Isomalto-oligosaccharide: gut tolerance and blood sugar in healthy adults
What it found
In two small trials in healthy adults, isomalto-oligosaccharide caused no more gut symptoms than dextrose and produced a similar blood sugar response.
The authors say it behaves like a digestible, caloric sweetener.
What they found
Studies in people
Gut symptoms
The average gut symptom score was 1.38 with isomalto-oligosaccharide and 1.42 with dextrose, a difference the authors report as not significant. Scores covered nausea, rumbling, abdominal pain, bloating, flatulence and diarrhea.
Breath hydrogen
Breath hydrogen over 24 hours showed no significant difference between isomalto-oligosaccharide and dextrose at any time point. Breath hydrogen rose slightly between 6 and 12 hours but not enough to be significant.
Blood sugar and insulin
Blood sugar and insulin responses over 4 hours showed no significant differences between isomalto-oligosaccharide and dextrose. Blood sugar area under the curve from 2 to 4 hours was significantly lower with isomalto-oligosaccharide.
Two-hour blood sugar
In the second study, blood sugar over two hours was not significantly different between the two isomalto-oligosaccharide syrups and dextrose. The different sugar make-up of the two syrups did not change this.
Digestibility
The authors say the lack of difference in blood sugar, breath hydrogen and gut tolerance shows the isomalto-oligosaccharide is digestible. They estimate about 10% reaches the colon.
What the authors conclude
“BIOLIGO TM IMOs are well-tolerated as demonstrated by the lack of adverse gastrointestinal symptoms and they have no effect on breath hydrogen (an indicator of fermentability).”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that the tested isomalto-oligosaccharides are well tolerated, with no adverse gastrointestinal symptoms and no effect on breath hydrogen.
- They state that these are caloric sweeteners based on the glycemic and insulinemic response in healthy adults.
- They call for further studies on larger doses and longer durations to see effects on blood glucose, gastrointestinal tolerance and gut bacteria.
How it was done
Food makers want sweeteners that are stable in products and have fewer calories, and isomalto-oligosaccharide is promoted as a prebiotic fiber in Asia. But past studies disagreed about whether it is digested or fermented, so the authors tested it directly.
Two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover studies gave healthy adults isomalto-oligosaccharide or dextrose mixed in water, matched for 50 g of total carbohydrates. Study 1 had 26 adults and measured breath hydrogen over 24 hours, gut symptoms, blood sugar and insulin. Study 2 had 10 adults and measured blood sugar over two hours.
What it can’t tell you
- The studies were short and did not measure changes in gut bacteria in stool samples.
- The participants were Caucasian, so the results may not apply to other populations.
- The studies cannot show what happens with long-term use or with larger doses.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- V.G., M.L.S., and D.I. are employees of Ingredion Incorporated. J.P.Z is a former employee of Ingredion Incorporated. The authors are employees of Ingredion Incorporated.
The paper
- Title
- Gastrointestinal Tolerance and Glycemic Response of Isomaltooligosaccharides in Healthy Adults
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Gourineni V, Stewart ML, Icoz D, Zimmer JP (2018). Gastrointestinal Tolerance and Glycemic Response of Isomaltooligosaccharides in Healthy Adults. Nutrients. doi:10.3390/nu10030301Free full textPubMed 29510490DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error