Polydextrose and constipation
What 5 graded rows on polydextrose agree on for constipation, and where they differ. Counted side by side, never averaged.
Consensus finder Rows from the Polydextrose page, reviewed Oct 21, 2026 How it decides
What the rows agree on
Each block and row is one graded row from the Polydextrose page, with its PubMed record.
Your question
Polydextrose and constipation
5 rows · 495 peopleSplit. 2 rows found an improvement, 1 found no difference and 2 had mixed results.
- CGrade C× 2
- DGrade D× 2
- ∅No effect× 1
- Rows
- 5
- Trials
- 5
- People
- 495
Where they differ
From the rowsThe best-graded row, grade C, is a randomized trial of 192 people (2019) and reported mixed results. 1 row is graded No effect, our grade for adequately powered trials that found no effect.
The row that found no difference was larger: 128 people, against a median of 39 people for the 2 rows that found an improvement.
The 2 rows that found an improvement ran longer (8 to 9 weeks) than the row that found no difference (4 weeks).
2 rows with mixed results are left out of this comparison.
The rows
2 improved · 1 no difference · 2 mixed- CGrade CStool frequency in hemodialysis patients on laxatives · Improved
RCT · n 50 · 2015 · Japanese hemodialysis outpatients aged 51 to 79 using laxatives
10 g a day · 8 weeks
Stool frequency rose from 3.0 to 7.5 times a week (p < 0.01) with no bloating, cramps or diarrhea reported; blood chemistry did not change.
Row on the Polydextrose page · PubMed 26440643 (opens PubMed)
- DGrade DConstipation symptoms in hemodialysis patients · Improved
RCT · n 28 · 2023 · Hemodialysis patients in Brazil (25 completed: 16 polydextrose, 9 control)
12 g a day · 2 months
The fecal-symptom domain (P = .004) and quality-of-life concerns (P = .02) improved after polydextrose; inflammation markers did not change.
Row on the Polydextrose page · PubMed 37321430 (opens PubMed)
- ∅No effectTransit time and stool frequency in chronic constipation · No difference
RCT · n 128 · 2018 · Adults with chronic constipation
8 g or 12 g a day · 4 weeks
No reduction in transit time and no change in stool frequency or consistency; some symptom subscores (rectal, stool) improved at 8 g a day.
Row on the Polydextrose page · PubMed 30029461 (opens PubMed)
- CGrade CColonic transit and bowel movements in functional constipation · Mixed
RCT · n 192 · 2019 · Adults with functional constipation (Rome III), who turned out only mildly constipated
4, 8 or 12 g a day · 2 weeks
Bowel movements rose with 12 g a day; the abstract does not report a benefit on transit time, the primary outcome; symptom inventories improved vs baseline. No serious adverse events.
Row on the Polydextrose page · PubMed 30791557 (opens PubMed)
- DGrade DStool consistency and bowel movements in functional constipation · Mixed
RCT · n 97 · 2023 · Chinese adults with functional constipation
3.92 g polydextrose a day (two sachets), plus about 3.9 g oligosaccharides and 1.5 g resistant dextrin · 4 weeks
Stools became softer within the group (Bristol scale up about 1 point, unchanged on placebo) and the 4-week change beat placebo, but the main time-by-group test found no difference for stool form, bowel movement frequency or straining. Bifidobacterium rose more than on placebo.
Row on the Polydextrose page · PubMed 37078654 (opens PubMed)