tiktok tuesday: we take our medications out of the bathroom thanks to this tiktok trend (watch)

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.

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.

otc painkillers can lose potency if kept in the bathroom

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

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

“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 .

emma jones is a multimedia editor with healthing. you can reach her at emjones@postmedia.com or on instagram and twitter @jonesyjourn .