Fructooligosaccharide

Studies in people

• Open question

  Blood sugar control³

  Studies in people with type 2 diabetes found fructooligosaccharide lowered blood sugar, but other studies found no change.

• Benefit

  Cholesterol levels⁴

  Fructooligosaccharide intake may help cholesterol in people who also change their lifestyle.

• Benefit

  Autism symptoms in children⁵

  In children with autism, probiotics plus fructooligosaccharide changed gut bacteria and eased autism and gut symptoms.

• Open question

  Gut bacteria and immune response⁶

  In people, fructooligosaccharide increased Bifidobacterium and tended to raise IgA, but effects varied between individuals.

• Benefit

  Bone strength in women⁷

  In women, fortified milk with fructooligosaccharide cut a bone-loss marker more than regular milk did.

• No harm found

  Calcium absorption in teen girls⁸

  In teen girls, eating cereal with fructooligosaccharides did not change how much calcium their bodies absorbed or kept.

• Benefit

  Bone loss after menopause⁹

  In postmenopausal women with osteopenia, fructooligosaccharide with calcium slowed bone loss, but scientists say more research is needed.

• Concern

  Gut comfort¹¹

  In people, short-chain fructo-oligosaccharides caused only mild gas and bloating, with normal stools, even at high amounts.

• Open question

  Uncertain heart health effects¹²

  Fructooligosaccharide did not change cholesterol much, but scientists do not yet know if its small effects matter.

• Open question

  Gut bacteria in older adults¹³

  In healthy older people, fructooligosaccharide raised gut bifidobacteria and stool cholesterol, with mild gas and bloating.

• Concern

  Gut tolerance to sweeteners¹⁴

  Eating fructooligosaccharides daily caused gas, bloating and cramps in 14 healthy volunteers, and building up slowly did not help.

• Benefit

  Magnesium absorption in women¹⁵

  In postmenopausal women, fructooligosaccharide helped the body take in more magnesium from food.

Animal and lab studies only

• Open question

  Gut fermentation and sulfur¹⁷

  In lab studies, adding fructooligosaccharide to meat during gut fermentation raised hydrogen sulfide but lowered ammonia, indole and phenol.

• Benefit

  Bone strength as we age¹⁸

  In animal studies, fructooligosaccharide changed gut bacteria and was linked to stronger bones and less inflammation.

• Benefit

  Brain function and memory¹⁹

  In animal studies, fructooligosaccharide helped restore daily memory rhythms and brain cell signals in mice fed a high-fat diet.

• Benefit

  Bone strength in rats²⁰

  In rats, fructooligosaccharide helped build stronger bones and protected against bone loss after ovary removal.

• Benefit

  Gut bacteria and insulin²¹

  In mice, fructooligosaccharide changed gut bacteria and lowered the insulin rise after a sugary drink.

• Benefit

  Gut inflammation in mice²²

  In animal studies, fructooligosaccharide eased gut inflammation symptoms in mice and changed their gut bacteria and byproducts.

• Benefit

  Gut bacteria and weight²³

  In animal studies, fructooligosaccharide fed with catechin changed gut bacteria and helped rats lose weight.

• Benefit

  Vaccine response markers²⁴

  In animal studies, fructooligosaccharide mixed with other prebiotics boosted vaccine response markers in mice.

Study type not stated

• Benefit

  Gut health and cholesterol¹⁶

  Fructooligosaccharide is added to foods like yoghurt and cookies and may help gut absorption and lower cholesterol.

How it’s made and used

• Blood levels of berry nutrients¹⁰

  In people with prediabetes, taking fructooligosaccharide with raspberries for four weeks raised some berry breakdown products in the blood.

• Gut bacteria in babies²⁵

  Fructooligosaccharide fed gut bacteria, but one kind of baby gut germ outgrew another.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.