Maltitol

Studies in people

• Benefit

  Plaque and tooth decay¹

  In teenagers, chewing gum with maltitol raised plaque pH and cut plaque bacteria linked to tooth decay.

• No harm found

  Tooth decay in children²

  In 10-year-olds, using xylitol/maltitol lozenges at school did not reduce tooth decay more than usual prevention.

• Concern

  Gut comfort in children³

  In children, maltitol in chocolate caused slightly more gas than placebo, but kids tolerated it well.

• Benefit

  Blood sugar and fullness⁴

  In people, muffins with maltitol instead of sugar lowered blood sugar and insulin rises and kept people fuller than regular muffins.

• Open question

  Blood sugar and phosphate⁵

  In people, maltitol raised blood sugar in black men but lowered phosphate in white men.

• Concern

  Tummy comfort and blood sugar⁶

  In people, maltitol with scFOS in a dessert caused mild, short-lived gut symptoms and lower blood sugar rises.

• Concern

  Gut side effects⁷

  In people, eating maltitol caused short-term diarrhea, and adding fiber helped suppress it.

• Open question

  Blood sugar response⁸

  In people, maltitol raised blood sugar similarly in white, Chinese and South Indian volunteers.

Animal and lab studies only

• No harm found

  DNA damage¹⁰

  Maltitol did not damage DNA or cause mutations in the lab tests scientists ran.

• Concern

  white blood cell damage¹¹

  In lab studies, maltitol caused a weak DNA-damaging effect in human white blood cells.

Study type not stated

• Concern

  Gut upset and pregnancy risk⁹

  Maltitol can cause diarrhoea, and at high doses may cause problems for an unborn baby.

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.