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tiktok tuesday: we take our medications out of the bathroom thanks to this tiktok trend (watch)
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quick, where do you keep you medications? in the oh-so-convenient and aptly-named medicine cabinet over the sink in your bathroom? this tiktok trend is telling you to get them outta there — and experts say they’re right.
keeping medication in the bathroom isn’t a great idea, as the swings in temperatures and moisture can cause them to lose some potency, explains pharmacist jaris swidrovich, and assistant professor at the university of toronto faculty of pharmacy. in the case of advil or tylenol, this might not be too big of a deal, but in the case of life-saving medications, like those for a heart condition or to stop blood clots, how you store them can have serious health implications.
“whatever the tablet or capsule or other dosage form, the guarantee [of] a minimum 80 per cent potency on the expiry date [is] based on optimal storage conditions,” says swidrovich. “so usually away from light, heat, humidity, and extreme temperatures — extreme cold or extreme hot.”
protein-based medications, like thyroid and birth control medications, can change constitution in high temperatures, making them less effective, according to the new york times. what’s more, test strips like those for blood sugar or pregnancy can become inaccurate when exposed to moisture, so being exposed to a steamy, hot shower every morning isn’t a great idea.
but it’s not only the bathroom that can damage medications. keeping them in hot cars, or leaving them in the bag directly in the sun, can also have an impact. if you need to travel with your medications, the diabetes care community recommends using a thermos or insulated package, with ice packs if advised by your pharmacist. it’s also not advisable to put medications in your checked luggage when flying, which can subject them to extreme pressure and temperature changes.
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swidrovich says that the “medicine cabinet,” found in many bathrooms, is a poorly-named misnomer. instead, medications should be kept out of direct sunlight in an area that is consistently at room temperature — a kitchen close to the stove or oven won’t work either. alternatively, keeping them close to where you usually are at the time of day scheduled to take the medications — at a desk or next to the couch, for example — can help ensure you take your treatments consistently.
regardless of where they are kept, medications should be in locations that are secure from children, pets and prying eyes. stronger medications, like opiates or other prescription pain killers — especially if there are children around — may need to be stored safely away in a locked box.
otc painkillers can lose potency if kept in the bathroom
common over-the counter medications are a little hardier than many prescription medications, however, research indicates that extended exposure to humidity and temperature changes may make them less potent.
motrin (contains ibuprofen) for example, recommends storage at 15 to 30 degrees celsius, away from heat and direct light. the same goes for advil (also contains ibuprofen), while acetaminophen (for example tylenol) is recommended to be kept at temperatures under 40 degrees celsius.
one study, published in the journal of pharmacy technology, found that the potency of ibuprofen changed significantly after seven months in the bathroom. after 12 months in the bathroom, ibuprofen tablets were only at 73 per cent their original strength, on average.
only refrigerate medications when instructed
any medication that needs to be stored in the fridge or at a cold temperature will have those instructions printed directly on the bottle, says swidrovich.
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but while some medications can be damaged by high heat or humidity, others can be damaged by lower temperatures, so it’s important to only store them at the recommended temperature. this is especially true when it comes to freezing medications — ice crystals that form in trace amounts of water, as well as the strain of the temperature change, can also damage active ingredients.
make sure you’re available to collect medications that have been shipped
medications are often shipped from one part of the country to another, and while this can be a benefit for anyone who isn’t able to travel to a pharmacy or who lives in a rural area, the farther the medications have to go, the more likely they are to be exposed to swings in temperature.
“usually, we tell patients that if anything looks damaged or it doesn’t seem like it was protected well, or if they were away on vacation and they come back to find that the [medication] was outside for an extended period of time, definitely reach out to the pharmacist and see if there is a problem with using that medication, especially during cold periods,” jeff pilz, specialty practice pharmacist at the ohio state university wexner medical center, told accuweather.
and while swidrovich says canadian pharmacies are generally pretty good about managing proper shipment of medications, if a patient has concerns — such as if the package arrives damaged or if it has been left in the mailbox for a couple of days, be sure to ask a pharmacist for advice.
emma jones is a multimedia editor with healthing. you can reach her at emjones@postmedia.com or on instagram and twitter @jonesyjourn.
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