[zlombis]

HelloI am new to this forum. I'll give a quick intro before my question.My name is Tony, I am 37 and I have had IBS as long as I can remember with it being much worst starting in the year 2000.My IBS was alternating with diarrhea being predominant but the last couple years it has been constipation mostly instead of diarrhea with frequent cramps, gas pain, ect..happening consistently in some weeks on a daily basis.I have read that soluble fiber is the way to go for IBS. I went shopping today to get safe fiber foods and noticed applesauce and oatmeal with the word "FIBER" in big letters.Compared to the same regular applesauce and oatmeal it is exactly the same except it has 3 times as much fiber in it. So the oatmeal for example had 3g of fiber, 1g soluble fiber per packet, but the special fiber oatmeal had 10g of fiber and 8g of soluble fiber per packet.I noticed the only difference of ingredient is "Maltodextrin". I bought the regular oatmeal instead just in case it might upset my stomach (well, large bowel really).Can someone let me know if this is safe for IBS or not. It would be nice if it was since the fiber content is so high with only a single serving.Thanks.Tony

 

[Kathleen M.]

Depends on which maltodextrin (how easily fermented it is by the gut bacteria) and how well you tolerate increases in gas volume in the colon.Some maltodextrin is quickly digested and absorbed (so wouldn't count as fiber). Most of what I've read of the fiber-type maltodextin (doesn't get digested by you, so is fiber) is that it can be fermented by bacteria, but it may depend on exactly how it was made, so it may vary depending on type (they make it out of various starches so it may not be a uniform product)

 

[SiusannaJ]

Do more research. Those of us with severe maltodextrin intolerance, who have been told for over a decade now that it's ..... corn intolerance or gluten intolerance or whatever..... are now beginning to be given more legitimate consideration. I'm posting a link, below, to one of the best articles I've found so far. Our maltodextrin-induced diarrhea is severe and debilitating, for about 24 hours. Mine is so acid that it burns my rectal area and I stay close to my bath tub and can only lay on my side and continue to put A&D on it. It doesn't happen often. I read my ingredients closely. This begin in about 2005 when I realized that it was less than "large amounts may have a laxative effect." It was small amounts. It started with maltitol, in dietetic products, which I eliminated, then began again, and I traced it to maltodextrin. Not corn. Not gluten. Not dairy or lactose. I do have other food intolerances, gluten, dairy allergy, but nothing is as bad as ingesting one food with maltodextrin in it.

http://giving.clevelandclinic.org/articles/researcher-links-digestive-problems-food-additive?utm_campaign=catalyst+enews&utm_medium=email&utm_source=catalyst1409&utm_content=researcher+links+digestive+problems+food+additive

Do research online because there are many more articles than previously. It is readily recognized now that IBS sufferers are reactive to maltodextrin. I also have a page on Facebook called Maltodextrin Intolerance Awareness where I post articles I find on the subject.