Studies on the effects of polydextrose intake on physiologic functions in Chinese people

• Published in: The American journal of clinical nutrition 2000-12, Vol.72 (6), p.1503-1509
• Main Authors: ZHONG JIE, BANG-YAO, Luo, MING-JIE, Xiang, HAI-WEI, Liu, ZU-KANG, Zhai, TING-SONG, Wang, CRAIG, Stuart A. S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Analysis of Variance; Biochemistry; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Glucose - drug effects; China; Defecation - drug effects; Diet; Dietary fiber; Dietary Fiber - administration & dosage; Dietary Fiber - pharmacology; Double-Blind Method; Excretory system; Fatty Acids, Volatile - metabolism; Feces - microbiology; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Fermentation; Food Additives - administration & dosage; Food Additives - pharmacology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glucans - administration & dosage; Glucans - pharmacology; Glucose; Glycated Hemoglobin A - drug effects; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Male; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems
• ISSN: 0002-9165; 1938-3207
• DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/72.6.1503

Previous studies showed that polydextrose has physiologic effects similar to those of dietary fiber. Ingestion of 4, 8, and 12 g polydextrose/d was studied to determine the physiologic effects in Chinese subjects. In a placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind study, we evaluated the effects of polydextrose ingestion on clinical biochemistry indexes, glycated hemoglobin, glucose tolerance, the glycemic index, bowel function, stool weight and pH, short-chain fatty acid production, fecal microflora, and cecal mucosa cell proliferation. Polydextrose had no significant effect on blood biochemistry indexes. Ingestion of 12 g polydextrose plus 50 g glucose resulted in a glycemic index of 89% (compared with a glycemic index of 100% after ingestion of 50 g glucose). Bowel function (frequency and ease of defecation) improved significantly and there were no reports of abdominal distention, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, or hypoglycemia. Fecal weight (wet and dry) increased and fecal pH decreased proportionally to polydextrose intake. Short-chain fatty acid production-notably that of butyrate, isobutyrate, and acetate-increased with polydextrose ingestion. There were substantial changes in fecal anaerobes after polydextrose intake. BACTEROIDES: species (B. fragilis, B. vulgatus, and B. intermedius) decreased, whereas LACTOBACILLUS: and BIFIDOBACTERIUM: species increased. The cecal mucosa whole-crypt labeling index increased, with colonocyte proliferation mainly occurring in base compartments, which provided an indirect confirmation of butyrate production in the colon. Polydextrose ingestion had significant dietary fiber-like effects with no laxative problems.