Why do we store medicine in cool,dark environments?
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Because light and heat provide energy that power chemical reactions, which can reduce how well some medicines work.
Both UV light and heat can facilitate chemical reactions in a variety of compounds. As the chemicals in medicine kind of need to be _exactly_ right, we store them in a way that limits the chances of additional chemical reactions occuring.
Because the compounds in the drugs we take decay over time, and that is exacerbated when you add thermal stress or photolytic decay. Those compounds can break down, becoming less effective and potentially producing toxins. The same reason some of the oldest documents around (say, the declaration of independence) are stored in similar conditions.
You usually don’t need to worry too much about how you store medicine if you’re going to consume it within the week, as long as it’s not next to a heat source or exposed to sunlight. The recommendation is mainly for long-term storage, to help the medicine last until expiry.
This is sorta morbid but are you familiar with how mummies are preserved? Basically too much light, heat and wetness break down pretty much anything. Medications need to work when you take them so you have to preserve them
Because light and heat can degrade the medication. In other words, it can make the molecules fall apart, and that means the medication won’t work anymore or it won’t be as strong as it should be.
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