Lactosucrose

Q: Can lactosucrose help depression?

Not on the evidence so far: a 24-week placebo-controlled trial found no change in depression scores.

Q: Does it cause gas?

It is fermented in the colon and produced breath hydrogen, though less than the same dose of fructo-oligosaccharides.

Q: How much lactosucrose was used in studies?

Human studies used 3 g a day for 6 months, 6 to 10 g a day for 2 to 8 weeks, and 6 g twice daily (12 g a day) for 92 weeks. Gas production rose with dose up to 20 g. These are research doses, not recommendations.

Q: Is it safe in pregnancy or with medicines?

Unknown. None of the cited studies reported including pregnant or breastfeeding women, and no drug interaction studies were found. In a 92-week trial, all 17 young women completed it, 9 of them taking 12 g a day.

Q: Does lactosucrose help absorb calcium?

In one 92-week trial of 17 young women, those taking 12 g/day absorbed and retained more calcium in a balance study. Bone density was not measured.

Q: Is lactosucrose a prebiotic?

Yes. It reaches the colon largely undigested and raised fecal bifidobacteria in small Japanese studies, including in 7 people with inflammatory bowel disease.

Also called 4G-beta-D-galactosylsucrose, galactosylsucrose, lactosylfructoside.

Best grade D across 4 graded outcomes Other Last checked Oct 21, 2026

The short answer

From 7 sources

Lactosucrose is a Japanese prebiotic sugar. Small studies show it raises gut bifidobacteria, which fall back after stopping. A long placebo-controlled trial in 17 young women found better calcium absorption at 12 g/day. A 24-week trial in depression found no benefit on depression scores. Most studies are small and decades old.

Every graded outcome on this page

4 rows · line = participants

Grade DDepression scores in outpatients with depressionDepressionn 20
Grade DCalcium absorption and gut environment over 92 weeksCalcium absorptionn 17
Grade DBody weight in underweight inpatients with schizophreniaBody weightn 16
Grade DFecal bifidobacteria in healthy adultsGut bacterian 8

Key facts

Gut bacteria: In 8 healthy volunteers, 6 g/day for 8 weeks raised the number and share of fecal bifidobacteria and lowered fecal ammonia; levels returned toward baseline after stopping³
Calcium absorption: In a 92-week trial, women given 6 g twice daily absorbed and retained more calcium than those given maltose placebo during a 6-day balance study (n=17); four of the ten authors worked for lactosucrose producers¹
Depression: In 20 outpatients with depression, 24 weeks of lactosucrose did not improve depression scores vs placebo (p = 0.552); self-efficacy scores trended better (p = 0.091)²
Gas: At 10 g, lactosucrose produced less breath hydrogen (a marker of colon fermentation) than the same dose of fructo-oligosaccharides, and gas rose with dose up to 20 g⁶
Oxalate: 10 g/day for 2 weeks raised oxalate-degrading gut bacteria in 12 men but did not lower urinary oxalate⁵

What it is

Lactosucrose is a prebiotic trisaccharide made from lactose and sucrose, used as a food ingredient in Japan to feed gut bifidobacteria.

How it works

Proposed

Lactosucrose is only slightly digested in the small intestine, so most reaches the colon, where bifidobacteria ferment it into short-chain fatty acids and lower stool pH. Trial authors propose that the more acidic colon improves calcium and magnesium absorption.^6,3,1

Forms

Form

The form on this page
Form	Elemental %	Absorption (human data)	GI tolerance	Studied for
Lactosucrose powder or syrup (food ingredient)	Varies^6,1Not applicable (whole compound or extract; no elemental fraction)	Only slightly hydrolyzed in the small intestine; most is fermented in the colon (breath hydrogen test).^6,1	All 17 participants completed a 92-week trial at 12 g/day.^6,1	Gut bacteria, calcium absorption

What the human research says

Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form line shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.

Trial map

4 graded outcomes, largest study first

4 graded outcomes: 3 improved, 1 no effect. The largest, a 2022 randomized trial of 20 people on depression scores in outpatients with depression, found no effect.

By ageBy sizeTable

AgeAll ages

Bar: the ages a study enrolled (running to the edge when it states no upper or lower limit). Dot: only a mean age, counted as near your age within 5 years. Tick: the mean age inside a range.

4Fecal bifidobacteria in healthy adults: improved, mean age 34

1Depression scores in outpatients with depression: no effect, 36–72

3Body weight in underweight inpatients with schizophrenia: improved, mean age 63

2Calcium absorption and gut environment over 92 weeks: improved, ages not stated

1Depression scores in outpatients with depression

No effect · Grade D · RCT, 20 people, 2022

Outpatients aged 36-72 with depressive episodes (Japan)

Dose, result and source

Every graded outcome on this page, largest study first
Outcome	Found	People	Study	Who was studied
Depression scores in outpatients with depression	No effect	20	Grade D · RCT, 2022	Outpatients aged 36-72 with depressive episodes (Japan)
Calcium absorption and gut environment over 92 weeks	Improved	17	Grade D · RCT, 2006	Healthy young Japanese women with lower-than-recommended calcium intake
Body weight in underweight inpatients with schizophrenia	Improved	16	Grade D · Open-label trial, 2018	Underweight Japanese inpatients with schizophrenia, mean age 63
Fecal bifidobacteria in healthy adults	Improved	8	Grade D · Open-label trial, 1995	Healthy volunteers, 4 men and 4 women (Japan)

Every graded row

4 rows

Form tested

Showing 4 of 4 outcomes. Human trials only.

Grade DDepression scores in outpatients with depressionDepressionNo effect on depressionRCT
n 20 · 2022

No effect Total MADRS depression scores did not differ from placebo (p = 0.552); self-efficacy scores trended better (p = 0.091) with a large effect size.

Design: RCT, n = 20, 2022
Population: Outpatients aged 36-72 with depressive episodes (Japan)
Form: Lactosucrose vs placebo (double-blind)
Dose: Not stated in the abstract
Duration: 24 weeks
Source: Reference 2 · PubMed 35123322 (opens PubMed)

Grade DCalcium absorption and gut environment over 92 weeksCalcium absorptionHigher calcium absorptionRCT
n 17 · 2006

Improved Fecal pH, ammonia and putrefactive products fell and short-chain fatty acids rose; in a 6-day balance study, apparent calcium absorption and retention and magnesium absorption were higher than with placebo (p < 0.05). All participants completed.

Design: RCT, n = 17, 2006
Population: Healthy young Japanese women with lower-than-recommended calcium intake
Form: Lactosucrose vs maltose placebo (single-blind)
Dose: 6 g twice daily (12 g/day)
Duration: 92 weeks plus 4 weeks follow-up
Source: Reference 1 · PubMed 17190104 (opens PubMed)

Grade DBody weight in underweight inpatients with schizophreniaBody weightHigher BMI (uncontrolled)Open-label trial
n 16 · 2018

Improved BMI rose from 20.9 to 22.3 and fecal bifidobacteria from 16.1% to 21.5%; serum albumin did not change.

Design: Open-label trial, n = 16, 2018
Population: Underweight Japanese inpatients with schizophrenia, mean age 63
Form: Lactosucrose, no control group
Dose: 3 g/day
Duration: 6 months
Source: Reference 7 · PubMed 29662737 (opens PubMed)

Grade DFecal bifidobacteria in healthy adultsGut bacteriaMore bifidobacteriaOpen-label trial
n 8 · 1995

Improved Bifidobacteria rose in number and share of total bacteria; fecal ammonia fell. Stool volume, moisture and pH did not change. Bifidobacteria fell back after stopping.

Design: Open-label trial, n = 8, 1995
Population: Healthy volunteers, 4 men and 4 women (Japan)
Form: Lactosucrose, no control group
Dose: 6 g/day
Duration: 8 weeks
Source: Reference 3 · PubMed 8549886 (opens PubMed)

What the numbers add up to

Each point is worked out from the data and the sources numbered on this page, with the arithmetic shown under it. It adds no new data and is not medical advice.

Bacteria change, then revert

Bifidobacteria rose within weeks and fell back after stopping, so any effect depends on continued use.³

Small, old and mostly Japanese

Only two of the human studies used a placebo, with 17 and 20 participants.^1,2

Studied doses

Doses used in research, shown against the official limits. They describe the studies, not a recommendation for you.

Studied doses in research, not advice. These are amounts used in research, not personal advice. Your clinician or pharmacist can say what fits you.

Doses studied in human trials

Doses studied in human trials ranged from 3 g/day for 6 months to 6-10 g/day for 2-8 weeks and 6 g twice daily (12 g/day) for 92 weeks. These are research doses, not recommendations.^7,3,5,1

Interactions and safety

Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.

Interactions

0 agents

None found in our sources.

Check with what you take

Kept on this device only

Add what you take. We list every interaction our evidence profiles cite between Lactosucrose and your picks, and between your picks.

Add a supplement or medicine

Most cited:

Add a supplement or medicine you take to check it against Lactosucrose.

Starting from one medicine? The interaction checker rates how serious each pair is, on a curated list of 19 entries for 11 medicines. This cabinet has no severity rating: it lists every interaction row our supplement pages cite.

Who should be careful

5 groups

People with IBS or sensitivity to fermentable sugars: Lactosucrose is fermented in the colon and breath hydrogen rose with dose, so it may cause gas or bloating in sensitive people (inferred from the fermentation data; symptoms were not reported).⁶
People with depression: It did not improve depression scores in a placebo-controlled trial and is not a substitute for treatment.²
People with kidney stones: It raised oxalate-degrading bacteria but did not lower urinary oxalate over 2 weeks.⁵
Drug interactions: No published drug-interaction studies were found.¹
Pregnancy and breastfeeding: None of the cited studies included pregnant or breastfeeding women.^1,3

How to read the label

What to check on the Supplement Facts panel.

How to read the label

1 checks

Chemical name

Labels and studies may call it 4G-beta-D-galactosylsucrose or galactosyl-sucrose rather than lactosucrose.^1,6

Have the bottle? Photograph its Supplement Facts panel and see each line, lactosucrose included, beside the doses and forms the trials used in Label X-Ray.

Frequently asked questions

Short answers to common questions; the numbers link to the sources below.

Common questions

6 answers

Can lactosucrose help depression?

Not on the evidence so far: a 24-week placebo-controlled trial found no change in depression scores.²

Does it cause gas?

It is fermented in the colon and produced breath hydrogen, though less than the same dose of fructo-oligosaccharides.⁶

How much lactosucrose was used in studies?

Human studies used 3 g a day for 6 months, 6 to 10 g a day for 2 to 8 weeks, and 6 g twice daily (12 g a day) for 92 weeks. Gas production rose with dose up to 20 g. These are research doses, not recommendations.^7,3,5,1,6

Is it safe in pregnancy or with medicines?

Unknown. None of the cited studies reported including pregnant or breastfeeding women, and no drug interaction studies were found. In a 92-week trial, all 17 young women completed it, 9 of them taking 12 g a day.^1,3

Does lactosucrose help absorb calcium?

In one 92-week trial of 17 young women, those taking 12 g/day absorbed and retained more calcium in a balance study. Bone density was not measured.¹

Is lactosucrose a prebiotic?

Yes. It reaches the colon largely undigested and raised fecal bifidobacteria in small Japanese studies, including in 7 people with inflammatory bowel disease.^6,3,4

Sources

7 sources: trial abstracts, NIH fact sheets and reference databases. Numbers in the text link here.

Sources cited on this page

7 sources

1Long-term administration of 4G-beta-D-galactosylsucrose (lactosucrose) enhances intestinal calcium absorption in young women: a randomized, placebo-controlled 96-wk study.RCT J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo), 2006 · PMID 17190104
2Effects of 4G-beta-D-Galactosylsucrose in patients with depression: A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, parallel-group comparative study.RCT J Psychiatr Res, 2022 · PMID 35123322
3Long-term ingestion of lactosucrose increases Bifidobacterium sp. in human fecal flora.Open-label trial Digestion, 1995 · PMID 8549886
4Effect of 4G-beta-D-galactosylsucrose (lactosucrose) on fecal microflora in patients with chronic inflammatory bowel disease.Open-label trial J Gastroenterol, 1996 · PMID 8808426
5[Effect of oral lactosucrose supplementation on human enteric oxalate-degrading bacteria].Open-label trial Hinyokika Kiyo, 2006 · PMID 17040052
6Comparison of digestibility and breath hydrogen gas excretion of fructo-oligosaccharide, galactosyl-sucrose, and isomalto-oligosaccharide in healthy human subjects.PK study Eur J Clin Nutr, 2003 · PMID 12947435
74(G)-β-D-galactosylsucrose as a prebiotics may improve underweight in inpatients with schizophrenia.Open-label trial Biosci Microbiota Food Health, 2018 · PMID 29662737

What changed

Every dated change to this page: what changed, who made it and why.

Change log

3 entries

Dated changes to this page
Date	Change	Who and why
Oct 21, 2026FAQ	Added two FAQs (doses studied; pregnancy, breastfeeding and interactions). A PubMed search for 2023–2026 human trials and meta-analyses found none, so the evidence table is unchanged; no NIH fact sheet, LactMed or LiverTox entry exists, so interactions stay empty with the limitation stated. Fact-checked against the sources; corrected: the safety FAQ no longer implies all 17 women in the 92-week trial took lactosucrose (9 did; 8 took placebo).	Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: A–Z page audit
Oct 14, 2026all	Initial editorial evidence review (first draft). Every PMID checked against NCBI E-utilities esummary (titles and years taken from the record, none retracted) and the abstract read for each cited row. Studied doses are reported as research doses, not dosing advice.	Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: new page
Oct 14, 2026evidence, safety	Adversarial review: depression trial regraded from no-effect to D (20 people, too small to rule out an effect); producer affiliations (Hayashibara, Ensuiko) disclosed for the calcium trial.	Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: adversarial review

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