Polydextrose

Studies in people

• Benefit

  Appetite and calorie intake³

  In people, eating polydextrose in a mid-morning snack led to eating less at lunch.

• Benefit

  Appetite and feeling full⁴

  In people, polydextrose lowered the desire to eat during a meal, though other appetite feelings showed no clear change.

• Benefit

  Appetite and blood sugar⁵

  In people, polydextrose may curb appetite and blunt blood sugar rises, but long-term proof is still needed.

• Benefit

  Gut transit time⁶

  In people, polydextrose made food move through the gut faster and made stools easier to pass.

• Benefit

  Infant growth and digestion⁷

  Babies fed formula with polydextrose grew normally and had softer stools, closer to breastfed babies.

• Concern

  Gut comfort and bowel habits⁸

  In people, polydextrose made stools softer and more frequent, with more gas and stomach rumbling.

Animal and lab studies only

• No harm found

  high-dose animal tolerance¹³

  In animal studies, polydextrose caused no bad effects at high doses, and some is fermented in the large intestine.

• No harm found

  Newborn pig growth¹⁴

  In animal studies, polydextrose added to infant formula did not change growth, feeding, or organ health in newborn pigs.

Study type not stated

• Benefit

  Gut health and digestion¹⁰

  Polydextrose is a made-made fiber that feeds gut bacteria and helps with pooping.

• Benefit

  Gut bacteria and health¹¹

  Polydextrose is a fiber that feeds gut bacteria, and studies suggest it may support health.

• Benefit

  Gut fermentation and appetite¹²

  Polydextrose is slowly fermented by gut microbes, and studies show it may affect appetite and help gut function.

How it’s made and used

• Calorie content of fiber²

  Studies in people and animals show polydextrose provides about 1 calorie per gram.

• Appetite and hunger⁹

  In healthy adults, pudding with polydextrose and whey protein lowered desire to eat but not lunch energy intake.

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.