Polydextrose
E1200
Synthetic, low-calorie glucose polymer (E1200) that acts as a gently fermented soluble fiber — bifidogenic and modestly satiating, with thin clinical-outcome data.
Evidence tier
Moderate
Research weight
Citations
9 verified / 9
Classification
Prebiotics & Fibers
❝
What the evidence says. Several controlled trials; effects real but modest or context-dependent.
What is Polydextrose?
Polydextrose (E1200) is a prebiotic fiber used for bifidogenic microbiome shift: in placebo-controlled crossover feeding it increased faecal bifidobacterium and coprococcus and raised short-chain fatty acid (notably butyrate) production, with fermentation occurring along the entire colon. NutriDex grades the human evidence as Moderate. Polydextrose (PDX, E1200) is a synthetic, randomly branched glucose polymer made by acid-condensing glucose with sorbitol and citric acid; it largely resists digestion in the small intestine and is slowly, partially fermented along the whole colon, yielding roughly 1 kcal/g. Randomized crossover studies show it is bifidogenic — shifting the faecal microbiota toward Bifidobacterium and increasing short-chain fatty acids — and it is one of the best-tolerated fibers, releasing relatively little gas because of slow, distal fermentation. The most consistent human signal is modest, dose-dependent reduction of energy intake at a subsequent meal in acute satiety trials, plus increases in stool frequency at ~12 g/day; effects on body weight, fasting glucose/HbA1c, and lipids are inconsistent or weak. Notably, EFSA reviewed the bowel-function data in 2016 and concluded the evidence was insufficient to authorize a "maintenance of normal defecation" health claim, so PDX lacks the regulatory backing that psyllium and oat beta-glucan carry.
Purported Benefits
✓Bifidogenic microbiome shift: in placebo-controlled crossover feeding it increased faecal Bifidobacterium and Coprococcus and raised short-chain fatty acid (notably butyrate) production, with fermentation occurring along the entire colon
✓Modestly enhances satiety and reduces energy intake at a later meal in a dose-dependent way (meta-analysis of acute trials), associated with higher post-meal GLP-1 and reduced hunger in obese adults
✓Increases stool frequency and adds faecal bulk at ~12 g/day, improving bowel function in mildly constipated and dialysis populations (though EFSA judged the overall defecation evidence insufficient for a health claim)
✓Exceptional GI tolerance for a fiber: high molecular weight, low osmotic load and slow fermentation give a high laxative threshold (~90 g/day, or ~50 g single dose) and comparatively low gas/bloating
✓May blunt the postprandial glucose and insulin response when it replaces digestible carbohydrate, since PDX itself is largely non-glycemic (~1 kcal/g)
✓Preclinical and mechanistic data suggest SCFA-driven luminal acidification could improve calcium solubility/absorption and modestly lower cholesterol, but robust human outcome trials are lacking
Evidence by outcome
The same supplement can be well-proven for one use and unproven for another — here is the human evidence graded outcome by outcome.
| Outcome | Evidence | Effect | Studies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bifidogenic gut microbiome shift (↑Bifidobacterium, ↑SCFA)Double-blind placebo-controlled crossover confirms bifidogenic effect, but rests largely on a single feeding RCT. | Moderate | ↑ benefit · moderate | 1 |
| Reduced energy intake / increased satiety at subsequent mealMeta-analyses show dose-dependent acute satiety and lower next-meal intake, but total daily energy intake was unchanged. | Moderate | ↑ benefit · small | 3 |
| Increased stool frequency / improved bowel functionRCTs (incl. dialysis patients) show higher stool frequency at ~12 g/day, but EFSA judged the defecation evidence insufficient for a claim. | Mixed | ↑ benefit · moderate | 2 |
| GI tolerability (high laxative threshold, low gas)Tolerance review puts the laxative threshold near 90 g/day, but this is a narrative review of clinical toleration studies. | Moderate | ↑ benefit · large | 1 |
| Postprandial glucose/insulin loweringLargely non-glycemic when replacing digestible carbs; entry notes glucose/HbA1c effects are inconsistent or weak. | Preliminary | ↑ benefit · small | 1 |
Dosing & Compounds
Typical Dose
Typical functional/fiber doses in trials are about 8-12 g/day for bowel function (12 g/day was the effective constipation dose) and 6.25-25 g as a single preload for satiety; food fortification commonly delivers 4-15 g per serving. Best taken with food, split across the day, and started low (a few grams) then increased to limit gas. The mean laxative threshold is high (~90 g/day, or ~50 g as a single dose).
Active Compounds
Safety & Cautions
Among the most GI-tolerable fibers because of its high molecular weight, low osmotic potential and slow, distal fermentation; common effects are mild flatulence, bloating, borderline cramping or loose stools, mainly above single doses of ~50 g or daily intakes approaching ~90 g (the laxative threshold). Unlike gel-forming bulk fibers such as psyllium or konjac/glucomannan, PDX does not swell into a viscous mass and is not associated with choking or esophageal/intestinal obstruction. As a fermentable carbohydrate it can aggravate gas, bloating and pain in people with IBS or on a low-FODMAP diet, and large amounts may have an osmotic/laxative effect. Start low and escalate gradually, and take with adequate fluid. Like other soluble fibers it can theoretically slow gastric emptying and delay or reduce absorption of co-ingested medications, so separating PDX-heavy products from time-critical drugs (e.g., levothyroxine) by 2-4 hours is prudent. Caloric value is low (~1 kcal/g) and it is generally regarded as safe (JECFA ADI 'not specified'; US GRAS), but it offers no proven disease-treatment benefit and should not replace evidence-based fibers where a specific clinical effect (LDL lowering, glycemic control) is the goal. Educational only — always check with your doctor or pharmacist before combining Polydextrose with any medicine.
Key Studies
Systematic review and meta-analysis
Ibarra 2015 (Appetite)
✓ PubMed
Systematic review and meta-analysis of acute trials found polydextrose taken mid-morning significantly reduced energy intake at the subsequent lunch in a dose-dependent manner, though total daily energy intake was not significantly changed.
Systematic review and meta-analysis
Ibarra 2016 (Nutrients)
✓ Full text
Companion meta-analysis of subjective appetite found polydextrose modestly increased feelings of satiety and reduced hunger during the satiety period, supporting a small appetite-suppressing effect.
Regulatory scientific opinion
EFSA NDA Panel 2016 (EFSA Journal)
✓ Source
EFSA evaluated an Article 13(5) health claim and concluded a cause-and-effect relationship between polydextrose consumption and maintenance of normal defecation had NOT been established, so no claim was authorized.
Randomized crossover RCT
Costabile/Röytiö 2017 (Br J Nutr)
✓ Source
Double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover feeding study in healthy adults found polydextrose significantly increased faecal Bifidobacterium and Coprococcus and shifted the microbiota and SCFA profile versus placebo, confirming a bifidogenic effect in humans.
Randomized controlled trial
Hull 2015 (Nutr J)
✓ Full text
Acute multicenter randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial in 18 obese adults: 15 g polydextrose with a high-fat meal raised plasma GLP-1 and reduced the hunger iAUC by ~40% versus placebo.
Randomized controlled trial
Timm/Yu 2019 (J Nutr / clinical RCT)
✓ Full text
Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in adults reported that polydextrose supplementation improved colonic transit time and bowel-movement parameters versus placebo with good GI tolerance.
Randomized controlled trial
Tsujita 2015 (J Nutr Sci Vitaminol)
✓ PubMed
Triple-blind RCT in 50 Japanese hemodialysis patients found polydextrose increased stool frequency from 3.0 to 7.5 times/week over 8 weeks without laxation problems (distention, cramps, diarrhea).
Randomized controlled trial
Konings 2017 (Nutrients)
✓ PubMed
Randomized controlled trial evaluating polydextrose as a fiber in wet and dry food matrices examined its effect on postprandial glycemic control, consistent with PDX being largely non-glycemic when it replaces digestible carbohydrate.
Review of clinical tolerance studies
Flood 2004 (Food Chem Toxicol)
✓ PubMed
Review of clinical toleration studies established polydextrose's mean laxative threshold at ~90 g/day (1.3 g/kg) or ~50 g as a single dose, well above functional intakes, supporting strong GI tolerability.