Vitamin pills become 'useless in a week’s time of opening'

Once the pills come in contact with high humidity levels in the atmosphere, it lead to deliquescence, a natural phenomenon causing the crucial nutriments in the pills to dissolve and evaporate, as per the report.

However, precautionary measures like airtight bottles and lids can help in preventing these pills from degrading once opened.

“You might see salt or sugar start to form clumps, and that's a sign of deliquescence,” said a professor at Purdue University. “If ingredients dissolve they will decrease the quality and shelf life of the product and decrease the nutrient delivery.”

Word of caution
The powdered supplements are advised to be stored in torrid and dehydrated areas by Lisa Mauver, an associate professor of food science at Purdue University, Indiana.

Continuous opening and closing of the bottles ought to be avoided.

Vitamin C, which has been found to be the most prone to deliquescence, should be consumed within the least time possible.

The pills should be disposed off as soon as symptoms like moisture in the containers or brown marks on them are visible, as recommended by the “Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry”.

Food supplements
Vitamin pills, commonly known as nutritional supplements are prescribed by almost all doctors for various diseases or symptoms like weakness, low vision, graying hair, weak bones etc.

These pills are intended at imparting essential nutrients like vitamin A, B ,C, D and E to the body, usually with the idea of compensating for the deficiencies in one’s diet.

Made according to the guidelines by the World Health Organization (WHO) and The Food And Agriculture Organization (FAO), these pills are included in the Codex Alimentarius, a compilation of internationally recognized standards.

Though many studies have claimed that these pills are inefficient in protecting us from any disease, the best way being a balanced diet, there has never been a decline in their sale.

Vast market
According to statistics, around 25-30 percent households use these nutritional pills regularly, with Vitamin C topping the chart with the maximum sale.

With an enormous number of diverse vitamin supplements available in the Indian market, the most demanded ones are Becosule caps, Hoville caps, Prosoyal, Aminozyme, B-G Prot and Beation.