What is butyrate and what does it do to your health?
What is butyrate?
Butyrate is one of several short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) produced by our microbiome through the fermentation of certain foods. Butyrate, which is named for its four-carbon chemical structure, is produced when “good” bacteria in the gut help the body break down dietary pre-biotics such as polyphenols and fiber in the colon. 
So when we eat foods that are rich in fiber, polyphenols, and prebiotics, our gut microbes love it. These types of foods take a little longer to break down and the fermentation process produced by our microbes allows us to extract the most nutrients we can out of our foods. The fermentation process unlocks these nutrients that would otherwise be inaccessible.
The SCFAs — especially butyrate — are then released into our bodies to promote our health.
Why is butyrate beneficial?
Butyrate is generally considered to be good for gut health and overall health.
Butyrate is a primary fuel source for the cells in the colon’s lining. It plays a crucial role in supporting the growth and maintenance of the colon cells, which can help prevent leaky gut syndrome and other digestive disorders.
The anti-inflammatory properties of butyrate can help reduce inflammation in the gut and prevent conditions such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Studies have also shown that butyrate can be linked to the prevention of colon cancer. It appears to promote the differentiation of colon cells, which can help prevent the development of cancerous cells.
Additionally, butyrate has been shown to increase the production of certain proteins that can help protect the colon cells from DNA damage and oxidative stress.
But, all of the butyrate’s beneficial effects don’t just reside in the gut.
Butyrate has also been shown to regulate blood sugar by improving insulin sensitivity. It does this through pancreatic gene expression. This can help reduce the risk of developing diabetes and other metabolic disorders.
Finally, butyrate has neuroprotective effects. It promotes the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which is a protein that is essential for proper brain functioning. This can help protect against neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
Now with all of this positivity, you’re probably thinking, “Let me get a ton more butyrate in my body.” But butyrate, like everything else, should be had in certain doses.
How much butyrate should we aim for?
Unlike blood sugar levels, there isn’t an easy, at-home test to check your butyrate levels. But it isn’t necessary either. Your doctor is able to test your levels and let you know what is normal or not. That being said, there is no specific recommended daily or weekly intake of butyrate itself.
Butyrate (and other SCFA) testing is often done from a stool sample. Though output through stool and circulating SCFA levels can differ and mean different things.
Symptoms that you should test your butyrate levels can include:
- Impaired immune function — getting sick more frequently, difficulty recovering from illness
- Leaky gut
- Bloating
- Gas
- Gastrointestinal distress especially diarrhea
- Reduced Insulin sensitivity
- Obesity
- IBS, IBD, or Crohn’s
- Behavioral issues
- Metabolic problems
- Brain fog
How to get more butyrate
Although there is ongoing research, it appears that you can’t just take a butyrate supplement to get the benefits of this important short-chain fatty acid. One potential challenge with butyrate supplements is their absorption and bioavailability.
Butyrate is rapidly metabolized in the body and can be broken down in the stomach and small intestine before it reaches the colon, where it is normally produced by the gut microbiome. If it never reaches this area it doesn’t give you the benefits you’re trying to get.
Instead, focus on consuming a diet rich in polyphenols and prebiotic fibers that can promote the production of butyrate in the gut. Foods high in polyphenols and prebiotic fibers include whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds.
Incorporating these foods into your diet can help support butyrate production and promote gut health. Additionally, spore-based probiotic supplements can help to increase the number of beneficial bacteria in the gut, which can also help to increase butyrate production.
Aim for getting the daily recommended amount of dietary fiber to ensure healthy butyrate levels.
- 25 grams/day for women
- 35 grams/day for men
Low-FODMAP diet and butyrate
Knowing that butyrate comes from dietary fiber, means that some people may have a difficult time getting enough butyrate — leading to more health complications. If you’re on the low-FODMAP diet you are in this category which might give you some concerns.
First things first, you shouldn’t be on this diet long-term. So while you’ll experience a dip in your levels, getting your digestive health to a point where you can eat — and tolerate — these foods is the most important thing.
So your first goal is to only be on the low-FODMAP diet for a short enough period of time that you get everything under control. Not long enough to cause more damage to your health.
While this might sound difficult to discern, communicating with your doctor will help you know when is the right time for everything.
Now, sometimes it isn’t that easy, and we understand that.
Our best suggestion to ensure you’re getting prebiotics — which can provide you with butyrate and other SCFA — would be to use Atrantil daily.
Atrantil is a polyphenol-filled supplement that supports a healthy microbiome. It has polyphenols, prebiotics, and postbiotics (like SCFA) that help to heal your gut. By reducing inflammation, reducing methane-producing bacteria and archaebacteria, and helping the cells to repair themselves and their surrounding structures, Atrantil is the go-to for getting these essential molecules while still being gentle on your gut.
Atrantil was created to help people who suffer from digestive symptoms to calm the gut, feed the good bacteria, starve the bad, and enhance their health — especially while on or without being on the low-FODMAP diet.
Ready to try Atrantil for yourself? Grab yours here.
Butyrate is an important part of our health, but it isn’t the only thing we can do to keep us in a healthy state while trying to get to optimal health. Do what you can day by day and you’ll get there for sure.