Supplement Hoarding 101

MidwestBeast

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I've been around long enough to see plenty of "show your stash" threads and posts where members brag about everything they've accumulated over time. And though I've seen some nice little tips and rules to follow as far as how to keep things usable for longer, I don't believe I've ever seen a true guide on how to hoard supplements most effectively.

I certainly think this is a subject on which many of you can add your own tips and points and we can all learn from one another. Some of the information may be subjective, as well, and not everyone will agree. However, I'd like to put together a small list of guidelines to follow to help you effectively and safely hoard your supplements.

For me, I've always been a collector. When I was little, it was dinosaurs. Then it was Ninja Turtles and GI Joes. Then it was baseball/basketball cards and Starting Lineups (if you don't remember Starting Lineups, then I pity your childhood :lol: ). And sadly, in there, was a short stint of Beanie Babies, as well. As I got older, I'd stopped collecting, but it's always been in my nature to keep and organize things. I still somewhat do this with movies and music, but over the past few years, I've really found myself doing it with supplements. The main reason, however, is the never-ending looming fear of a supplement ban that would rid of us all of our amazing supplements, as well as the impending doom of certain legal hormonal compounds being banned, because we know they all only have a certain time on the market, before they're marked as illegal.

So, a few common guidelines to follow are:

1.) Keep your supplements stored in a cool, dark place.

2.) Make sure all supplements are sealed and air tight.

3.) Don't hoard a supplement unless you've tried it and KNOW it's worth hoarding.

4.) Don't hoard protein beyond it's expiration date.

5.) Don't worry about expiration dates on non-food supplements.

6.) Know the science behind a supplement/compound, first.




In further detail:

1.) Keep your supplements stored in a cool, dark, dry place.


This is one of the most common things you'll ever hear. I personally have my supplements stored in Rubber Maid bins and they are kept in a closet that is untouched by sunlight (aside from what I keep in my cupboard and am currently using). Whenever I purchase a house, I actually intend to have a supplement storage closet that will either be in the basement or in a separate building that will house my personal gym (just depends on how much land I end up with). In either case, it will be a long, narrow hallway, essentially, with various heights of shelving on either side, with my supplements stored by category, throughout. It will be in a climate-controlled building (the detached gym) or possibly have a small window unit running in it (the closet in the basement) to keep it at a constant cool temperature.

Whether you go to the extremes I plan to, or not, isn't necessary, but keeping items out of the sun and the heat will allow you to store them for a very long time.


2.) Make sure all supplements are sealed and air tight.

This one is pretty self-explanatory, but it needs to be said. Most bottles will be produced this way, to begin with, so as long as they're unopened, you should be fine. However, some people get sealers and put everything in airtight plastic, just to be safe. For products that you opened, I think this is a great idea. It would also be wise if you know that you won't be using this product for a few years (e.g. bottles of superdrol that you purchased in case of a looming ban, that you want "just in case" but have no immediate plans of using). Another important factor is ensuring that products have freshener packets in them. This is, again, especially important in products that you have opened and certainly in powders that have a tendency to clump.


3.) Don't hoard a supplement unless you've tried it and KNOW it's worth hoarding.

I don't know about you, but I've seen a great deal on a product, or read a write-up that make something sound better than any other supplement. Whether it was 1 bottle or 10, I still purchased a product without knowing how it worked (and more specifically, how it worked on me). Plenty of people are non-responders to things and plenty of supplements don't live up to their hype. So even if a deal seems too good to be true, only purchase one, try it, and then determine whether it's worth hoarding or not. In the long run, you'll save yourself a lot more money, this way.


4.) Don't hoard protein beyond it's expiration date.

Protein (and other "food" supplements) is the one thing that I personally wouldn't recommend hoarding beyond a certain point. We all know the the pricing of protein fluctuates and companies like Gatorade, Pepsi and the increasing demands in other countries, like China, has driven up costs of both protein and amino acids. So, when you see a great deal (or you find a great tasting protein), you want to stock up. And that's fine -- to an extent. Protein can lose its potency more rapidly than other supplements. It's just one of those things that you just have to know what your needs are don't stock up on more than what you know you can finish before the expiration date on the product.

This brings up another good point: know the dates on your proteins. I'll often e-mail a distributor or company to ask what the expiration date is before I purchase, if I plan on purchasing a lot. It's easy to forget these dates, so it's important to keep an inventory on what you have and treat this like any other food in your cupboard or fridge and use what's going to expire sooner (this isn't a big deal to those who don't keep much, but for us who have a lot, it can be easy to overlook).


5.) Don't worry about expiration dates on non-food supplements.

This relates back to points 1 and 2. In a matter of speaking, if stored properly, you don't have to worry about supplements losing potency. If there is any lost, it's negligible. Now, I'm not advocating keeping this stuff for 30 years and giving it to your kids to use, but just use common sense on this. Again, one of the main reasons for my hoarding is just in case the government bans something that I want to use for the rest of my life or a company decides, for whatever reason, to discontinue a product I love. Since working out is such a major part of my life, I like to know I'm covered when it comes to supplements and the rest of my years of being able to be in a gym.



6.) Know the science behind a supplement/compound, first.

I'm not saying you need to be a chemistry or biology major. I don't know as much as a lot of the guys on the forums, that's for sure. However, having a basic knowledge of pathways and how certain things works is important. The main reason I stress this is because how many times have you purchased a product only to have something else or a scientific study come out months later that trumps it and disproves it? This is somewhat related to using products and knowing how they work before you decide to stock up, but this is just encouraging you to be an advocate and a wise consumer. I don't expect you to know the chemical structure of everything, but I'd also advise studying and knowing what you're putting into your body, instead of just gobbling up pills. This also makes it easier if for some reason a problem arises for you to pin point what may have caused the issue. Study products and get to know them before following blindly. Be an educated consumer.





This is certainly not everything you need to know, but it's the best that I could come up with at the moment. I hope that these points and their explanations help you to stock up on your supplements in a more efficient and effective manner. I don't know about you, but I'll always be a hoarder...but a responsible/educated one.
 
ManBeast

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Good stuff!
 
JudoJosh

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Half of my stash..

 
MidwestBeast

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Half of my stash..

I see some very nice products in there, my friend. Well done.

My stash (outside of what's in my "currently used" cupboard and my in use protein on my countertop) is contained in two 45-gallon rubber maid bins, filled to the point that the lids are on, but are bulging, and one huge box from my last NP order, that's as long as the bins, but not quite as wide.

The medical stuff I've been dealing with for the past year-plus has kept me to just using staples and not using the average amount of products that I normally would, so I'm over-stocked at the moment.
 
hvactech

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I see some very nice products in there, my friend. Well done.

My stash (outside of what's in my "currently used" cupboard and my in use protein on my countertop) is contained in two 45-gallon rubber maid bins, filled to the point that the lids are on, but are bulging, and one huge box from my last NP order, that's as long as the bins, but not quite as wide.

The medical stuff I've been dealing with for the past year-plus has kept me to just using staples and not using the average amount of products that I normally would, so I'm over-stocked at the moment.
supp auction time??
 
R1balla

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Yeah I keep for myself the products I like in bulk then sell the rest. If i have too much of one I like, I'll sell one or two of em
 
hvactech

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i usually buy when things are at a great deal like the bogo's, holiday sales, and random promo's...i should be good to go for the rest of the year..
 
MidwestBeast

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supp auction time??
I should; but I don't/won't. Most of everything I have, I actually will use or want to use; I just haven't to keep variables out and because it won't make much of a difference/would just be a waste of product and money. The other issue is that I hate to pay shipping lol. In the one trade I did with R1, my shipping for one regular sized bottle was like $12 or $13. If I had more supp junkies around me local, I'm sure I'd sell or trade a lot more. Maybe I'll start wearing a trench coat to my gym or sell them out of my trunk :laugh:.

i usually buy when things are at a great deal like the bogo's, holiday sales, and random promo's...i should be good to go for the rest of the year..
That's the way to do it and the way I've learned to, as well. I bought a year's worth of Orange Triad at the New Year's sale. I typically buy one or two bottles, then try another multi, then go back, etc. I just figured it was a great price and a product I know I'd use/need, so just do it all at once. Where I get suckered into buying more is when companies do a nice intro sale for a product release.
 
rob112

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I find myself trying to figure out more of what to not buy, period, and then stock up properly/efficiently. This is also so I don't have to take a million things a day. Interesting thread though OP.

I used to sample hoard big time until I realized I was wasting too much space lol.
 
chil

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ammo containers are very well sealed.. remember moisture and heat are enemies of ammo as well.... plus the metal helps keeps it cooler imo
 
MidwestBeast

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#1) MWB is certifiably insane, and an OCD hoarder.
Haha, yes I am!

I actually sold a few of my supps over the past month, though! That's a first for me. Seriously.
 
WARBIRDWS6

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Haha, yes I am!

I actually sold a few of my supps over the past month, though! That's a first for me. Seriously.
on a serious note, what you think of freezing PH's? factory sealed mind you. for instance Epi and SD. Epi is notorious for degrading into whatever and SD, well we all had to buy in bulk thanks to our government.
 
MidwestBeast

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on a serious note, what you think of freezing PH's? factory sealed mind you. for instance Epi and SD. Epi is notorious for degrading into whatever and SD, well we all had to buy in bulk thanks to our government.
I think a lot of people recommend that. You'd want them to be sealed and then vacuum seal them in a bag to make sure NO air is in there, first. I'm so OCD I'd probably make one bag air tight and then put it into another and do it, again.
 
WARBIRDWS6

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I think a lot of people recommend that. You'd want them to be sealed and then vacuum seal them in a bag to make sure NO air is in there, first. I'm so OCD I'd probably make one bag air tight and then put it into another and do it, again.
yeah the air in the factory sealed container kind of worried me....it is sealed but there is air in there. other than that it seems the most logical choice is to freeze them so they stay at the freshness that you froze them at.
 
chil

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Open the ph up, try to save the "for your protection seal" and throw in some 02 absorbers with some dessicate packs for moisture seal it back up wrap the cap in tape for further seal then vacuum bag seal it
 
chil

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I just used o2 absorbers I got from previous supps
 
antihero

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Open the ph up, try to save the "for your protection seal" and throw in some 02 absorbers with some dessicate packs for moisture seal it back up wrap the cap in tape for further seal then vacuum bag seal it
Simply vaccuum sealing the bottles will do just fine. The vaccuum sealers they sell at any department store (intended usually for meat products) work perfectly.
 
chil

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True but I think tightening the cap down really well with that seal under it then sealing it with tape would be just as good....thats just my opinion *shoulder shrug*
 
kingjameskjf

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ammo containers are very well sealed.. remember moisture and heat are enemies of ammo as well.... plus the metal helps keeps it cooler imo
Except that metal conducts heat so if it sits in a window well then you're cooking them. Plus think about what coolers and insulators are made out of. MWB has a good method with the rubbermaid containers in the closet.

I think a lot of people recommend that. You'd want them to be sealed and then vacuum seal them in a bag to make sure NO air is in there, first. I'm so OCD I'd probably make one bag air tight and then put it into another and do it, again.
Def OCD right there

Simply vaccuum sealing the bottles will do just fine. The vaccuum sealers they sell at any department store (intended usually for meat products) work perfectly.
I use our vacuum sealer for all kinds of things and it works great. I'll even put some pre-made meals in there so all I have to do it cut it out and heat it up. Lasts forever and doesn't get all the ice build up on the inside. Makes life much easier during contest prep and all I have to do is grab out what I want for the day from the freezer and go.
 
mattys4

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good thread i need all the tips i can get to store the 200yrs worth of SD I bought.
 
Skigazzi

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If vacuum sealing, take the lid off, or pop a hole through the bottle to make sure that the air inside the bottle is removed also.

Sent from my VM670 using Am.com
 
chil

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Except that metal conducts heat so if it sits in a window well then you're cooking them. Plus think about what coolers and insulators are made out of. MWB has a good method with the rubbermaid containers in the closet.



Def OCD right there



I use our vacuum sealer for all kinds of things and it works great. I'll even put some pre-made meals in there so all I have to do it cut it out and heat it up. Lasts forever and doesn't get all the ice build up on the inside. Makes life much easier during contest prep and all I have to do is grab out what I want for the day from the freezer and go.
yea but metal conducts everything including cold temps so the fact it conducts heat is irrelevant, just keep it out of sun... and coolers are made out of Styrofoam sure the outside is plastic but thats not for conductivity or insulation thats because plastic is cheap....the main thing keeping the cold inside the cooler is the foam insulation in between the plastic whether the container is metal or plastic wouldnt matter.... its the insulating product inside that counts.....im just sayin ammo and supps share the same common enemy.... moisture and heat.. an ammo container is meant to keep those at bay so its gotta be good for something....
 
antihero

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good thread i need all the tips i can get to store the 200yrs worth of SD I bought.
I'm not sure that saying that publicly is a great idea. Lol
 
WARBIRDWS6

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I just threw a bunch of SD in with the epi I already had in the freezer....the bottles are factory sealed so I just don't see the need for vacuum sealing the bottles in bags. Also I don't feel like buying a vacuum sealer :D
 

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