Soluble corn fiber and bone mass in children over one year
What it found
In girls aged 9 to 14, taking soluble corn fiber for a year led to greater gains in whole-body bone mass than a placebo.
The same benefit was not seen in boys.
What they found
Studies in people
Bone mass in girls
Girls taking soluble corn fiber gained more whole-body bone mineral content over the year than those on the placebo. Their gain was 216.3 g compared with 139.9 g in the placebo group. Bone density also rose more in the fiber group.
No effect in boys
Boys did not show the same bone benefits from taking soluble corn fiber. Their bone gains were similar whether they took the fiber or the placebo.
Adding extra calcium
When children also took 600 mg per day of extra calcium, the soluble corn fiber did not lead to greater bone gains compared with the placebo.
Other findings
Who took part
Out of 213 recruited children, 177 were randomly assigned to groups and 151 finished the study. Most participants were Hispanic (69.5%) or White (41.3%), and 74.0% had a healthy weight.
What the authors conclude
- They conclude that taking soluble corn fiber for one year improved whole-body bone mass and density in girls, but not in boys.
- They suggest this improvement could offer long-term benefits for bone development in girls.
How it was done
Fibers that feed gut bacteria can help the body take in more calcium, but their long-term effects on bones in growing children are unclear. The researchers wanted to see if soluble corn fiber could improve bone mass in children who usually eat little calcium.
Healthy children aged 9 to 14 with low usual calcium intake took part in a randomised trial lasting one year. They were given either 12 g per day of soluble corn fiber or a placebo, sometimes alongside 600 mg per day of extra calcium. Bone mass and density were measured at the start, at 6 months, and at 12 months.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This trial lasted one year, so it cannot show whether these bone gains last into adulthood.
- The study only included children who normally eat very little calcium, so the results may not apply to children with higher calcium diets.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by NICHD NIH HHS (from the PubMed record).
- Conflicts
- Conflict of interest Tate & Lyle PLC (Hoffman Estates, IL) provided in part the PROMITOR Soluble Fibre and the STAR-DRI Maltodextrin used for the study supplements. Kraft Heinz Company (Glenview, IL) provided the Kool-Aid used as the flavor matrix for the study supplements.
- Authors work at
- Florida International University, United States; San Diego State University, United States
The paper
- Title
- Effect of soluble corn fiber supplementation for 1 year on bone mass in children and adolescents: results from the MetA-Bone randomized clinical trial
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Palacios C, Trak-Fellermeier MA, Hernandez J, et al (2026). Effect of soluble corn fiber supplementation for 1 year on bone mass in children and adolescents: results from the MetA-Bone randomized clinical trial. The American journal of clinical nutrition. doi:10.1016/j.ajcnut.2026.101305Free full textPubMed 41936980DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error