At times, when the doctor gives you a prescription for specific medications, it can certainly be a case that you are left with some pills once the entire medication course is done. Although the pill bottles might have an extended expiration date, there is a possibility that the pills can become useless if they are not stored properly.
The first question that arises in this context is, Are pill bottles heat resistant? In most cases, the medicines and pills begin to have a foul smell and taste if they are exposed to heat or light, even when they have not expired. Hence, it becomes essential to know if the pill bottles are affected by heat.
Are Pills Bottle Heat Resistant?
Before proceeding, a clear-cut answer to this question is a big NO! Pills bottles or the bottles of medicinal syrups are not heat resistant. Keeping them in warmer places might have a severe impact on the effect that the pills do on your body.
You might have seen an orange print on the label of some bottles. This orange sign indicates that the bottle is subjected to destruction by heat or light. It is therefore advised that you do not place the bottle in direct exposure to sunlight or in the areas of your house that are warmer than others.
If you are willing to preserve the pill bottles for a longer duration of time or, in any case, in an emergency, then it is highly expected that you do not become careless about where you put the bottle. Moreover, at times the pills might not be effective if the pills somehow come into contact with moisture or air.
What Happens if Pill Bottles Are Kept in Heat?
Placing the pill bottle in heat has severe effects on the medicines and the person who consumes those pills. The pills become less efficient and sometimes get destroyed if they are kept in direct contact with heat or light. Even if you put the bottle in damp areas of your house, the medicines become useless.
Some other effects are visible in the pills if kept in heat which include:
•Reduction in Shelf Life
If pill bottles are kept in the presence of heat or light, or even moisture, it directly affects the shelf life of the medicines. Usually, the medications that have lasted for 18 to 24 months get destroyed in 12 months or so due to the effect of heat on them.
•Decreased Efficiency
It is seen that when the pill bottles are kept in heat, the efficiency of the pills diminishes. Due to the impact of heat on the medicines, they show little to no effect on the patient’s body. Even when they do, it takes longer for the reaction to happen.
•Side Effects
Exposure to heat can reduce the quality and effectiveness of the pills. This automatically results in having side effects on the body and health of the person who has taken the medicines. Sometimes, the consequences can be severe and long-lasting as well.
How to Preserve Pill Bottles?
A wise person usually keeps some essential medicines and pills in their place for times of emergency or sudden needs. But having medication at home is not the only thing that has to be done. One needs to be precautionary about the ways one keeps the pills. Following are some methods by which you can conveniently do so.
•Keep Them In a Cool and Dry Place
First and foremost, it is advised that you keep the pills bottle in a cool and dry place. Moisture and heat are the two most important factors that lead to a decrease in the shelf life of the pills. Hence, find an excellent and convenient place in your house that is not affected by heat or light and put the pill bottles there.
•Refrigerate The Pill Bottle
To save you from the trouble of searching for a place to keep the pills bottle, I have a fantastic location that everyone can use. Keep the pills bottle in the refrigerator and can be free of the worries of having the medicines destroyed or them becoming useless. It is the best way to preserve the pills for years until they reach their expiration date.
CONCLUSION
Now that you are well aware of the fact that pill bottles are not heat resistant and it is definitely a chance that they might get ineffective or useless if they are kept in the presence of heat or sunlight, the next thing that you’re supposed to do is to find a suitable place for the pill bottle.
The best way to preserve the medicines and provide them with a better shelf life is to refrigerate them. The temperature that is maintained inside the refrigerator is helpful in not harming the pills or medicines. If not so, you can try to protect the pills from direct exposure to sunlight or heat.