Forums >Health and Nutrition>Aspirin
Walk-Jogger
I just noticed that the expiration date on the small bottle (100 tablets) of aspirin that keep in my office desk drawer expired in August. Of 2002 . . . Apparently I don't take aspirin very often. I took one anyway, since I discovered last week that aspirin (from the large bottle I have at home, of unknown expiration date, but it also isn't very new . . .) almost completely kills the chronic peroneal (fibular) nerve pain below my right knee that I've had since my marathon last July. It tasted slightly different than typical, but I haven't keeled over from it yet, so it must not have have morphed into anything too toxic.
No real question here. Anyone have a horror story about expired meds or any comment on this?
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Some medications have stability issues; most don't. I'd be a heck of a lot more concerned about loss of potency than toxicity...and concern about loss of potency would be proportional to the importance of the drug.
In other words, there is little concern about trying out some expired aspirin. You may want to think a bit more about keeping your heart meds up to date.
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I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills
Cecil:
Here is another take on this issue: http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/08/health/throwing-away-expired-meds/index.html
From the article: "Two of the tested ingredients, aspirin and amphetamine, consistently fell below the 90% threshold, as did one sample of the painkiller phenacetin."
IMHO, aspirin is so cheap, and the health benefits of low dose aspirin are often so great (depending on who you are), that buying some new aspirin might make sense.
A Saucy Wench
Cecil: Here is another take on this issue: http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/08/health/throwing-away-expired-meds/index.html From the article: "Two of the tested ingredients, aspirin and amphetamine, consistently fell below the 90% threshold, as did one sample of the painkiller phenacetin." IMHO, aspirin is so cheap, and the health benefits of low dose aspirin are often so great (depending on who you are), that buying some new aspirin might make sense.
Yeah but that was 28-40 YEARS expired. It doesnt surprise me that aspirin would break down more than most, the vinegar smell is stronger in old aspirin.
I'm with spaniel, if you are taking a critical medication, stay on top of it. Otherwise...meh. I still have 10 of the original sudafeds. The good stuff. The stuff that worked. The pre meth. Being in a prescription only state, no way am I throwing those suckers out. I think they expired in 2004.
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So the minimal expiration duration in this study was 28 YEARS, and we're talking about a 90% threshold??
Do you really think you could tell the difference between 100% effective aspirin, and 85-90% effective aspirin, given the wide therapeutic window with this agent?
Seriously, we're talking about an expiration of a few years here. The case you state is about as extreme as they come. Frankly, given the time window (28-44 years) referenced, I'm surprised that the results are so good. Being as familiar as I am with formulation of drugs, expecting 3 decades of full potency from any drug is obscene.
Thanks for the interesting links and the discussion on this. I checked my bottle of aspirin at home and the expiration date on it is actually unreadable due to the ink fading and falling off the bottle. So it is possibly even older. I'll get a couple of new bottles next time I go shopping.
finnegan begin again
TLDR version-Except for toxicity associated with degraded tetracycline (Fanconi's syndrome), no serious adverse reactions have been linked to medication used after its expiration date (BTP 1996;19:37). The biggest concern with outdated medicines is lack of potency.
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Agree with Spaniels take on the subject.
Here's the medications I have in my desk drawer at work:
Benadryl - expired 12/10, almost empty
Visine AC - expired 8/05, almost empty (no I don't have a bong at work - it was for allergies!)
Aspirin - expired 10/13, bottle is about full
So everything I have is expired. I take that as a good sign!
So the minimal expiration duration in this study was 28 YEARS, and we're talking about a 90% threshold?? Do you really think you could tell the difference between 100% effective aspirin, and 85-90% effective aspirin, given the wide therapeutic window with this agent? Seriously, we're talking about an expiration of a few years here. The case you state is about as extreme as they come. Frankly, given the time window (28-44 years) referenced, I'm surprised that the results are so good. Being as familiar as I am with formulation of drugs, expecting 3 decades of full potency from any drug is obscene.
Spaniel and Ennay are correct--I misread the article at the time I posted, and I gave a false impression. Mea Culpa.
I do agree with the central conclusion of the article, though: in the drugs they studied, the potency lasts long after the expiration date.
ultramarathon/triathlete
Thanks all
This is great to know. I tossed some asprin a month or two ago because it expired in '11. I told my wife I seriously doubted it mattered, but she said why risk it. I've passed Spaniel's article on to her ;-)
HTFU? Why not!
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I throw aspirin out when it starts smelling like vinegar.
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