Trehalose

Studies in people

• Benefit

  Blood sugar and insulin³

  In overweight people, trehalose caused a smaller rise in blood sugar and insulin than glucose.

• Benefit

  Hip fracture healing⁵

  In adults with surgically treated pertrochanteric fractures, trehalose supplements improved X-ray healing and hip function at 12 weeks.

• Benefit

  Blood sugar after meals⁷

  In people with impaired glucose tolerance, trehalose caused a smaller rise in blood sugar and insulin than glucose did.

Study type not stated

• Benefit

  Blood sugar control⁸

  Trehalose is a natural sweet sugar that may help keep blood sugar steady in people with diabetes.

• Open question

  Gut bacteria and metabolism⁹

  Trehalose is a sugar that seems to change gut bacteria and how the body handles energy, but how is still being studied.

How it’s made and used

• Fuel use during exercise⁴

  In people cycling for hours, trehalose was burned for fuel more slowly than maltose.

• Cycling endurance⁶

  In cyclists, trehalose during a long ride improved time-trial performance compared with water.

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.