Resistant starch and polydextrose exert distinct effects on bile acid profiles in healthy adults
Resistant starch supplementation raised conjugated plasma bile acids, while polydextrose reduced secondary bile acid transformation ratios in faeces.
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What the study showed
Resistant starch (RS) increased conjugated bile acids and deoxycholic acid in plasma, with positive correlations between taurine-conjugated bile acids and Akkermansia abundance. Polydextrose (PD) did not alter absolute faecal bile acid concentrations but increased the proportion of primary bile acids and reduced secondary bile acid transformation ratios. Neither fibre changed absolute faecal bile acid concentrations.
How it was done
Double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, 2×2 factorial trial in healthy participants consuming 23 g/day RS and/or 12 g/day PD for 50 days; bile acid profiles measured by UPLC-MS in plasma (n=74) and faeces (n=50); gut microbiota assessed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing.
Risk of bias
The abstract does not detail inclusion/exclusion criteria or full baseline characteristics; the faecal subsample (n=50) is smaller than the plasma sample (n=74), limiting statistical power for faecal outcomes. Microbial correlations do not establish causality.
What this study does NOT prove
The study does not prove that observed bile acid changes in healthy adults translate into measurable clinical benefits in any disease condition.
In clinical practice
Findings do not support immediate clinical recommendations; fibre-type differences suggest metabolic relevance that requires confirmation in disease populations before clinical translation.
Limitations
The abstract does not detail inclusion/exclusion criteria or full baseline characteristics; the faecal subsample (n=50) is smaller than the plasma sample (n=74), limiting statistical power for faecal outcomes. Microbial correlations do not establish causality.
Technical appendix
Version history
- 1.0 · 2026-07-24 — Auto-generated under Evidence Standard v1.0
Paid access: structured summary from public metadata; consult the original study at the source.