Benefits
Smaller blood sugar rise after carbohydrate meals
A meta-analysis of 37 placebo-controlled trials in healthy adults found that resistant maltodextrin taken with rice, bread or noodles cut the post-meal blood sugar rise by about 20% at 6 g in a drink and about 10% when mixed into food. All included trials were funded by food companies, and one of the two reviewers worked for the maker.
Fasting blood sugar and insulin sensitivity markers
Across 13 randomized trials of resistant dextrin taken daily for weeks, fasting glucose fell by only 0.15 mmol/L (about 3 mg/dL) and an insulin resistance score improved slightly; HbA1c and fasting insulin did not change significantly. Results varied a lot between trials, and effects were larger in people with overweight or diabetes.
Smaller rise in blood triglycerides after a fatty meal
In a placebo-controlled meal test in 13 healthy adults, 5 or 10 g of resistant maltodextrin in a drink taken with a high-fat meal reduced the rise in blood triglycerides and insulin over the following hours. This is one small single-meal study by the maker's researchers; longer-term effects on blood fats are not established.
More regular bowel movements and stool volume
A meta-analysis of 29 trials, mostly in Japanese healthy adults or adults prone to infrequent stools, found 3.8 to 13.5 g/day of corn-based resistant maltodextrin added about 0.7 bowel movements a week and increased stool volume. All trials tested one maker's product, most were not double-blind, and the maker funded the review. A critical review argues fermented fibers such as wheat dextrin have little laxative effect.
Feeds bifidobacteria and other colon bacteria
In a 3-week crossover trial in 51 US adults with low fiber intake, 25 g/day of resistant maltodextrin raised stool bifidobacteria and stool weight, while 15 g/day did not. Another trial found a shift in gut fermentation toward butyrate. These are changes in gut bacteria and stool measures, not proven health outcomes.
Satiety and hunger between meals
In 100 overweight adults in China, 8 to 24 g/day of the resistant dextrin Nutriose raised fullness ratings over 3 weeks, more at higher doses. In a UK crossover trial, 14 g/day of wheat-based Nutriose raised fasting fullness but lowered fullness after lunch and dinner, and food intake did not change. Both trials were led or funded by the maker.
Body weight in adults with overweight
A pooled analysis of 3 small trials in Asia found resistant dextrin led to about 0.8 kg more weight loss than placebo over 8 to 12 weeks. In a 12-week European trial in 116 adults, adding 10 g inulin plus 10 g resistant maltodextrin a day to a calorie-reduced diet gave no extra weight loss. Any effect appears small.
Mechanism of action
Resists digestion in the small intestine
Heat, acid and enzyme treatment changes the starch so that digestive enzymes break much of it down poorly, and a large share passes to the colon instead of being absorbed as sugar. Unlike psyllium, it forms little gel.
Slows uptake of sugar and fat from a meal
Taken with food, it is thought to slow the absorption of sugars and fats. In laboratory tests, resistant maltodextrin made fats dissolve less well in bile micelles and reduced fatty acid uptake into intestinal cells; this has not been confirmed as the mechanism in people.
Fermented by colon bacteria
The part that reaches the colon is partly fermented by gut bacteria. Human trials found more bifidobacteria at 25 g/day, a shift toward butyrate, and changes in fermentation markers, though effects varied with dose.
Clinical trials
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel trial of corn-based resistant maltodextrin (Fibersol-2), one 15 g sachet daily with breakfast for 21 days, funded by Matsutani (Abellán Ruiz et al. 2016, Eur J Nutr).
66 healthy adults in Spain without a daily bowel habit; 57 had colonic transit measured.
Total colonic transit time fell by 13.3 hours from baseline in the fiber group and differed significantly from placebo. Stool volume rose 56% from baseline with a significant time-by-treatment interaction, and stool consistency improved only on the fiber. No product-related adverse effects were reported.
Double-blind, randomized, controlled crossover study, 3 weeks per dose with 2-week washouts; one author affiliated with ADM/Matsutani (Burns et al. 2018, Nutr Res).
51 healthy US adults (mean age 26) with fiber intake below recommendations.
Only 25 g/day changed fecal bifidobacteria significantly compared with 0 g, and only 25 g/day increased stool wet weight (150 versus 121 g/day at baseline). The 15 g/day dose had no significant effect on either outcome, though it raised total fiber intake above recommendations.
Rat study plus a placebo-controlled human meal-loading test led by researchers from Matsutani (Kishimoto et al. 2007, Eur J Nutr).
13 healthy adult men and women given a meal with about 50 g fat plus a drink with 0, 5 or 10 g resistant maltodextrin.
Both doses significantly reduced the post-meal rise in blood triglycerides, remnant-like lipoprotein cholesterol and insulin compared with the placebo drink. It was a single-meal test in a small group and did not measure longer-term blood fats.
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled dose-ranging trial, fiber mixed into orange juice for 3 weeks; first author employed by Roquette, the maker (Guérin-Deremaux et al. 2011, Nutr Res).
100 healthy overweight adults in China, 20 per group (placebo, 8, 14, 18 or 24 g/day).
Short-term satiety ratings rose with dose and time, with differences from day 0 at 14 g/day and above and from day 5 at 8 g/day. Hunger ratings fell from day 5 at 24 g/day and from day 7 at 14 and 18 g/day. The trial measured appetite ratings only, not food intake or body weight.
Randomized, controlled crossover trial of NUTRIOSE FB06 (wheat) versus maltodextrin in mid-morning and mid-afternoon drinks, 28 days each with a 28-day washout; funded by Roquette (Hobden et al. 2021, Eur J Nutr).
36 adults in the UK (20 normal weight, 16 overweight).
Fasting satiety was higher at days 14 and 28 and the blood sugar rise after the fiber drink was smaller than with the maltodextrin control, but satiety after lunch and dinner was lower. Energy intake and body measurements did not change.
Randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind parallel trial of 10 g inulin plus 10 g resistant maltodextrin a day in 400 mL milk alongside a 500 kcal/day energy restriction (Hess et al. 2020, Eur J Nutr).
116 adults with overweight or obesity; 86 completed.
Weight loss and body composition did not differ from placebo. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure fell more on the fiber, Bifidobacteria and Parabacteroides increased, and digestive symptoms were more common but eased over time. The two fibers were not tested separately.