Butyrate may be beneficial to:
- Support a healthy gut microbiome
- Improve digestion
- Promote bowel movement regularity
- Strengthen the gut barrier
- Promote healthy brain function
Short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), particularly butyrate, were shown to regulate cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Indeed, butyrate is the major fuel for colonic epithelial cells, and it can influence cell proliferation through the release of growth factors or gastrointestinal peptides such as gastrin, or through modulation of mucosal blood flow. Lastly, SCFA can act directly on genes regulating cell proliferation, and butyrate is the main SCFA to display such an effect.