Question about freshness packets in pill bottles

[WHSaint]

Hi,
When I usually buy pill-form supplements, I usually discard the freshness packets, which are those tiny packets filled with silicone gel. I am not sure exactly what they do, but I am worried now if discarding them will effect the quality of the supplement. To note, they are usually in those bottles where the pills have plastic encasings. Should I have anything to worry?

Thanks

(the kind of supplements I'm talking about are taurine, dhea, etc)

 

[malkore]

no, those silica gel packs help prevent moisture buildup inside the bottle. you can leave em in, or you can toss them if you use that particular supplment bottle rather quickly.

 

[WHSaint]

thanks for the quick response

To note, some of my supplements say to keep it in, while others say to remove it. but why the difference?

Also, what could potenionally happen if too much moisture builds up in the bottles? Would keeping them in the fridge prevent that?

Sorry about the weird questions, thanks for any help

 

[Dallen]

I believe they suck up the oxygen during shipment process. I believe you can throw them away without worry as long as you are using the product right then and there and not keeping it out for extended period of time.

 

[2bBuff]

The little bags are desiccants (have an affinity for moisture) as malkore said.

some of my supplements say to keep it in, while others say to remove it. but why the difference?

May be related to what malkore said about amount of time to use up the entire bottle or just the susceptibility of the pill to moisture.

Also, what could potenionally happen if too much moisture builds up in the bottles?

Try this experiment:
Take one of your pills and put it in your mouth for about 10 seconds then remove it. It will likely look different and may even have more/different/bad taste.

That’s an extreme moisture situation, but maybe shows the point at least.

Would keeping them in the fridge prevent that?

I would guess it would help (especially in the crisper section of your fridge if you have one, lower humidity), but I wouldn’t worry with doing that. The manufacturers normally have that kind of thing figured out pretty good.

 

[malkore]

actually Dallen is right...some of those are moisture packets, and some are oxygen absorbers.

do whatever the bottle says to do with it.