They change colour. Is that a bad sign?

Question

I have these particular herbal supplements that are light-gray in colour. On a daily-basis, I enjoy taking one multivitamin in addition to a healthy diet of fruit, veg and white meat. I have one of those fancy little tablet holders...you know, the ones with the little cubes from Mon - Sun written on them.

Anyway, I noticed something most peculiar about my herbal supplement. When I first take it out of it's packet, it's light-grey as I said. However, a few days later, the herbal tablets that I've put into my little tablet holder have changed colour. They kinda change into a charcoal-looking effect. This is the most unusual thing I've ever seen as no other food supplements I've used have ever done this...changed colour a few days after being released from their packet.

I just wondered if this is a bad thing and a sign not to use them if they've been unsealed for a few days, even though they've been sealed in my tablet holder. Has anyone else ever known this to happen?

Answer 1

The blue pill holders are not moisture proof.  I'm willing to bet your herbal caps are either absorbing moisture from the air, especially if you're keeping them in the bathroom or the kitchen, or that they're absorbing moisture from the other pills/tabs in the little pill holder, especially if you've got a multi w/ Vit E or a capsule of Vit E in it.  That, or are your meds being exposed to sunlight or UV light?  Any of these issues could and would account for the color change.

Answer 2

They're probably reacting to exposure to light and/or air. Fresh is best. If it was a concern, though, the packaging would provide a warning.

Answer 3

You shouldn't keep them in the container for more than a day. The pills get exposed to too much air and moisture in those containers and lose their potency. If they are mixed in with other pills that can also change the formula slightly.