Chronic Dietary Fiber Supplementation with Wheat Dextrin does not Inhibit Calcium and Magnesium Absorption in Premenopausal and Postmenopausal Women

Abstract

This placebo-controlled, randomized, crossover clinical study examined the effect of chronic wheat dextrin intake on calcium and magnesium absorption. Forty premenopausal and postmenopausal women (mean ± SD age 49.9 ± 9.8 years) consumed wheat dextrin or placebo (15 g/day) for 2 weeks prior to ⁴⁵calcium (⁴⁵Ca) and ²⁶magnesium (²⁶Mg) absorption testing. After a standardized breakfast, serial blood and urine samples were obtained. The mean ± SD area under the curve from 0 to 9 h for ⁴⁵Ca specific activity was 0.81 ± 0.21 for wheat dextrin and 0.82 ± 0.22 for placebo, showing that wheat dextrin had no effect on calcium absorption. The mean ± SD percentage excess of ²⁶Mg/²⁴Mg was 7.8% ± 2.1% for wheat dextrin and 7.9% ± 2.6% for placebo, showing that wheat dextrin had no effect on magnesium absorption. In conclusion, chronic wheat dextrin consumption did not inhibit calcium or magnesium absorption from the gastrointestinal tract in women.