Digestion-resistant maltodextrin effects on colonic transit time and stool weight: a randomized controlled clinical study

• DOI: 10.1007/s00394-015-1045-4
• Publication Date: 2015-10-06T01:52:53Z
• Authors: María Salud Abell...; María Dolores Bar...; Carlos J. Contrer...; Antonio J. Luque ...; Francisca Sánchez...; Miriam Aldeguer G...; Carlos García San...; Francisco Javier ...
• Keywords: Adult; Dietary Fiber; Male; 0301 basic medicine; Adolescent; Colonic transit time; Colon; Intestinal function; Medicine (miscellaneous); Feces; Young Adult; 03 medical and health sciences; Double-Blind Method; Polysaccharides; Humans; Defecation; Gastrointestinal Transit; Nutrition and Dietetics; Original Contribution; 3. Good health; Nutrition Assessment; Diet, Western; Dietary Supplements; Stool volume; Digestion; Female; Soluble dietary fibre; Resistant maltodextrin

Increased awareness of the importance of dietary fibre has led to increased interest in "functional" fibre components like digestion-resistant maltodextrin (RMD). This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study assessed the effects of RMD in the colonic transit time (CTT) and defecation characteristics (frequency, stool volume and consistency).Sixty-six healthy adult volunteers (32 men) who did not have a daily defecation habit had a 7-day run-in period before the 21-day intervention period with RMD or placebo. CTT and segmental CTT (SCTT) were assessed by a single abdominal X-ray film taken at the end of both periods after radiopaque marker ingestion. Defecation characteristics and intestinal functions were also assessed, which were self-reported by patients. Intragroup comparisons were evaluated by Student's paired t test, Bonferroni test and Chi-square test, while time comparisons by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and time-by-treatment interaction by repeated-measures ANOVA.Fifty-seven subjects were assessed for CTT (placebo, n = 28; RMD, n = 29). In the RMD group, the total CTT, left SCTT and rectosigmoidal SCTT decreased significantly compared to baseline (p < 0.01 each; -13.3, -4.7, -8.7 h, respectively). Significant differences between groups were observed in total CTT and left SCTT. Significant time-by-treatment interaction was observed in the RMD group for stool volume (p = 0.014), increasing 56 % compared to baseline (p < 0.01), while remained unchanged in the placebo group. Stool consistency was improved only in the RMD group (p < 0.01). No adverse effects related to study products were observed.The results show that RMD improved CTT, stool volume, stool consistency and some intestinal functions in a healthy population.