Maltodextrin used as a placebo and its effects on people
What it found
In 70 trials in people, maltodextrin often changed gut bacteria, body weight, blood sugar and immune markers.
The authors say these changes question its use as an inactive dummy pill.
What they found
Studies in people
Gut bacteria changes
In 21 out of 34 trials that checked gut bacteria, maltodextrin changed the mix of bugs. Some types went up while others went down, depending on the dose and how long people took it.
Body weight and blood sugar
Taking maltodextrin changed body weight in some groups, including overweight children and healthy adults. It also raised blood sugar in obese women who took 16 g a day for 3 months.
Immune system markers
Ten out of 42 trials found changes in immune signals after people took maltodextrin. In infants, formula containing maltodextrin lowered certain immune cells, and this lasted until 12 months of age.
Gut comfort and digestion
Some trials reported more diarrhoea when people took 20 g a day. Other trials found less constipation or changes in how fast food moved through the gut.
Other findings
How it is made
Factories make maltodextrin by breaking down starches into short chains of sugars. It comes as a white powder that dissolves in water and has very little sweetness.
What the authors conclude
- They conclude that maltodextrin often changes human gut bacteria and body functions, so it may not work well as an inactive dummy pill in trials.
- The authors suggest researchers should consider using no supplement or plain water instead when testing new treatments.
- They call for a fresh look at how much maltodextrin people eat, because it makes up a large part of many processed foods.
How it was done
Scientists often give maltodextrin to one group in a trial so they can compare it with the real treatment being tested. A dummy pill is supposed to do nothing in the body, but earlier lab and animal work suggested maltodextrin might change the gut.
They gathered 70 randomised trials in people where maltodextrin was given by mouth as a dummy treatment. They looked at what happened to participants before and after they took it. Doses ranged from 0.3 to 42 g per day, and studies lasted from 1 to 168 days.
What it can’t tell you
- These trials gave maltodextrin as a dummy pill, so they cannot show exactly what happens when you eat it mixed into everyday foods.
- Because the doses, forms and study lengths varied so much, scientists cannot yet point to one specific amount that causes a particular change.
- Some results came from sick people or infants, so they might not apply to everyone.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by NIDDK NIH HHS (from the PubMed record).
- Conflicts
- Declarations. Conflict of interest On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.
- Authors work at
- Case Western Reserve University, USA; Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, USA; University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, USA
The paper
- Title
- Validity of food additive maltodextrin as placebo and effects on human gut physiology: systematic review of placebo-controlled clinical trials
- Type
- Systematic review
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Almutairi R, Basson AR, Wearsh P, Cominelli F, Rodriguez-Palacios A (2022). Validity of food additive maltodextrin as placebo and effects on human gut physiology: systematic review of placebo-controlled clinical trials. European journal of nutrition. doi:10.1007/s00394-022-02802-5Free full textPubMed 35230477DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error