Maltodextrin: Popular with Athletes

What is maltodextrin? Maltodextrin is a carbohydrate mixture obtained mainly from corn starch. The carbohydrate mixture contains monomers (single sugars) and dimers (double sugars), as well as oligomers (shorter-chain polysaccharides) and polymers (longer-chain polysaccharides). Depending on the proportion of the different sugars, there are different forms of maltodextrin, namely maltodextrin 6, 12 or 19. Depending on the type, 100 grams of maltodextrin contain about 400 calories.

Use of maltodextrin

Maltodextrin is mainly used in food production. Here it is used in a variety of ways:

  • For example, it is used as a thickener for infant food and confectionery, meat and sausage, and ready-made soups.
  • In addition, maltodextrin is also used as a fat replacer – especially in light products. Fat substitutes can significantly reduce the calorie and fat content of food.
  • Maltodextrin is also used as an energy carrier in artificial nutrition. In artificial nutrition, the food is either fed directly through the gastrointestinal tract by means of a tube (enteral nutrition) or fed into the bloodstream via infusions (parenteral nutrition).
  • Finally, maltodextrin is also used in the coffee industry as an extender. Stretched coffee is not 100 percent coffee powder, but is stretched with cheaper fillers. Such fillers include caramel, for example, but also maltodextrin. Thus, stretched coffee contains up to ten percent maltodextrin.

Maltodextrin in sports

In addition to all these uses, maltodextrin is also extremely popular among endurance athletes. Due to its positive properties, it is often a component of isotonic drinks or energy gels. Maltodextrin is popular with endurance athletes because it is nutritionally particularly valuable compared to other carbohydrate mixtures. For example, maltodextrin is absorbed more slowly than other carbohydrates. The slower absorption means that blood sugar rises less quickly than with pure dextrose. Because blood glucose levels rise more slowly, only as much insulin is secreted as is needed. In contrast, when glucose is ingested, larger amounts of insulin are released, which can subsequently lead to hypoglycemia. However, the extent to which maltodextrin causes blood glucose levels to rise always depends on which form of maltodextrin is used. While short-chain carbohydrates have a sweet taste, maltodextrin tends to be neutral in taste and is therefore not perceived as too sweet during high physical exertion. In addition, maltodextrin binds less water to itself than other carbohydrate mixtures. As a result, maltodextrin prevents too much water from entering the small intestine and is therefore better tolerated. In addition, drinks with maltodextrin – in contrast to other carbohydrate mixtures that bind more water – are perceived as pleasant, especially by dehydrated athletes.

Gain weight with maltodextrin

Among athletes – especially in weight training – maltodextrin is also known as a means of gaining weight, as a so-called “weight gainer”. Thus, bodybuilders often drink a shake after training, which contains maltodextrin in addition to protein. Maltodextrin causes the body to release insulin, which is also considered a transport hormone. Via the insulin, building materials for the muscles such as creatine or amino acids can then be quickly transported into the muscle cells. In addition to bodybuilders, some people who have a very low weight also take maltodextrin to gain weight. In such cases, however, it is better to resort to normal foods with a high calorie content. In no case should maltodextrin be used as the sole measure to gain weight.

Maltodextrin: side effects and contraindications.

The most common side effects of maltodextrin include belching and heartburn. No serious side effects have been reported to date. However, when taking maltodextrin, one should always keep in mind that it is a dietary supplement. Therefore, maltodextrin – whether you want to gain weight or pursue athletic ambitions – should only be taken in limited quantities. Depending on the origin of the products, it is also possible that the corn starch used was obtained from genetically modified corn.If you have a sensitive reaction to maltodextrin, for example nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, you should stop taking it immediately. People suffering from diabetes should refrain from taking maltodextrin. This is because maltodextrin is broken down into glucose in the body, causing blood sugar levels to rise.

What is maltodextrin?

The term maltodextrin is derived from the two words maltose (malt sugar) and dextrose. A maltose molecule consists of two glucose molecules and is therefore a twofold sugar. Dextrose, on the other hand, is a special form of glucose – namely D-glucose – and is thus a monosaccharide. Dextrose is better known as glucose. Maltodextrin is water-soluble, almost tasteless and only slightly sweet. The degree of sweetness is indicated by the so-called dextrose equivalent. It varies – depending on the composition of the maltodextrin – between three and 20 units. For comparison: starch has a sweetness level of one unit, pure glucose of 100 units. Incidentally, the higher the degree of sweetness, the better the solubility of maltodextrin. Maltodextrin 6, maltodextrin 12 and maltodextrin 19 are sold in stores. The individual products differ in the chain length of their sugar molecules. For example, maltodextrin 6 has more longer-chain carbohydrates than maltodextrin 12 and 19. The chain length also affects the sweetness of maltodextrin: maltodextrin 6 is less sweet than maltodextrin 12 and 19.