Isomaltulose and arterial stiffness after a single drink
What it found
In 10 healthy middle-aged and older adults, a drink with 25 g of isomaltulose did not raise a measure of arterial stiffness, while the same amount of sucrose did.
Blood glucose rose less after isomaltulose.
What they found
Studies in people
Arterial stiffness
After the sucrose drink, the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity rose at 30, 60 and 90 minutes compared with before. After the isomaltulose drink, it did not change. The overall 90-minute value was lower with isomaltulose than with sucrose.
Blood glucose
Blood glucose rose after both drinks, but at 30 minutes it was lower with isomaltulose than with sucrose. The overall 90-minute blood glucose value was also lower with isomaltulose.
Blood pressure
After sucrose, upper-arm systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure rose at 90 minutes, and ankle systolic, mean and pulse pressures also rose at 90 minutes. After isomaltulose, none of these changed. There was no difference between the two drinks.
Heart-to-brachial stiffness
The heart-to-brachial pulse wave velocity did not change after either drink, and there was no difference between the drinks.
Heart rate
Heart rate did not change after either drink, and there was no difference between the drinks.
Stiffness and blood pressure link
At 90 minutes after either drink, the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity and upper-arm systolic blood pressure were positively correlated.
What the authors conclude
“These results suggest that isomaltulose could be used as an alternative to sucrose, given the neutral effect on the PWV and SBP.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that isomaltulose intake stops the acute rise in arterial stiffness seen with sucrose.
- They suggest that isomaltulose could be used as an alternative to sucrose because it had a neutral effect on pulse wave velocity and systolic blood pressure.
- They say the findings may have significant clinical implications for dietary programs for middle-aged and elderly patients.
How it was done
The authors note that a rapid rise in blood sugar after eating is a risk factor for heart and blood vessel disease, and that arterial stiffness goes up during these rises. They wanted to see whether a low-GI carbohydrate, isomaltulose, could prevent that stiffening compared with sucrose.
Ten healthy middle-aged and older adults (five men and five women, average age 62.8 years) took part in a crossover trial. Each person drank 25 g of isomaltulose in water on one occasion and 25 g of sucrose in water on another, about 3 days apart. Arterial stiffness, blood pressure, heart rate and blood glucose were measured before and 30, 60 and 90 minutes after each drink.
What it can’t tell you
- The study was small, with only 10 people, and all were healthy middle-aged and older adults, so the results may not apply to younger people or those with diabetes.
- The authors did not measure insulin, endothelial function or oxidative stress, so they cannot say what mechanism might explain the difference.
- The study only looked at a single 25 g drink and short-term effects up to 90 minutes, so it cannot show what happens with longer-term use.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by Research & Development Division, Mitsui Sugar Co., Ltd (from the PubMed record).
- Conflicts
- The authors declare no conflict of interest.
- Authors work at
- Teikyo University of Science, Japan; Harvard PKD Center for Polycystic Kidney Disease Research, USA; Nara Medical University, Japan
The paper
- Title
- Effects of Different Types of Carbohydrates on Arterial Stiffness: A Comparison of Isomaltulose and Sucrose
- Type
- Clinical trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Licence
- CC BY. Words in quotation marks are the authors’; the rest is our summary.
- Cite
- Kobayashi R, Sakazaki M, Nagai Y, Asaki K, Hashiguchi T, Negoro H (2021). Effects of Different Types of Carbohydrates on Arterial Stiffness: A Comparison of Isomaltulose and Sucrose. Nutrients. doi:10.3390/nu13124493Free full textPubMed 34960045DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error