title: Digestion-resistant maltodextrin effects on colonic transit time and stool weight: a randomized controlled clinical study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  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).
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
  
  
  RESULTS
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results show that RMD improved CTT, stool volume, stool consistency and some intestinal functions in a healthy population.
authors.affiliation: Cátedra de Fisiología del Ejercicio. Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, UCAM -Universidad Católica de Murcia, Campus de los Jerónimos, n° 135 Guadalupe, 30107, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: María Salud
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Abellán Ruiz
authors.affiliation: Cátedra de Fisiología del Ejercicio. Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, UCAM -Universidad Católica de Murcia, Campus de los Jerónimos, n° 135 Guadalupe, 30107, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: María Dolores
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Barnuevo Espinosa
authors.affiliation: Cátedra de Fisiología del Ejercicio. Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, UCAM -Universidad Católica de Murcia, Campus de los Jerónimos, n° 135 Guadalupe, 30107, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Carlos J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Contreras Fernández
authors.affiliation: Cátedra de Fisiología del Ejercicio. Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, UCAM -Universidad Católica de Murcia, Campus de los Jerónimos, n° 135 Guadalupe, 30107, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Antonio J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Luque Rubia
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Enfermería, Universidad Católica San Antonio, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sánchez Ayllón
authors.affiliation: Cátedra de Fisiología del Ejercicio. Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, UCAM -Universidad Católica de Murcia, Campus de los Jerónimos, n° 135 Guadalupe, 30107, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aldeguer García
authors.affiliation: Cátedra de Fisiología del Ejercicio. Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, UCAM -Universidad Católica de Murcia, Campus de los Jerónimos, n° 135 Guadalupe, 30107, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: García Santamaría
authors.affiliation: Cátedra de Fisiología del Ejercicio. Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, UCAM -Universidad Católica de Murcia, Campus de los Jerónimos, n° 135 Guadalupe, 30107, Murcia, Spain. jlroman@ucam.edu.
authors.forename: Francisco Javier
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: López Román
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003106:Colon / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D003672:Defecation; D066273:Diet, Western; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004063:Digestion; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005772:Gastrointestinal Transit / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004043:Dietary Fiber; D011134:Polysaccharides; C008315:maltodextrin
keywords: Colonic transit time; Intestinal function; Resistant maltodextrin; Soluble dietary fibre; Stool volume