Best-By Dates on Supplements: What They Mean

Quick answer

A best-by date on a supplement is set by the company, not the FDA. Federal rules do not require supplements to carry any expiration or best-by date, but a firm may print one if valid data show the date is not false or misleading. For foods in general, FDA describes Best if Used By as a quality date.^1,2,3

Key facts

FDA's manufacturing rule for supplements does not require an expiration date, a shelf date or a best if used by date.²
A date that is printed should be backed by valid data showing it is not false or misleading.¹
FDA and USDA recommend Best if Used By on food labels: the date after which quality may decline but the food may still be consumed.³
Makers keep reserve samples of each packaged batch for 1 year past the shelf life date, if they use one, or 2 years after the last batch is distributed.²
When you report a problem, FDA asks for codes on the container such as the lot number and expiration date.⁴

Who sets the date

No federal rule sets shelf lives for supplements. A company that chooses to print a date decides what it is, and FDA's labeling guide says the date may be used if valid data show it is not false or misleading. Supplements count as foods under federal law, and labels must be truthful and not misleading.^1,3,5

Wording varies. FDA and USDA encourage Best if Used By on food labels but do not forbid other phrases, such as Use By or Sell By, as long as they are truthful and not misleading.³

What the date can and cannot tell you

For foods, the two agencies describe Best if Used By as a quality date: quality may decline after it, but the food may still be eaten. They also note that people often take such dates to mean food becomes unsafe, when in fact the dates indicate quality.³

For supplements, quality has a defined meaning in FDA's manufacturing rule: consistently meeting the specifications for identity, purity, strength and composition and the limits on contaminants. When a company uses shelf life dating, the rule ties its records to that date, with reserve samples of each packaged batch kept until 1 year past it.²

Storage and the date

Labels can carry storage directions, such as keep refrigerated, and makers must hold their own reserve samples under the conditions the label states. NCCIH advises following the instructions on a supplement's label.^2,6

If something seems wrong

If you have side effects, stop taking the supplement and contact your health care provider; you may also contact the company. FDA encourages reports of product problems, such as foreign objects in the packaging or other apparent quality defects, through its Safety Reporting Portal, with the lot number, expiration date and other codes from the container.^4,6,7

Questions people ask

Do supplements have to show an expiration date?

No. Neither the labeling rules nor the manufacturing rule requires one. If a date appears, it should rest on valid data.^1,2

Can I take a supplement after its best-by date?

Federal rules do not say what happens after the date; it is the company's own. For foods, FDA describes Best if Used By as a quality date rather than a safety date, but a supplement's quality includes its strength, so ask the company or your pharmacist if you are unsure.^2,3

See what we make

Every product shows its whole label and what its lab report covers. The store opens soon.

See the Full Measure line

Sources

This page is information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.