Inulin

Studies in people

• Benefit

  Weight and blood sugar²

  In people, inulin may help control weight and blood sugar by feeding helpful gut bacteria.

• Benefit

  Weight management⁴

  In people, inulin from chicory root reduced body weight, BMI, and waist size compared with a placebo.

• Benefit

  Gut bacteria and constipation⁶

  In people, eating inulin changed gut bacteria and was linked to softer stools and better constipation-related quality of life.

Animal and lab studies only

• Concern

  Gut and lung inflammation⁹

  In animal studies, inulin changed gut bacteria and triggered inflammation in the gut and lungs.

• Benefit

  Liver health in offspring¹⁰

  In animal studies, inulin given to mothers helped protect their babies' livers from damage caused by methamphetamine exposure.

• Benefit

  Gut inflammation in colitis¹¹

  In lab studies using colitis patients' stool, inulin changed their gut bacteria, and in mice it eased colitis symptoms.

Study type not stated

• Benefit

  Gut bacteria and digestion⁷

  Inulin feeds good gut bacteria and may help with constipation, blood sugar and weight.

• Open question

  Gut and liver effects⁸

  Inulin may help digestion and the immune system, but eating too little may worsen liver and gut problems.

How it’s made and used

• Gut bacteria in adults³

  In people, inulin changed gut bacteria, but did not raise short-chain fatty acid levels.

• Gut-brain signals in children⁵

  In children with obesity, inulin changed gut-brain compounds like putrescine, spermine and tyrosine over six months.

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 two findings in people. 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.