Waxy maize and cyclic dextrin are often mentioned in the same breath, and for good reason: highly branched cyclic dextrin (HBCD) is actually made from waxy maize amylopectin. But processing changes how it behaves, and that changes how you should use each one.
How they're made
Waxy maize starch is the native starch from waxy corn, dried and milled into powder. It's typically 90–99% amylopectin.
Highly branched cyclic dextrin starts with that same amylopectin, then uses a branching enzyme to reshape it into a large, ring-shaped, highly branched molecule. The best-known brand of the ingredient is Cluster Dextrin, developed by the Japanese company Glico. It has a very high molecular weight and very low osmolality, and it dissolves easily.
How they behave in your body
Plain waxy maize has been shown in humans to give a slower, flatter blood sugar and insulin rise than maltodextrin and sugar. It's a steady-release carb.
Cyclic dextrin was designed for comfortable drinking during exercise. Its low osmolality means a drink made with it pulls less water into the gut, and a 2005 study in the International Journal of Sports Medicine looked at how fluids containing it influence how fast the stomach empties. In practice, it's the carb that matches waxy maize's old marketing much more closely.
Side by side
| Waxy maize | Cyclic dextrin | |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Waxy corn | Waxy maize amylopectin, enzyme-treated |
| Blood sugar rise | Slower, flatter | Moderate, steady |
| Best timing | Before training, in shakes | During long training |
| Taste | Almost none | Almost none |
| Cost per 50 g carbs | Low | Several times higher |
Which one should you buy?
- You lift and want easy carbs or calories: waxy maize, like Myprotein 100% Waxy Maize. Cyclic dextrin's advantages don't matter much for this, and it costs far more.
- You do long endurance sessions or train for hours: cyclic dextrin for drinking during, or a standard glucose-fructose sports drink.
- You want steady energy before a long ride or run: plain waxy maize, or a modified starch like UCAN SuperStarch.
The takeaway
Same corn, different jobs. Use waxy maize as a cheap, steady carb outside of training, and save cyclic dextrin for the bottle you drink while you train.
Compare all the options on our carb comparison page.