maltitol and Flatulence

To evaluate the short-term digestive tolerance and glycaemic response of several associations of maltitol and short-chain fructo-oligosaccharides (scFOS) used to replace sugars (for example, dextrose) in foods.. Thirty-six healthy subjects aged 18-60 years were recruited for the study and 32 completed it. The subjects consumed six different mixtures of dextrose, maltitol and scFOS added in a chocolate dairy dessert at a dosage of 35 g. The test days were separated by 2-week washout periods. The subjects reported the intensity of four individual gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, number of bowel movements and stool frequency for the 48 h following consumption of the dessert. A subgroup of 18 subjects also provided blood samples 2 h after intake to evaluate the postprandial glycaemic and insulinaemic responses.. The composite score calculated from the intensity of flatulence, borborygmi, bloating and discomfort was significantly higher (P<0.0001) for all the desserts containing maltitol and/or scFOS than for the control dessert containing dextrose, but remains at the level of mild effects. The number of bowel movements was also slightly increased (P=0.0006) and the stools were softer (P=0.0045) for the first 24 h but not after (P=0.1373 and 0.5420, respectively). Blood glycaemic and insulinaemic responses were lower for all the sugar-free recipes containing maltitol and scFOS in comparison to the control one (P<0.0001).. This study has shown that maltitol and scFOS can be used jointly when formulating sugar-free foods with the benefit to lower postprandial glycaemic response with only a small and transient increase in non-serious GI symptoms.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Blood Glucose; Cross-Over Studies; Dairy Products; Defecation; Diet; Digestion; Double-Blind Method; Feces; Female; Flatulence; Humans; Male; Maltose; Middle Aged; Oligosaccharides; Postprandial Period; Sugar Alcohols; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult

Polyols are molecules of interest for food industries because of their technological and nutritional properties. Maltitol is known for its non-acidogenic and low-energetic properties. Our primary objective was to evaluate the digestive tolerance of maltitol in children. The secondary objective was to compare the organoleptic properties of maltitol and sucrose in chocolate.. Healthy children were included in a double-blind, randomized parallel study versus placebo. The subjects received one dose of either maltitol or sucrose chocolate per week. Increasing doses were tested from 5 to 15 g maltitol in chocolate. Abdominal pain, rumbling, bloating and flatulence scores were evaluated using visual analog scales.. Some statistical differences on intestinal parameters were observed in the maltitol group compared with placebo, mainly concerning flatulence scores. Nevertheless, these scores remained low and could be considered minor.. Our results suggest that maltitol was well tolerated in children at 15 g in one intake.

Topics: Cacao; Child; Digestion; Double-Blind Method; Female; Flatulence; Humans; Male; Maltose; Pain Measurement; Sensation; Sucrose; Sugar Alcohols; Sweetening Agents

We aimed to evaluate the gastro-intestinal tolerance to an indigestible bulking sweetener containing sugar alcohol using a double-blind random cross-over study.. In order to simulate their usual pattern of consumption, 12 healthy volunteers ingested maltitol or sucrose throughout the day, either occasionally (once a week for each sugar, first period) or regularly (every day for two 9 day periods, second period). In both patterns of consumption, daily sugar doses were increased until diarrhea and/or a grade 3 (ie severe) digestive symptom occurred, at which the dose level was defined as the threshold dose (TD).. In the first period (occasional consumption), the mean TD was 92+/-6 g with maltitol and 106+/-4 g with sucrose (P=0.059). The mean intensity of digestive symptoms was 1.1 and 1.3, respectively (P=NS). Diarrhea appeared in six and one subjects respectively (P=0.035). In the second period (regular consumption), the mean TD was 93+/-9 g with maltitol and 113+/-7 g with sucrose (P=0.008). The mean intensity of digestive symptoms was 1.7 and 1.2, respectively (P=NS). However, diarrhea appeared in eight and three subjects, respectively (P=0.04). Maltitol and sucrose TDs between the two periods were not different.. Under our experimental conditions, in comparison to sucrose: (a) occasional or regular consumption of maltitol is not associated with severe digestive symptoms; (b) in both patterns of maltitol consumption, diarrhea frequency is higher, but it appeared only for very high doses of maltitol, much greater than those currently used; (c) maltitol does not lead to intestinal flora adaptation after a 9 day period of consumption.

Topics: Abdominal Pain; Adaptation, Physiological; Adolescent; Adult; Cross-Over Studies; Diarrhea; Dietary Sucrose; Digestive System; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Double-Blind Method; Flatulence; Humans; Male; Maltose; Maximum Tolerated Dose; Middle Aged; Sugar Alcohols; Sweetening Agents

To determine whether there were differences between different polyols (sugar alcohols) in terms of their ability to stimulate intolerance symptoms when consumed in milk chocolate. Also to discover whether symptomatology can be related to the dose of polyol ingested.. The study was of a randomised double-blind cross-over design.. 59 healthy volunteers aged 18-24 years were recruited from the student population of the University of Salford. All subjects successfully completed the trial.. Subjects ingested 100 g milk chocolate containing 40 g bulk sweetner as either sucrose, isomalt, lactitol or maltitol or a mixture (10:30 w/w) of sucrose and isomalt, sucrose and lactitol or sucrose and maltitol. Each bar was taken as breakfast on one day with following products consumed at 1-week intervals. Subjects reported the incidence and severity of the symptoms of flatulence, borborygms, colic, motion frequency and loose stools.. The ingestion of 30 g or 40 g lactitol resulted in a significant increase in the incidence and severity of all symptoms examined compared to reactions after the consumption of standard sucrose-containing chocolate (P <0.01). Similarly, 40 g isomalt led to an increased incidence of all symptoms, including mild laxation (P <0.01), but unlike lactitol none was rated as being severe. A reduction in isomalt to 30 g was marked by increased tolerance with evidence of only mild borborygms (P <0.01), mild flatulence, colic, and laxation (P <0.05), with no increase in motion frequency (P <0.35). Ingestion of 40 g maltitol caused less intolerance than 40 g isomalt, with evidence of only flatulence, borborygms and colic (P <0.01), symptoms being rated as only mild. A reduction to 30 g led to a decrease in all symptoms except mild flatulence. Maltitol did not have any laxative effect when ingested at either 30 g (P = 0.32) or 40 g (P = 0.13) per day.. This work has shown that there are significant differences in the reporting of gastrointestinal symptomatology following the consumption of isomalt, lactitol and maltitol incorporated into milk chocolate. However, with all three polyols the incidence and severity of symptomatology was dose dependent.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Animals; Cacao; Cross-Over Studies; Diarrhea; Disaccharides; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Double-Blind Method; Female; Flatulence; Gastrointestinal Motility; Humans; Male; Maltose; Milk; Severity of Illness Index; Sugar Alcohols; Sweetening Agents

In a controlled trial of a double-blind cross-over design, it has been shown that "Marvie', a non-calorigenic sweetener containing 58 per cent maltitol by weight, is an effective sweetener which has no influence on routine haematological and biochemical parameters. The dose that could be tolerated without undesirable symptoms was between 20 and 30 g per day. Above this dose, flatus production with abdominal discomfort could limit tolerance to this sweetening agent.

Topics: Adult; Clinical Trials as Topic; Diarrhea; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Double-Blind Method; Drug Tolerance; Flatulence; Hematologic Tests; Humans; Maltose; Placebos; Sugar Alcohols; Sweetening Agents