—	SAFE
Contact Lenses Daily	1-2 years	—	—	—	SAFE
DayQuil Cold and Flu	24 months	12 months	—	—	SAFE
Debrox Ear Drops	3 years	30 days	—	—	SAFE
Delsym Cough Suppressant	3 years	6 months	—	—	SAFE
Dextromethorphan Robitussin	2-3 years	6 months	6 months	—	SAFE
Dramamine Motion Sickness	36 months	12 months	—	—	SAFE
Dulcolax Laxative	3 years	6 months	—	—	SAFE
Echinacea Supplement	24-36 months	6-12 months	—	—	SAFE
Elastic Bandage Ace Wrap	3-5 years	6 months	—	—	SAFE
Elderberry Supplement	24 months	6 months	6 months	—	SAFE
Epinephrine EpiPen	12-18 months	—	—	Not recommended	SAFE
Excedrin Migraine	3 years	6 months	—	—	SAFE
Eye Drops Visine	2-3 years	30 days	30 days	—	SAFE
Eye Wash Solution	2 years	24 hours	—	—	SAFE
Fish Oil Omega-3	24 months	30-60 days	Up to 90 days	—	SAFE
Fish Oil Omega-3	1-2 years	3-6 months	3-6 months	Up to 2 years	SAFE
Gas-X Simethicone	36 months	6 months	—	—	SAFE
Gauze Pads	3-5 years	Use immediately or within 24 hours	Use immediately or within 24 hours	—	HIGH
Halls Cough Drops	24 months	6 months	—	—	SAFE
Hydrocortisone Cream	2-3 years	6-12 months	—	—	SAFE
Hydrogen Peroxide	3 years	6 months	6 months	—	SAFE
Ibuprofen Advil	2-3 years	6-12 months	—	—	SAFE
Icy Hot Cream	3 years	1 year	—	—	SAFE
Instant Cold Pack	3 years	Single use only; discard immediately after activation	—	—	SAFE
Insulin (Opened)	—	28 days (4 weeks) at room temperature (below 86°F/30°C)	28 days (4 weeks)	N/A (Do not freeze insulin)	SAFE
Iron Supplement	2-3 years	6-12 months	—	—	SAFE
Liquid Bandage	2-3 years	4-6 weeks	—	—	SAFE
Loperamide (Imodium)	2-3 years	—	—	—	SAFE
Loratadine Claritin	2-3 years	—	—	—	SAFE
Magnesium Supplement	2-3 years	12 months	12 months	—	SAFE
Medical Tape	3-5 years	3-6 months	—	—	SAFE
Melatonin	2-3 years	6-12 months	6-12 months	—	SAFE
Metamucil Fiber Supplement	24 months	6 months	—	—	SAFE
Miconazole Antifungal Cream	24 months	6 months	—	—	SAFE
Milk of Magnesia	3 years	1 month	—	—	SAFE
Miralax Laxative	2 years	—	—	—	SAFE
Mucinex Expectorant	2 years	6 months	—	—	SAFE
Multivitamin	1-2 years	6-12 months	6-12 months	—	SAFE
Naproxen Aleve	3-5 years	—	—	—	SAFE
Nasacort Nasal Spray	24 months	60 days	—	—	SAFE
Nasal Spray Flonase	2 years	3 months	3 months	—	SAFE
Nasal Spray Saline	1-2 years	1 month	1 month	—	SAFE
Natrol Melatonin Gummies	24 months	6 months	—	—	SAFE
Neosporin Antibiotic Ointment	3-5 years	3-6 months	3-6 months	—	SAFE
Nitroglycerin Tablets	2-3 years	3-6 months	—	—	SAFE
NyQuil Cold and Flu	24 months	30 days	—	—	SAFE
Omeprazole (Prilosec)	2 years	3 months	—	—	SAFE
Pepto Bismol	2 years	3 months	—	—	SAFE
Prenatal Vitamins	2-3 years	6-12 months	6-12 months	—	SAFE
Preparation H	3 years	6 months	—	—	SAFE
Probiotics	12-24 months	3-6 months	3-6 months	—	SAFE
Pseudoephedrine Sudafed	2-3 years	—	—	—	SAFE
Refresh Tears Eye Drops	24 months	30 days	—	—	SAFE
Ricola Cough Drops	24 months	3 months	—	—	SAFE
Robitussin Cough Syrup	24 months	6 months	—	—	SAFE
Rolaids Antacid	36 months	12 months	—	—	SAFE
Rubbing Alcohol Isopropyl	2-3 years	1 year	1 year	—	SAFE
Salicylic Acid Gel	2-3 years	6 months	—	—	SAFE
Sterile Gauze Pads	3 to 5 years	Use immediately or within 24 hours if kept sterile	—	—	SAFE
Swim Ear Drops	24 months	30 days	—	—	SAFE
Systane Eye Drops	24 months	28 days	—	—	SAFE
Theraflu Cold Relief	24 months	14 days	—	—	SAFE
Thermometer	5-10 years	3-5 years	3-5 years	—	SAFE
Tiger Balm	3 years	6 months	—	—	SAFE
Tums Antacid	36 months	12 months	—	—	SAFE
Turmeric Curcumin Supplement	2 years	6 months	—	—	SAFE
Tylenol Acetaminophen	2 to 3 years	6 months to 1 year	—	—	SAFE
Unisom Sleep Tabs	36 months	12 months	—	—	SAFE
Valerian Root Supplement	24 months	12 months	—	—	SAFE
Vicks VapoRub	3 years	1 year	—	—	SAFE
Visine Eye Drops	24 months	30 days	—	—	SAFE
Vitamin B12	2-3 years	6-12 months	6-12 months	—	SAFE
Vitamin C Supplement	2-3 years	6-12 months	6-12 months	—	SAFE
Vitamin D Supplement	2-3 years	12 months	12 months	—	SAFE
Xyzal Levocetirizine	36 months	12 months	—	—	SAFE
Zinc Supplement	2-3 years	1 year	1 year	—	SAFE
Zofran Ondansetron OTC	24 months	30 days	—	—	SAFE
ZzzQuil Sleep Aid	2 years	6 months	—	—	SAFE

How to Store Medicine & Health Properly

Store medications in a cool, dry place — the bathroom medicine cabinet is actually one of the worst locations due to heat and humidity.
Keep medications in their original containers with child-resistant caps.
Never take expired prescription medications without consulting a pharmacist.
Vitamins and supplements should be stored away from light, which degrades many active ingredients.
First aid supplies like bandages and antiseptics should be checked annually and replaced as needed.

Signs of Spoilage in Medicine & Health

Expired medications may show physical changes like discoloration, crumbling, unusual odor, or cloudiness in liquids. However, many degraded medications show no visible signs. Aspirin that smells like vinegar has broken down into acetic acid. Liquid medications that have changed color or developed particles should be discarded.

All Medicine & Health Products (107)

Medicine & Health Shelf Life Guide

Medicine & Health Shelf Life at a Glance

How to Store Medicine & Health Properly

Signs of Spoilage in Medicine & Health

All Medicine & Health Products (107)

Acetaminophen Tylenol

Adhesive Bandages Band-Aid

Advil Ibuprofen

Afrin Nasal Spray

Aleve Naproxen Sodium

Aloe Vera Gel

Antacid Tums

Antihistamine Benadryl

Antiseptic Wipes

Aspirin

Bandages Adhesive

Benadryl Diphenhydramine

Bengay Pain Relief Cream

Benzoyl Peroxide Cream

Biotin Supplement

Blood Pressure Monitor Batteries

Calamine Lotion

Calcium Supplement

Capsaicin Cream

Cetirizine (Zyrtec)

Chloraseptic Throat Spray

Claritin Loratadine

Clotrimazole Antifungal Cream

Coenzyme Q10 CoQ10

Colace Stool Softener

Collagen Peptides Supplement

Collagen Supplement

Compound W Wart Remover

Contact Lens Solution

Contact Lenses Daily

DayQuil Cold and Flu

Debrox Ear Drops

Delsym Cough Suppressant

Dextromethorphan Robitussin

Dramamine Motion Sickness

Dulcolax Laxative

Echinacea Supplement

Elastic Bandage Ace Wrap

Elderberry Supplement

Epinephrine EpiPen

Excedrin Migraine

Eye Drops Visine

Eye Wash Solution

Fish Oil Omega-3

Fish Oil Omega-3

Gas-X Simethicone

Gauze Pads

Halls Cough Drops

Hydrocortisone Cream

Hydrogen Peroxide

Ibuprofen Advil

Icy Hot Cream

Instant Cold Pack

Insulin (Opened)

Iron Supplement

Liquid Bandage

Loperamide (Imodium)

Loratadine Claritin

Magnesium Supplement

Medical Tape

Melatonin

Metamucil Fiber Supplement

Miconazole Antifungal Cream

Milk of Magnesia

Miralax Laxative

Mucinex Expectorant

Multivitamin

Naproxen Aleve

Nasacort Nasal Spray

Nasal Spray Flonase

Nasal Spray Saline

Natrol Melatonin Gummies

Neosporin Antibiotic Ointment

Nitroglycerin Tablets

NyQuil Cold and Flu