Resistant dextrin and gut bacteria in fifty healthy women
What it found
Taking resistant dextrin for six weeks greatly increased one type of gut bacteria called Parabacteroides distasonis in healthy women.
The size of the increase depended on which strain of the bacteria each woman already carried.
What they found
Studies in people
More P. distasonis bacteria
In women taking resistant dextrin, the gut bacteria P. distasonis rose from about 0.92% to 7.2% of all gut bacteria. It went from being the 15th most common species to the most common one. It stayed stable in the control group.
Overall gut bacteria unchanged
The total number of bacterial species and the overall makeup of the gut bacteria did not change in either group over the six weeks.
Response depends on strain
Out of 24 women taking resistant dextrin, 18 saw an increase in P. distasonis, three saw a small decrease, and three did not carry it at all. Women whose bacteria had specific genes for binding starch showed a bigger increase.
Other findings
What the fiber is
The resistant dextrin used was made from wheat. It contained 85% fiber and no more than 0.5% simple sugars.
What the authors conclude
- They conclude that resistant dextrin can specifically raise levels of P. distasonis in the gut bacteria of healthy women.
- They note that the size of this response may depend on the specific bacterial strains a person already carries.
- They call for more research to confirm whether P. distasonis directly causes the health benefits seen in other studies.
How it was done
An imbalance of gut bacteria is linked to many long-term diseases, and changing it with dietary fiber is a possible treatment. The authors wanted to see how resistant dextrin, a soluble fiber, affects the gut bacteria of healthy people.
Fifty healthy women aged 18 to 50 took either resistant dextrin or a control product every day for six weeks. The daily amount started at 5 g and rose to 20 g by week three. Researchers collected stool samples before and after to measure changes in gut bacteria.
What it can’t tell you
- This study only included healthy women aged 18 to 50, so scientists do not yet know if men, older adults, or people with health conditions would respond the same way.
- Only three women did not show an increase, making it hard to be certain why some people respond differently.
- The study measured changes in bacteria but did not measure any direct health effects in these women.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- The authors declare no conflict of interest.
- Authors work at
- Université Paris-Saclay, France
The paper
- Title
- Diet Supplementation with NUTRIOSE, a Resistant Dextrin, Increases the Abundance of Parabacteroides distasonis in the Human Gut
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Thirion F, Da Silva K, Plaza Oñate F, et al (2022). Diet Supplementation with NUTRIOSE, a Resistant Dextrin, Increases the Abundance of Parabacteroides distasonis in the Human Gut. Molecular nutrition & food research. doi:10.1002/mnfr.202101091Free full textPubMed 35312171DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error