Butyrate (also called butyric acid when in its acid form) is a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) that plays a crucial role in gut health, inflammation regulation, and metabolic function.
🧪 What Is Butyrate?
- Chemically: A 4-carbon fatty acid (C₄H₈O₂).
- It’s produced in your colon when gut bacteria ferment dietary fiber — especially resistant starch and prebiotics.
- Found in small amounts in foods like butter, ghee, cheese, and fermented foods.
🧠 Why Butyrate Matters: Key Benefits
✅ 1. Fuels Colon Cells
- Butyrate is the primary energy source for colonocytes (cells lining your colon).
- Supports intestinal barrier integrity — reducing “leaky gut.”
✅ 2. Anti-Inflammatory
- Inhibits inflammatory pathways like NF-κB.
- Promotes regulatory T-cell function, helping immune balance.
✅ 3. Supports Metabolic Health
- Helps regulate insulin sensitivity and fat metabolism.
- May reduce risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and colorectal cancer.
✅ 4. Brain-Gut Axis
- Emerging research shows butyrate may impact brain health, mood, and cognition via the gut-brain axis.
🥦 How to Naturally Boost Butyrate
- Eat more fiber, especially:
- Resistant starch (cooled potatoes, green bananas)
- Prebiotic fibers (onions, garlic, leeks, chicory)
- Fermented foods (kimchi, kefir)
- Consider butyrate supplements (e.g., sodium butyrate), though they often have unpleasant odor/taste and are still being studied.
🔬 Related SCFAs:
- Acetate and propionate are also made by gut microbes.
- Butyrate is the most anti-inflammatory and colon-supportive of the three.