Butyrate
OtherA short-chain fatty acid produced by gut bacteria from fiber; primary fuel of colon cells, suppresses inflammatory reaction, and signals immune system that good bacteria are present.
Food Sources
Foods that contain Butyrate.
- Ghee
Milk fat in ghee contains butyric acid
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
Health Benefits
Health conditions that Butyrate may influence, based on research.
Protects Against
- Osteoarthritis
Dripping butyrate on cartilage from joint replacement patients significantly suppressed inflammatory cartilage loss in vitro | Sodium butyrate abolishes degradation of type II collagen in human chondrocytes; cereal-based fiber evening meal increases plasma butyrate next morning
Source: How Not to Age
- Blood-Brain Barrier Dysfunction
Butyrate maintains and repairs blood-brain barrier; germ-free mice have leaky barriers restored by butyrate or fiber-eating bacteria
Source: How Not to Age
- Aging
Of all the compounds tested thus far, the most consistently positive results in many studies seem to be from butyrate, so this might be our best bet
Source: How We Age
- Cognitive decline
Oral administration of sodium butyrate increased the level of circulating FGF21, the hormone that appears to keep animals youthful; increases in butyrate levels might be responsible for increased BDNF
Source: How We Age
Improves
- Alzheimer's disease
Sodium butyrate reduces brain amyloid-beta and improves memory in Alzheimer's mouse models
Source: How Not to Age
Reduces Risk Of
- Cardiovascular Disease
Butyrate reduces propensity towards cardiovascular diseases and cancers
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
- Cancer
Butyrate reduces propensity towards cardiovascular diseases and cancers
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
Biological Mechanisms
How Butyrate works at a cellular level.
- PromotesReduces inflammation
Suppresses inflammatory reaction and tells immune system to stand down. Exerts broad anti-inflammatory activities throughout the body. | Butyrate docks on receptors on inflammatory immune cells and turns them off; a single high-fiber meal improves lung function in asthmatics within hours | Butyrate inhibits IL-12 and up-regulates IL-10 production; regulates intestinal macrophage function
- PromotesBoosts BDNF Levels
Butyrate increases BDNF expression in mice; rye groats boost both butyrate and BDNF
- PromotesReduces Amyloid Accumulation
Butyrate inhibits neurotoxic clumping of amyloid beta in vitro; profoundly reduces amyloid in mouse Alzheimer's model; may prevent amyloid from entering brain
- PromotesProtects blood-brain barrier
Gut microbiota-produced butyrate influences blood-brain barrier permeability in mice
- PromotesIncreases BDNF
Sodium butyrate transforms subthreshold learning event into long-term memory via BDNF-dependent mechanism in animal study
- PromotesStimulates growth of new brain cells via BDNF signaling
Increases in butyrate levels might be responsible for increased activity of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is associated with neurogenesis
- SupportsStrengthens gut barrier and tight junctions
Butyrate is the major energy source for the colonic epithelium that is significantly reduced in elderly people. SCFAs like butyrate are important energy sources for gut epithelial cells which keep the gut healthy.
- PromotesSuppresses NF-kB signaling that drives cancer growth
Butyrate inhibits NF-kB, IFN-gamma, and PPAR-gamma; minimizes transfer of LPS from gut to circulation
- PromotesEpigenetic Regulation of Aging Genes
Butyrate is an inhibitor of the histone deacetylase HDAC, which plays a key role in aging at the cellular level
Sources
- How Not to Age
- Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
- How We Age