What are resistant starch’s main drawbacks?

RS is generally considered safe and tends to be well-tolerated. Side effects are usually gastrointestinal in nature, including flatulence, bloating, diarrhea, and abdominal discomfort (particularly at higher doses of RS).^[1][2] These occur largely because of the gas produced during bacterial fermentation, and starting at a lower dose and increasing over time can help improve tolerance.

One major limitation of RS is how variable its effect can be between individuals. Many of the potential benefits of RS are due to its interactions with the gut microbiome, but the microbes in the gut can vary greatly between different people, which could lead to inconsistent and unpredictable effects. It is not yet clear who might benefit the most from RS supplementation.^[1][3]