Roll Call

“Maltodextrin?”Here!

ThickenerOtherPlant

Hasn’t appeared in a scanned product yet.

In personal care

A polysaccharide made by partially breaking down plant starch, usually from corn, rice, or potato, into shorter chains of sugar units.

Why it’s used

Functions as a texture agent and binder in formulas, and can help powders flow or hold together, or add body to a product.

What the evidence says

We haven’t found a source for this one that you can open and check, so we’re not summarizing the evidence.

Look it up yourself

We would rather point you at the shelf than summarize something you can’t check. These are the same places we search:

  • PubChem — what the substance is, chemically — names, synonyms and structure
  • PubMed — every paper indexed by the US National Library of Medicine that names it

These are starting points, not our findings — we haven’t run them for you. A substance whose name is also an ordinary word (“Heart”, “Alanine”, “Water”) will return papers that are not about the ingredient at all.

Rumors

  1. Maltodextrin makes hair look fuller and thicker by coating the strands.

    We haven’t checked the evidence on this one yet.

    What was measured is not yet noted.

    Who’s saying this

  2. Maltodextrin balances the skin microbiome by feeding beneficial microbes but not harmful ones.

    We haven’t checked the evidence on this one yet.

    What was measured is not yet noted.

    Who’s saying this

    • Cosmetic Ingredient Guide — a publisher: reference guide to personal care ingredients; asks for donations
      How we know who this is
      • “The Cosmetic Ingredient Guide (formerly INCIGuide) is created by a team of human experts who have compiled a comprehensive resource and search engine for personal care ingredients, providing access to continuously updated information.” (their page)

  3. Maltodextrin moisturizes skin and reduces transepidermal water loss.

    We haven’t checked the evidence on this one yet.

    What was measured is not yet noted.

    Who’s saying this

    • Cosmetic Ingredient Guide — a publisher: reference guide to personal care ingredients; asks for donations
      How we know who this is
      • “The Cosmetic Ingredient Guide (formerly INCIGuide) is created by a team of human experts who have compiled a comprehensive resource and search engine for personal care ingredients, providing access to continuously updated information.” (their page)

  4. Maltodextrin protects vitamins and antioxidants in skincare from oxidation and UV degradation.

    We haven’t checked the evidence on this one yet.

    What was measured is not yet noted.

    Who’s saying this

  5. Maltodextrin is non-irritating and suitable for sensitive skin.

    We haven’t checked the evidence on this one yet.

    What was measured is not yet noted.

    Who’s saying this

As a supplement

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Roll Call does not check drug interactions or assess personal safety.

A carbohydrate derived from starch (often corn, rice, or potato), broken down into shorter chains to form a fine, easily dissolved powder.

Why it’s used

Used as a filler, bulking agent, or carrier to help powders flow and mix evenly, and sometimes to standardize the size or texture of a capsule or tablet.

What the evidence says

Maltodextrin is not taken for an effect; it is a manufacturing ingredient. It is widely used in food and supplements and is generally recognized as safe for this purpose by regulatory bodies, so there is no efficacy question to assess.

Where we looked

There was no paper to cite here, so this is the search instead — run it yourself and see what we saw.

  • PubMed: 467 records · searched September 2026"Maltodextrin"[Title/Abstract] AND (review[pt] OR "safety assessment"[Title/Abstract] OR "risk assessment"[Title/Abstract] OR toxicology[Title/Abstract] OR toxicity[Title/Abstract] OR characterization[Title/Abstract] OR characterisation[Title/Abstract])
  • PubMed: 556 records · searched September 2026"Maltodextrin"[Title/Abstract] AND ("dietary supplements"[MeSH] OR supplementation[Title/Abstract] OR supplement[Title/Abstract] OR supplements[Title/Abstract] OR "oral administration"[Title/Abstract]) AND (randomized controlled trial[pt] OR clinical trial[pt] OR meta-analysis[pt] OR systematic review[pt]) AND humans[MeSH]
  • PubMed: 4150 records · searched September 2026"Maltodextrin"[Title/Abstract]

This says what this database holds under these terms. It is not a finding that no research exists.

Context

Not applicable, as it is used for formulation purposes rather than at a dose intended to produce a physiological effect.

Insufficient dataToo little has been studied to say either way.

Rumors

  1. Maltodextrin provides fast and sustained energy for athletes.

    We haven’t found evidence strong enough to support this or rule it out.

    What was measured is not yet noted.

    Who’s saying this

    • Revolution Nutrition — a brand: makes and sells sports nutrition supplements
      How we know who this is
      • “Revolution Nutrition was founded in 2007 by a young team of health and technology enthusiasts.” (their page)
      • “Revolution Nutrition is one of the world's most popular sports nutrition brand and it owns a state of the art, Health Canada site licence, FDA registered, GMP compliant and Safe Food For Canadians License establishment facility.” (their page)

  2. Maltodextrin in supplements causes a rapid spike in blood sugar.

    We haven’t found evidence strong enough to support this or rule it out.

    What was measured is not yet noted.

    Who’s saying this

    • OSOAA — a brand: sells supplements
      How we know who this is
      • “OSOAA is the only brand that provides 100% Batchwise Lab Test Reports, ensuring transparency and safety.” (their page)
      • “We’re not just here to sell supplements; we’re here to redefine the standards of wellness.” (their page)

  3. Maltodextrin is linked to inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

    Supports — suggestivehealth and safety evidence

    Studied in: genetically colitis-prone (IL-10 deficient) mice fed maltodextrin-supplemented diets, and in vitro/ex vivo human Crohn's disease-associated bacterial and tissue samples.

    Measured as an outcome.

    Who’s saying this

    • MDVIP — a brand: sells membership-based primary care
      How we know who this is
      • “Today, MDVIP is the national leader in membership-based primary care, with a network of over 1,400 affiliated physicians across the country, caring for more than 400,000 patients.” (their page)

  4. Maltodextrin in supplements is usually GMO-derived.

    Not gradedsourcing and supply-chain evidence

    Sources cited — no verdict reached.

    What was measured is not yet noted.

    Who’s saying this

    • Arbor Vitamins — a brand: sells its own supplements
      How we know who this is
      • “We’re Jon and Hannah, founders of Arbor Vitamins.” (their page)
      • “Arbor was created to make clean, well-formulated supplements — designed with intent, backed by science, and without the extras that don’t need to be there.” (their page)

  5. Maltodextrin disrupts gut bacteria and causes bloating, gas and digestive discomfort.

    Supports — suggestivehealth and safety evidence

    Measured as an outcome.

    Who’s saying this

    • OSOAA — a brand: sells supplements
      How we know who this is
      • “OSOAA is the only brand that provides 100% Batchwise Lab Test Reports, ensuring transparency and safety.” (their page)
      • “We’re not just here to sell supplements; we’re here to redefine the standards of wellness.” (their page)