Butyric acid is a fatty acid created when the beneficial bacteria in your gut break down dietary fiber. It also exists in small amounts in some foods like vegetable oils and animal fats. Butyric acid has numerous benefits to gut health and can play a role in repairing the gut lining. In this article, we will explore butyric acid benefits in depth.
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When the beneficial bacteria in your gut break down dietary fiber, they produce a short-chain fatty acid called butyric acid, also known as butyrate and butanoic acid. This fatty acid is also present in some foods, like animal fats and vegetable oils.
Short-chain fatty acids are fatty acids that come from when beneficial bacteria break down dietary fiber, and butyric acid is one of the three most common short-chain fatty acids in the gut. The two most common short-chain fatty acids are propionic acid and acetic acid. Together these three fatty acids compose up to 95% of the short-chain fatty acids in your gut.
Short-chain fatty acids like butyric acid provide colon cells with energy. Short-chain fatty acids also modulate the tissue metabolism of carbohydrates and lipids. As a result, short-chain fatty acids can improve gut health, from maintaining intestinal barrier integrity and mucus production to protecting against inflammation and preventing digestive disorders and diseases.
While gut bacteria produce butyric acid, many people have disrupted gut microbiomes that can limit butyric acid production. Butyric acid is in foods in small amounts; however, the amounts are not significant enough to provide many benefits. Because of this, butyric acid supplements can be a great support to restoring gut health in numerous ways.
There are many butyric acid benefits. Some of the top butyric acid uses include:
Your gut lining is a single-cell thick wall that allows nutrients to pass through your bloodstream while keeping toxins out. However, poor diet, gut inflammation, Candida overgrowth, and imbalances in the gut microbiome can create tiny holes in the gut lining. When this happens, toxins and undigested food particles pass through your blood. This condition is known as intestinal permeability or leaky gut syndrome.
When someone has leaky gut syndrome, toxins leaking into the bloodstream get distributed throughout the body. As a result, they can impact the health of major organs and tissues. The body recognizes the food particles that pass through as pathogens to the immune system. The immune system then creates antibodies that attack these food particles whenever they enter the body. This immune response leads to food allergies and sensitivities that you never had before. In fact, according to research by Harvard Medical School, leaky gut is at the root of numerous health conditions.
Butyric Acid is a powerful compound that fights leaky gut by helping to repair the gut lining. It produces short-chain fatty acids that restore damaged intestinal tissue.
Butyric acid also acts on the fungal stage of candida, destroying the root-like structures that penetrate the gut lining and contribute to a leaky gut.
A leaky gut can contribute to numerous health conditions, such as:
Butyric acid can play a crucial role in healing leaky gut when used as part of a more comprehensive GI protocol.
Inflammation is a natural process of the body and is a significant function of your immune system. When your body is injured or at risk of infection from toxins or pathogens, your body has a localized inflammatory response that plays a critical role in healing.
Short-term inflammation is beneficial; however, if inflammation persists over time, it can become chronic and detrimental to your health. For example, chronic inflammation in the gut can disrupt digestive health and be harmful to the gut lining. Chronic gut inflammation is a major contributing factor to the leaky gut syndrome.
Not only can butyric acid help heal leaky gut and repair the gut lining, but it can also lower the inflammation that is a major cause of leaky gut syndrome. Of course, it is essential to focus on removing things from your diet and lifestyle that may contribute to a leaky gut in the first place. Still, butyric acid may play a beneficial role in keeping gut inflammation levels low and supporting gut healing.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common digestive disorder that affects the large intestine. People with irritable bowel syndrome may suffer from cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea or constipation, or both.
Chron’s disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that affects the lining of the digestive tract. It can cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, weight loss, fatigue, and anemia.
Candida is a type of yeast that naturally lives in your body in small amounts. Typically, the good bacteria in your gut and your immune system keep Candida levels under control. However, when the balance of good bacteria to yeast is not balanced, candida can grow out of control and lead to a Candida infection.
Candida yeast is single-celled fungi. When candida can grow beyond normal levels, they take on a pathogenic fungal form that travels up the intestinal wall. This form of candida can penetrate the gut lining, leading to leaky gut syndrome.
Butyric acid helps preserve the strength and integrity of the gut lining and may contain antifungal properties that can kill the fungal stage of candida. Supplementing with butyric acid may play a beneficial role in treating Candida infections and restoring damage to the gut lining caused by candida.
Some research has also shown that butyric acid may influence inflammatory markers in the liver. However, the underlying mechanism of butyric acid’s effect on liver health is still uncertain.
While butyric acid is primarily produced in the gut by beneficial bacteria, certain foods contain butyric acid. Some of the top butyric acid foods include:
Ghee and butter are the best butyric acid-rich foods as they are particularly high in short-chain fatty acids. Milk is another food rich in butyric acid. There are small amounts of butyric acid in chocolate, but only in milk chocolate, as the butyric acid exists in the milk fats. There is no butyric acid in the chocolate itself.
In the gut, butyric acid is produced by beneficial bacteria when they break down dietary fiber. Therefore, including more dietary fiber in your diet may improve butyric acid production. In addition, supplementing with high-quality probiotics may also increase the beneficial bacteria in your gut.
Prebiotic foods contain resistant starches that your body can’t break down but relies on bacteria to break down. Foods that are high in resistant starches are the best foods to consume for increasing natural butyric acid production. Some of the best prebiotic foods include:
Arabinogalactan is another highly beneficial prebiotic that comes from the larch tree and can help to increase natural butyric acid production.
While there are some butyric acid foods, supplementing with butyric acid can provide more amounts of butyric acid than those found in food, allowing you to receive more of the benefits of this beneficial fatty acid.
There is no research suggesting any side effects to supplementing with butyric acid or eating butyric acid foods. However, avoid supplementing with butyric acid if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Always consult a licensed doctor before taking dietary supplements, especially if you have pre-existing health conditions.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov//
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/leaky-gut-what-is-it-and-what-does-it-mean-for-you-
https://scholar.harvard.edu/pushpanathan/publications/leaky-gut-syndrome-mystery-illness-triggered-candida-albicans
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK/
This article is based on scientific evidence, written by experts and fact checked by experts.
Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strive to be objective, unbiased, honest and to present both sides of the argument.
This article contains scientific references. The numbers in the parentheses (1, 2, 3) are clickable links to peer-reviewed scientific papers.
Written by Dr. Michael Ruscio, DC on May 1,
Written by Dr. Michael Ruscio, DC on May 1, — Reviewed by Hannah Wright
Butyrate has become a popular term in the world of gut health. Butyrate supplements are often marketed as solutions for gut issues, based on their potential benefits for the digestive system.
But does research back the benefits of butyrate supplements? Let’s take a look at butyrate, its functions, and whether upping your intake by taking supplemental butyrate will deliver on its promises.
Butyrate (butyric acid) is a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA). That means it’s a type of “good fat,” though it’s not widely found in food. Butter is the best food source, but most of the butyrate in our bodies is produced by bacteria in the bowels 1.
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Beneficial gut bacteria in the colon ferment (break down) fiber and carbohydrates—prebiotics like resistant starch—that the gastrointestinal tract can’t digest. This fermentation process makes SCFAs as byproducts. Of these, butyrate is the most well-known, but other common SCFAs include propionate and acetate.
If you’re into the scientific details (like I am), some of the main bacteria responsible for producing butyrate—accounting for about 5–10% of bacteria in the human gut—include 2:
Butyrate-producing bacteria are key to gut health. The butyrate they make helps block harmful microbes from taking hold by keeping the gut environment low in oxygen, which harmful bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli need 3.
Butyrate also fuels gut cells and triggers the production of natural germ-fighting compounds like cathelicidins and reuterin. These substances help keep the balance of good microbes in check and prevent infections 3.
A popular theory is that taking probiotics will increase butyrate levels and improve gut health. But the research we have so far doesn’t strongly support that. Instead, studies suggest that probiotics may increase butyrate levels a little, but not enough to be meaningful 4 5 6.
Since the jury is still out on the benefits of supplementing with probiotics that make butyrate, what about supplementing with butyrate directly? Let’s break down where butyrate supplements (aka sodium butyrate) seem to provide benefit—and where they may be less than helpful.
They may improve weight and metabolic health.
A randomized controlled trial (gold standard of human studies) found that people with obesity who took sodium butyrate supplements for eight weeks had greater reductions in weight, BMI, waist size, blood sugar, and “bad” (LDL) cholesterol than those who took a placebo 7.
They may reduce symptoms of ulcerative colitis.
A randomized controlled trial showed that people with active ulcerative colitis—an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)—who took sodium butyrate supplements for 12 weeks had lower inflammation, a healthier circadian rhythm, and better sleep and quality of life than those who took a placebo 8.
Another trial supported these findings: It found that sodium butyrate supplements can increase gut bacteria that produce anti-inflammatory SCFAs, which may reduce inflammation and improve quality of life for people with IBD 9.
They may support a healthier gut microbiome.
Randomized controlled trials show that sodium butyrate supplements can increase the levels of beneficial gut microbes such as Akkermansia muciniphila, Butyricicoccus, and Lachnospiraceae 9 10.
They may relieve symptoms of IBS.
A randomized controlled trial involving 60 patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) found that those who took sodium butyrate for 12 weeks had less abdominal pain, constipation, and pain during bowel movements than those who took a placebo 11.
They may help reduce episodes of diverticulitis.
A randomized controlled trial found that diverticulosis patients who took sodium butyrate for 12 months had fewer diverticulitis episodes (acutely inflamed pouches in the intestine) and better quality of life than those who took a placebo 12.
They may protect against traveler’s diarrhea.
A randomized controlled trial found that travellers who took sodium butyrate and other SCFAs for three days before their trip—and while traveling—had fewer occurrences of traveller’s diarrhea than those who took a placebo 13.
Note that all these potential benefits are supported by well-designed studies, but they’re pretty small and sparse. That means we don’t yet have a large body of evidence showing that butyrate supplements are especially beneficial.
They may raise cholesterol and insulin in type 2 diabetes.
A randomized controlled trial showed that people with type 2 diabetes who took sodium butyrate for six weeks had lower blood pressure and blood sugar after meals, but they also had higher cholesterol and insulin compared to those who took a placebo. Though we need more studies to be sure, in this study butyrate supplements weren’t clearly better than placebo—in some ways they may have been worse 14.
Elevated butyrate is linked to worse metabolic health in some people.
An observational (data comparison) study found that people with higher butyrate levels in their poop samples were significantly associated with 15:
Note that this observational study cannot tell us whether:
Some researchers believe that butyrate may contribute to obesity, but until we understand how it works, we can’t make that call 16.
Because the research on supplementation is mixed, it might be better to simply get your butyrate the old-fashioned way—through your diet—before investing in a butyrate supplement.
As I mentioned earlier, butyrate isn’t found directly in food—instead, your gut bacteria make it by fermenting (breaking down) prebiotic fibers, particularly resistant starch. Here are some foods that are great sources of resistant starch:
*Tip for increasing resistant starch in potatoes and rice: Cooked and then thoroughly cooled rice and potatoes (such as leftovers) have more resistant starch than when they’re freshly prepared.
Additionally, eating a variety of fruits and vegetables rich in fermentable fibers can encourage a healthy population of butyrate-producing bacteria in your gut. Some examples include:
What does all this mean? There’s no simple equation that says high butyrate equals good gut health and low butyrate equals poor gut health.
In some cases, high butyrate levels might actually signal gut problems, like inflammation or a leaky gut 17 18.
What’s more, people with digestive issues might hear that butyrate is great and start loading up on fiber and prebiotic supplements to boost it—thinking it will help. But that can backfire.
Although a high-fiber diet is good for a healthy gut, it can make symptoms worse for people with sensitive guts or existing problems, like bloating or IBS.
Research shows that for many people with gut issues, particularly IBS, a low FODMAP diet (which restricts certain fermentable carbs and their fibers), can significantly reduce symptoms and improve gut health. This is true even though a low FODMAP diet can reduce the diversity of gut bacteria and how much butyrate they produce 19 20.
So, although eating a high-fiber diet (which is also high in FODMAPs) might sound ideal in theory, real-world clinical evidence supports limiting certain fibers for those with sensitive or compromised guts. For example, an umbrella meta-analysis (a study of many meta-analyses) found that a low FODMAP diet can improve stool consistency, frequency, overall gut discomfort, and quality of life in people with IBS 21.
We have found this to be true in the clinic. After our clients follow a temporary low FODMAP diet (while taking probiotics and building a gut-supportive lifestyle) for 4–6 weeks, they start to tolerate foods that certain bacteria can use to make butyrate.
Every step—starting with this gentle diet and adding in probiotics (more on that next)—helps build a healthier gut, which becomes more capable of processing a diverse diet that feeds butyrate-producing bacteria.
Although the evidence for probiotics and butyrate supplements boosting butyrate levels is inconsistent, the research on the benefits of probiotics for gut problems is pretty solid.
Before experimenting with butyrate supplements for gut health, we recommend that our clients who struggle with inflammation, gut dysbiosis, and other gut issues take a well-formulated broad-spectrum probiotic supplement.
Why? Extensive research shows that probiotics can:
To choose a quality probiotic, look for one that is:
Butyrate undoubtedly plays an important role in gut health. For people with a healthy gut, eating a varied diet rich in plant fibers and prebiotics is usually enough to support natural butyrate production—no need for a butyrate supplement.
However, for those with gut problems like IBS, research shows that reducing fermentable carbs and fiber with a low FODMAP diet—while using probiotics—can help calm the gut. This makes it easier later on to handle a more varied diet that feeds the good bacteria that make butyrate.
If you’re looking for more gut health support, you can check out my book, Healthy Gut, Healthy You, which has a comprehensive step-by-step plan for gut healing. Or, for more individualized healthcare support, please reach out and request a consultation.
The Ruscio Institute has developed a range of high-quality formulations to help our clients and audience. If you’re interested in learning more about these products, please click here. Note that there are many other options available, and we encourage you to research which products may be right for you. The information on DrRuscio.com is for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Dr. Michael Ruscio is a DC, natural health provider, researcher, and clinician. He serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Bridgeport and has published numerous papers in scientific journals as well as the book Healthy Gut, Healthy You. He also founded the Ruscio Institute of Functional Health, where he helps patients with a wide range of GI conditions and serves as the Head of Research.