Do tums go bad?

How many of you consume tums like candy, you have a bag in your pocket, and whenever you feel a twinge coming on, you pop one in your mouth, hoping heartburn symptoms vanish in an instant? What do you do if your tums are ineffective? Do you look for the expiry date, or do you just pop another and another?

Did you know that heartburn is not enough acid in the stomach and not too much? Your stomach pH should be between 1 and 3; this is similar to battery acid, but without strong stomach acid, you can’t break down proteins and minerals for the body.

This article will take a look at tums and see if the expiration date truly alters the effects of calcium carbonate. We answer questions you need the answer to.

Let’s get into it.

Do tums expire?

There is an expiry date on each pack of tums, and its recommended that tums should be discarded when past the expiry date. But is this just nonsense, or is there validity to the expiry date?

Tums are primarily calcium carbonate with other ingredients like coloring and flavorings. Still, the active part of tums is a plain calcium carbonate that will settle your stomach acidity.

But calcium carbonate on its own without cornstarch and coloring can last up to two years if stored in a dry environment.

This is the same for a leading antacid medication using calcium carbonate. If your tums are not lasting for at least two years, then there is a problem.

Do tums need to be refrigerated?

No, there is no advantage to keeping tums in the fridge, your fridge may seem like a dry place, but the truth is it holds a lot of moisture in the form of condensation caused by the door being continually opened.

Tums should be sealed in their original container with a sealable lid.

How long can tums sit out?

If your tums have been exposed to moisture in an unsealed container, consider them as bad. As long as tums are sealed and not exposed to the ambient humidity in a room, they can sit out indefinitely. However, calcium carbonate will absorb moisture quickly, and who knows what’s lurking in humid air conditions?

Do unopened tums go bad?

There is an expiry date for a reason, tums are not candy or other food groups, so the expiry date should be adhered to.

Tums is a medication that is ingested possibly up to 15 times in 24 hours and should be treated like medicine, not candy.

If the tums in your medicine cabinet have expired, consider them bad and discard them as other medicines.

Do unopened tums go bad?

Yes, treat tums as a medication. Once the tums expiration date has passed, the tums should be discarded the same as you would discard any other expired medication.

How long do tums last in the fridge?

It is not recommended to keep tums in the fridge. The moisture content of the fridge could be too high to store tums. It’s recommended to store tums at room temperature to keep the tums effective.

Do tums go bad in the heat?

Most over-the-counter drugs are intended to be kept in their original packaging at 68 to 77℉, with a relative humidity of 35 to 45% and a general air moisture level. As long as these requirements are followed, their substances are active and undamaged from the moment of manufacture until the expiration date indicated on the box.

Exceed 77℉, and you could find the OTC are no longer effective, making you consume more to address the problem that could be dangerous and lead you into an overdose.

The Food and Drug Administration demands strict safety and quality standards from OTC makers (FDA). It has been scientifically demonstrated that products retain their original qualities when stored within the settings specified on their Drug Facts label for the duration of their shelf life after thorough testing for stability under diverse environmental conditions.

Do tums go bad after the expiration date?

Yes, it is not open for debate and interpretation by anyone other than a doctor or the FDA. You may feel you know that calcium carbonate is harmless, but in the wrong quantities, it’s far from dangerous and can cause serious side effects.

If you are popping tums like candy, you may want to think again, there are many side effects from tums, and these are some of the serious side effects.

  • Hypercalcemia High blood calcium levels seem harmless? It can affect your heart and your brain and weaken your bones.
  • Hypophosphatemia low blood phosphate levels. It can cause your bone to soften and deform.
  • Kidney problems.
  • Kidney stones.

Final thoughts

Tums is an over-the-counter medication for heartburn. They are a drug controlled by the FDA and are definitely not considered candy. When the expiry date comes around, tums should be discarded like any other expired drug.

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