Polydextrose, appetite and blood sugar in human studies
What it found
In short human studies, polydextrose seemed to curb how much people ate and to lower the rise in blood sugar and insulin after a meal.
The authors say longer, well controlled human trials are needed to confirm this.
What they found
Studies in people
Appetite and energy intake
In short human studies, polydextrose seemed to hold back how much energy people took in and to affect fullness. The authors describe these as strong indications.
Blood sugar and insulin
Short human studies suggested polydextrose lowered the rise in blood sugar and insulin after it was eaten. This may be because it slows the movement of food through the gut.
Longer-term proof lacking
The authors say well controlled human studies are needed to confirm these effects over the long term. The findings so far come from short studies.
Other findings
Gut bacteria
As a soluble fibre, polydextrose may change the mix of bacteria in the gut. This could shift signals in the body and brain that are involved in energy use and blood sugar balance.
Short-chain fatty acids
Products made by gut bacteria, such as short-chain fatty acids, may affect how the body handles energy and fuels. The authors put this forward as a possible route.
What the authors conclude
“Overall, supplement PDX to the daily diet may be a promising approach for the management and treatment of obesity and associated metabolic disorders.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say well controlled human intervention studies are required to confirm these effects in the long term.
- They conclude that adding polydextrose to the daily diet may be a promising approach for the management and treatment of obesity and related metabolic disorders.
How it was done
The authors wanted to pull together recent research on how the dietary fibre polydextrose affects appetite, fullness, how much energy people take in, and glucose metabolism.
They reviewed human studies that could be relevant to health, and discussed the possible ways polydextrose might work in the body.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- The findings come mostly from short studies, so they can't show what happens over months or years.
- The review looked at human studies, so it can't show how polydextrose would affect people who differ from those studied.
- The possible ways polydextrose works, such as through gut bacteria, are put forward as ideas rather than proven.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Maastricht University Medical Center, The Netherlands
The paper
- Title
- The role of polydextrose in body weight control and glucose regulation
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Canfora EE, Blaak EE (2015). The role of polydextrose in body weight control and glucose regulation. Current opinion in clinical nutrition and metabolic care. doi:10.1097/MCO.0000000000000184PubMed 26049637DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error