Consuming expired medicine can primarily affect your kidneys and liver, especially in severe cases.
Expired medications pose various risks to your body, extending beyond specific organs to overall bodily function. While the most critical impact can be on the kidneys and liver in worst-case scenarios, other systemic effects such as the development of allergies and a compromised immune system can also occur due to adverse effects on your metabolism.
Why Expired Medicine Can Be Dangerous
The dangers of taking expired medicine stem from several factors:
- Loss of Potency: Over time, the active ingredients in medication can degrade, rendering the drug less effective or completely ineffective. This means the condition being treated might not improve, potentially worsening.
- Chemical Degradation: Some medications can break down into different chemical compounds. These new compounds may be toxic or harmful, placing an undue burden on your body's detoxification processes and organs.
- Bacterial Contamination: Liquid medications or those stored improperly can become contaminated with bacteria, leading to new infections or exacerbating existing health issues.
Specific Organ and Systemic Impacts
The following table summarizes the potential impacts of expired medication on different organs and bodily systems:
| Organ/System Affected | Potential Impact |
|---|---|
| Kidneys | Can be strained or damaged by processing toxic byproducts resulting from degraded medications. |
| Liver | As the body's primary detoxification organ, it can be overworked or harmed by harmful breakdown products. |
| Metabolism | Can be adversely affected, leading to broader systemic issues that impact overall health and well-being. |
| Immune System | Can experience lowered immunity, making the body more susceptible to infections and illnesses. |
| Skin/Body | Development of allergic reactions such as rashes, hives, or swelling due to altered chemical composition or impurities. |
What To Do with Expired Medicine
It is crucial to always check the expiry date before consuming any medicine. Never take medicine past its expiration date. For proper and safe disposal of expired or unwanted medication:
- Do Not Flush: Avoid flushing medicines down the toilet or pouring them down the drain unless specifically instructed to do so by a healthcare professional or the medication's packaging (e.g., for certain controlled substances).
- Take-Back Programs: Check for local drug take-back programs, community collection events, or pharmacies that offer safe medication disposal services. These are often the best ways to dispose of medicines.
- Household Trash Disposal: If no take-back program is available, you can typically dispose of most medicines in your household trash. To do so, mix the medicine with an unappealing substance like dirt, cat litter, or used coffee grounds. Place this mixture in a sealed plastic bag or another container to prevent leakage and dispose of it in your regular trash. This method helps prevent accidental ingestion by children or pets and discourages misuse.
For more information on safe medication disposal and the risks of expired drugs, you can consult reputable sources:
