Polydextrose and corn fiber shift gut bacteria in men
What it found
In 20 healthy men, eating snack bars with polydextrose or soluble corn fiber for 21 days changed the mix of gut bacteria.
The fibers increased some bacteria and decreased others compared with bars with no added fiber.
What they found
Studies in people
Bacteria families changed
Polydextrose and soluble corn fiber led to more Clostridiaceae and Veillonellaceae and less Eubacteriaceae in stool compared with the no-fiber bars.
Specific bacteria increased
Faecalibacterium, Phascolarctobacterium, and Dialister were higher after both fibers. Lactobacillus was higher only after soluble corn fiber.
Anti-inflammatory bacterium
Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, known for anti-inflammatory properties, was higher after either fiber than after the no-fiber bars.
Other bacteria decreased
Ruminococcus, Eubacterium, Dorea, and Coprococcus were lower after both fibers. Bifidobacterium and Coriobacterium were also lower after the fibers.
Overall diversity unchanged
The fibers did not change the overall diversity of fecal bacteria.
Distinct groups
A principal component analysis showed that the gut bacteria of men eating the fibers clustered separately from those eating the no-fiber bars.
What the authors conclude
“Our data demonstrate a beneficial shift in the gut microbiome of adults consuming PDX and SCF, with potential application as prebiotics.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that polydextrose and soluble corn fiber led to beneficial shifts in the gut bacteria of the men who consumed them.
- They say these changes support the potential use of these fibers as prebiotics in human nutrition.
- They suggest the health-promoting effects from changes in certain bacteria could help correct or prevent dysbiosis in some diseases.
How it was done
The authors wanted to test how these two fibers affect the makeup of the human gut microbiome, because their effects had not been well studied.
Healthy adult men (n = 20) ate 3 snack bars a day for 21 days in each of three periods. The bars contained no added fiber, polydextrose (21 g/d), or soluble corn fiber (21 g/d). Stool samples were collected and the bacteria in them were identified by sequencing.
What it can’t tell you
- This was a small study in 20 healthy adult men, so the results may not apply to women, children, or people with health conditions.
- The study did not measure blood glucose, cholesterol, or triglycerides, so it cannot show how these bacterial changes affect those health markers.
- The study cannot show whether these bacterial shifts lead to long-term health benefits or prevent disease.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- University of Illinois, USA
The paper
- Title
- 454 pyrosequencing reveals a shift in fecal microbiota of healthy adult men consuming polydextrose or soluble corn fiber
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Hooda S, Boler BM, Serao MC, et al (2012). 454 pyrosequencing reveals a shift in fecal microbiota of healthy adult men consuming polydextrose or soluble corn fiber. The Journal of nutrition. doi:10.3945/jn.112.158766Free full textPubMed 22649263DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error