Where to store vitamins?

ORLANOD, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Half of American adults take vitamins each day. But did you know where you store them can actually mean how much you are getting out of them?

From your vitamins to your pain relievers -- where you keep your pills could be just as important as what you take.

A new study from food scientists at Purdue University found that bathrooms and the fridge are actually the worst places to store vitamins and other medications, even with the bottle tightly closed. Many medications are water soluble so they can dissolve quickly in the stomach, and water from humidity has the same effect, causing vitamins to lose their nutritional value so it no longer has the same function in our body.

"The best place to keep your vitamins and medications is in a cool, dark dry location…not in the refrigerator. Refrigerators are humid, even though they're cool," Lisa Mauer, Ph.D., food scientist, Purdue University, told Ivanhoe.

Scientists say to look for brown spots in your vitamins. That will give you a hint that it's time to restock your cabinet with new products.

Pay attention! Scientists say just opening a packet in a very humid place can ruin your vitamins. Make sure to store them and open them in a dry environment.