For athletes, knowing the benefits of maltodextrin is essential. Whatever your sport, this dietary supplement will help you improve your physical performance.
It is mainly used to prevent energy loss and muscular fatigue during endurance effort, but can also be used for pre-exercise and/or recovery, and even for weight gain.
But how does this carbohydrate affect the body? Why is it worth consuming? And what criteria should you use to choose which type of maltodextrin to take? We explain.
Contents
Fast energy source
Derived from wheat, manioc, potatoes or corn, maltodextrin is a complex carbohydrate produced by the hydrolysis of starch.
There are various manufacturing methods for obtaining this white powder. These may include more or less natural processes. That's why we recommend you opt for organic maltodextrin, for which the hydrolysis of polysaccharides is carried out by a natural enzyme.
This food product is easily assimilated by the body and dissolves perfectly in water. It provides a rapid source of energy during intense sports activities.
It is therefore ideal for preparing carbohydrate-rich energy drinks, as a complement to other carbohydrate sources. What's more, its unsweetened taste doesn't give the drink a "sickening" taste, despite its high carbohydrate content.
Did you know?
Maltodextrin is present in many everyday products, including cereals, sweet foods and frozen foods. This means that we regularly consume this substance without even knowing it. In the food industry, it is often used as a texture agent and thickener.
Since it is not a nutritional or main ingredient in these products, it is often perceived as an "additive". In reality, maltodextrin is not an additive and does not appear on the list of food additives set out in European Commission regulation 1333/2008. In sports nutrition, it is used as a real food in its own right.
Conversion to glucose
The digestive system absorbs maltodextrin and converts it mainly into glucose, which the muscles then use as an energy source. This makes it an interesting option for replenishing your muscle glycogen reserves, particularly during an endurance run.
Depending on the type of maltodextrin, glucose absorption may be more or less smooth. For example, manioc maltodextrin DE 10 is ideal for progressive, basal carbohydrate discharge, as in an exercise drink.
Another advantage of maltodextrin is that it can be combined with whey protein for a very high-intensity post-exercise drink. This time, a corn maltodextrin at DE 19, will enable faster glucose absorption and insulin secretion, and help energy recovery as a complement to protein.
Use during exercise
With its direct impact on fatigue, blood sugar management is essential in endurance disciplines such as cycling, marathon running, triathlon and trail running.
That's why maltodextrin is often used in these sports. It provides the body with a source of special carbohydrates, different from simple sugars.
The aim of these physical activities is to maintain a high energy intake over a long period.
To avoid exhaustion, it's important to supply the body with energy on a regular basis, avoiding hypertonic drinks that cause gastrointestinal problems. The maltodextrin used in the solution makes it possible to obtain a carbohydrate-rich drink, without it being hypertonic or tasting too sweet.
We detail the correct dosages of maltodextrin in this other article.
Improving sports performance
Thanks to its ability to quickly provide a source of carbohydrates, maltodextrin supports and enhances sporting performance.
Pre-exercise use
By consuming maltodextrin for 2 to 3 days before intense exercise, glycogen stores are increased. This maximizes performance through greater consumption of endogenous carbohydrates.
Did you know?
Glycogen is the body's glucose reserve (endogenous). It is essential for maintaining energy levels during prolonged exercise.
If these reserves are depleted and external carbohydrates are not provided, the athlete reaches a state of intense fatigue known as " the wall ", forcing him or her to stop the effort.
To avoid this, you need to maximize your endogenous stores before exercise, and provide your body with sufficient exogenous glucose during exercise, depending on its duration.
Post-training recovery
When consumed post-workout with protein, maltodextrin helps replenish glycogen reserves and optimizes protein synthesis for optimal muscle recovery.
Here's a table summarizing the use of maltodextrin in different types of sport.
| Maltodextrin consumption : | |||
| Before exertion | During exercise | After exercise | |
| Endurance sports | For 2 to 3 days before a major effort. Choose DE bas. | As an exercise drink with other carbohydrates / electrolytes / vitamin C. | With proteins, opt for a high DE after high-intensity exercise. |
| In weight training | No particular interest. | Maltodextrin in bodybuilding is unnecessary, except in the case of long training sessions. | In a gainer to increase carbohydrate and calorie intake (as a complement to the diet). |
Tolerance
Generally speaking, maltodextrin is very well tolerated, but you may wish to consult our dossier dedicated to possible allergies depending on the source of the maltodextrin. For example, we discuss the possible presence of gluten in wheat-based maltodextrin.
Easy to digest
Unlike other carbohydrates, maltodextrin has a low osmolarity. This means it can be absorbed quickly and easily, despite a high carbohydrate intake. As a result, the risk of digestive problems is much lower than with hypertonic mixes based on monosaccharides.
Use by sensitive people
Although maltodextrin is not considered a sugar, it does raise blood sugar levels more or less rapidly, depending on its type. The effects of this glycemic peak should, of course, be monitored in diabetic patients.
It must therefore be taken in conjunction with sport, and its effects on blood sugar levels monitored in the same way as any other carbohydrate ingredient.
Organic cassava maltodextrin
Natural, organic carbohydrate and vitamin C solution. Standardized without doping substances. Additive-free and gluten-free.
"(...) Very well tolerated for me, even with increased doses."
Cyril B. (guaranteed review)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Applications in clinical nutrition
The benefits of maltodextrin don't stop at sports. Maltodextrin supplementation is also used in clinical nutrition, to meet the specific nutritional needs of certain patients.
Increased caloric intake
The nutritional benefits of maltodextrin make it an effective treatment for patients suffering from malnutrition. Providing calories and energy, it enriches meals without overloading the stomach, improving the patient's nutritional status.
Support for medical treatments
Maltodextrin is also used as a nutritional supplement in specific clinical contexts, helping to maintain energy and recovery in certain patients.
This is particularly the case in cancer treatment, where clinical nutrition helps to improve the efficacy and tolerance of drugs.
For example, maltodextrin-based enteral nutrition can be useful for patients undergoing chemotherapy who are unable to eat conventionally. This solution provides them with an adapted and essential supply of nutrients.
How do you choose your maltodextrin?
To reap the benefits of maltodextrin, you need to analyze several criteria.
- The use of malto: to prepare for a sports competition, it's best to opt for a low DE raw malto (10), in addition to a diet rich in low GI carbohydrates.
On the other hand, when preparing a sports drink, it's best to choose a product based on maltodextrin but containing other types of carbohydrate, electrolytes and vitamin C.
- DE - Dextrose Equivalent: the higher the DE (close to 20), the faster and greater the effect of the malto on blood sugar levels. Maltos with a DE of 10 are preferable for effort drinks, glycogen loads (pre-exercise) and daily gainer-type drinks. Cassava maltodextrin DE10 is ideal for these purposes. On the other hand, a high DE maltodextrin (19) will be perfect for occasional use in very high-intensity post-exercise , with protein.
Product composition: certified organic maltodextrins are preferable, as they are not produced using chemical processes. As with protein products, we advise against choosing products that include additives, which would spoil the benefits of maltodextrin.
