Butyric acid is a fatty acid that is formed in the human body when intestinal bacteria break down undigested carbohydrates. Butyrate has a protective function in the body and can alleviate unpleasant gastrointestinal discomforts that occur in people with inflammatory bowel disease. Too little butyric acid in the body can lead to gastrointestinal problems, which is why proper diet and supplementation are so important, especially for intestinal diseases and intestinal flora disorders.
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Butyric acid (also butanoic acid) is a short-chain saturated fatty acid that is formed in the body during the fermentation of undigested carbohydrates. Its sources include lactose, inulin, oligofructose, non-starchy polysaccharides and resistant starch, among others. Butyric acid is formed as a result of the bacterial fermentation process that occurs in the large intestine. Carbohydrates that were not previously absorbed in the small intestine are metabolized.
Due to the fact that butyric acid is an unstable compound and has a specific smell, it is not used in the pharmaceutical industry in its pure form. Much more often sodium butyrate is used, i.e. the sodium salt of butyric acid, which is more durable and does not emit a characteristic smell. After ingestion, sodium butyrate is converted to butyric acid in the intestine.
In general, butyric acid supports the health of the digestive system. It ensures proper intestinal microbiome and contributes to the nourishment of colon epithelial cells. Moreover, it can ensure the integrity of the intestinal mucosa and reduce intestinal barrier dysfunction. In addition, it also shows anti-inflammatory properties. It supports the proliferation of intestinal mucosal epithelial cells and accelerates their regeneration. It improves insulin sensitivity, normalizes bacterial flora and regulates bowel movement rhythm.
Butyric acid has a beneficial effect on the mucous membrane of the large intestine, so it is worth ensuring that its levels in the body are adequate. That is why people suffering from inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, leaky gut syndrome and recurrent diarrhea in consultation with their doctor should consider taking sodium butyrate.
Irritable bowel syndrome is a condition that significantly impedes daily functioning. Intestinal motility disorders occurring with it very often result in diarrhea, constipation, bloating, abdominal pain or irregular bowel movement rhythm.
Researchers indicate that taking supplements containing sodium butyrate may provide relief in patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome. Patients who took butyric acid regularly experienced milder abdominal pain.
In inflammatory bowel diseases, such as ulcerative colitis, patients struggle with chronic intestinal inflammation, which is exacerbated by various factors, such as inadequate diet.
Taking butyric acid supplements in patients with ulcerative colitis and other intestinal diseases accelerates epithelial regeneration and strengthens the protective barrier, thus supporting gastrointestinal health and alleviating symptoms of inflammation.
Butyric acid also has an antioxidant effect. May promote the proliferation of healthy colonocytes, reduce the growth of colon cancer cells and increase their mortality rate. None of the other short-chain fatty acids show this effect. Eating plenty of fiber-rich foods or supplementing with sodium butyrate may help reduce the likelihood of colon and intestinal cancer.
Taking sodium butyrate supports the process of water and sodium absorption in the intestines and regulates the rhythm of bowel movements. In addition, it reduces the colonization of harmful pathogens, so it can support the body in the fight against diarrhea.
As we have already mentioned, butyric acid is synthesized in the human body by intestinal bacteria also known as butyric bacteria or butyric fermentation bacteria. The bacteria involved in this process include anaerobic bacteria of the genus Clostridium &#; Clostridium butyricum and Clostridium pasteurianum. Their job is to break down polysaccharides into simple sugars. Among other things, butter bacteria break down fiber, pectin and starch.
The largest amounts of butyric acid in the human body are synthesized from resistant starch, which, unlike traditional starch, does not undergo enzymatic digestion. Resistant starch is formed by when heating products with starch, e.g. when cooking potatoes, groats, rice. This type of starch occurs naturally in unripe bananas and the walls of seeds and nuts. Fermentation of resistant starch takes place in the large intestine with the participation of butyric bacteria.
We can also find butyric acid directly in food. Its main sources are fresh milk, butter, cheese and other dairy products, as well as pickles, such as sauerkraut or pickled cucumbers. Unfortunately, the amount of this ingredient in food is very limited and does not have the same health-promoting effect as butyric acid formed in the digestive tract.
In the food industry, butyric acid is used during cheese fermentation.
Improper diet may be associated with a number of side effects. Important for the synthesis of butyric acid in the digestive system is the consumption of foods rich in resistant starch. The ingredient enters the large intestine unchanged. There, butyric acid is formed as a result of bacterial fermentation. Foods containing high amounts of resistant starch are mainly green bananas, potatoes, brown rice, cooked lentils, cereal grains, seeds and wheat bran.
Butyric acid is digested in the upper sections of the digestive tract, even before reaching the intestines. For this reason, taking it in the form of a supplement does not bring the desired results. Instead of butyric acid, in the supplements we can find sodium butyrate in a micro-coat, which allows the active substance to reach all the way to the small intestine and large intestine.
In patients with intestinal flora disorders and inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract, the benefits of butyric acid are undeniable. Butyrate-containing preparations in the form of encapsulated sodium butyrate support the intestinal microbiome, have a beneficial effect on intestinal motility, and may slow the growth of cancer cells, reducing the risk of cancer development.
The use of sodium butyrate preparations can also bring health benefits to people with excess pounds. Butyric acid can be used in the fight against obesity. In addition, it shows anti-inflammatory effects and protects the intestinal epithelium.
Butyric acid in dietary supplement form is most often available in capsule form. The dosage of sodium butyrate should depend on, among other things, the age and health of the patient. The most commonly recommended dose of this ingredient belonging to short-chain fatty acids is 150-300 mg per day.
In some cases, the recommended dosage of butyric acid can be higher and as high as 1,500 mg per day. There are dietary supplements on the market with a higher than standard dose of butyrate. An excellent example is OstroVit Sodium Butyrate capsules. A single serving of the agent contains as much as 600 mg of the active ingredient. Such a high dose will work especially in people with irritable bowel syndrome or those complaining about unpleasant ailments from the gastrointestinal tract.
Taking butyric acid in the form of a dietary supplement is very occasionally associated with side effects. Although the use of butyric acid can cause allergic reactions, they are extremely rare. Sodium butyrate is well tolerated by most people. However, be sure not to exceed the daily dose of the supplement.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women should not take sodium butyrate supplementation on their own. Taking butyric acid is worth discussing with your doctor.
Although sodium butyrate still hides many secrets, in recent years there has been increasing knowledge of this compound that undergoes transformation by bacterial fermentation. Butyric acid not only supports intestinal health, but can also act as an auxiliary in the course of numerous gastrointestinal diseases, such as IBS.
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You may not have realized it, but chances are you&#;ve consumed something called butyric acid before, and believe it or not, your body produces it as well. It&#;s true &#; butyric acid, also known as butanoic acid or BTA, is a saturated short-chain fatty acid found in butter, ghee, raw milk, animal fats and plant oils.
It&#;s also formed in and therefore found in our colons through the bacterial fermentation of carbohydrates like dietary fiber. Butyric acid supports the health and healing of cells in the small and large intestine. It&#;s also the favored source of fuel for the cells lining the interior of the large intestine or colon. (1)
The BTA content in ghee is one of the main components that provides all those wonderful ghee benefits. Consuming butyric acid in foods like ghee or in supplement form has been shown to aid digestion, calm inflammation and improve overall gastrointestinal health.
People who suffer from irritable bowl syndrome and Crohn&#;s disease have been shown to benefit from butyric acid, and studies show promise when it comes to diabetes and insulin resistance too. BTA is also known as a potential anticancer fatty acid, especially when it comes to colon cancer. (2)
I&#;m excited to tell you more about this extremely interesting fatty acid and how it can improve your overall health &#; and how it already is without you even knowing it!
What Is Butyric Acid?Butyric acid is a colorless liquid that is soluble in water. Scientifically speaking, its structure is four carbon fatty acids with the molecular formula C4H8O2 or CH3CH2CH2COOH. Butyric acid has other chemical names, including butanoic acid, n-butyric acid, n-butanoic acid and propylformic acid. (3) Along with acetic and propionic acids, it account for approximately 83 percent of the short chain fatty acids in the human colon.
On its own, BTA has an unpleasant smell and bitter, pungent taste, with a somewhat sweet aftertaste. It occurs as esters in animal fats and plant oils. What&#;s an ester? An ester is an organic compound that reacts with water to produce alcohols and organic or inorganic acids. Esters derived from carboxylic acids like butyric acid are the most common type of esters.
BTA is generated in the large intestine together with other short chain fatty acids from the fermentation of dietary carbohydrates, specifically prebiotics like resistant starches, fructooligosaccharides and other dietary fiber. (4)
The names &#;butyric acid&#; and &#;butyrate&#; are commonly used interchangeably even in scientific articles and studies. Technically, they have slightly different structures, but they&#;re still very similar. Butyrate or butanoate is the traditional name for the conjugate base of butyric acid. Put simply, butyrate is almost identical to butyric acid, but it just has one less proton. Judging by scientific studies, they appear to be pretty much identical in their health benefits.
If you want to learn more, please visit our website butyric acid benefits.
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Health BenefitsButyric has gained popularity for its ability to possibly help people shed unwanted pounds. Scientific evidence has shown that people who are obese (as well as people who have type II diabetes) have a different composition of gut bacteria. Short chain fatty acids are believed to play a positive role along with probiotics in preventing metabolic syndrome, which almost always includes abdominal obesity. (5)
Short chain fatty acids like butyric acid help regulate the balance between fatty acid synthesis and the breakdown of fats. In a animal study, after five weeks of treatment with BTA, obese mice lost 10.2 percent of their original body weight, and body fat was reduced by 10 percent. Butyric acid was also shown to improve insulin sensitivity, which helps guard against weight gain. (6)
Most of the evidence for linking BTA supplementation specifically to weight loss is based on animal research so far, but it does show positive effects in treating obesity naturally.
Multiple studies have shown butyric acid&#;s potential ability to fight cancer, especially cancer in the colon. It&#;s actually shown an ability to &#;modify nuclear architecture&#; and induce the death of colon cancer cells. This is likely a huge reason why increased fiber intake has been linked with less colon cancer since higher fiber intake can typically equate to more butyric acid present in the colon. (7)
According to research published in the International Journal of Cancer, &#;the role of short chain fatty acids, particularly butyrate, in colon cancer therapy has been extensively studied, and its tumor suppressive functions are believed to be due to their intracellular actions.&#; This laboratory study further shows that butyrate treatment led to an increase in the programmed cell death of colon cancer cells. (8)
According to a scientific article, it looks like &#;a high-fiber diet protects against colorectal tumors in a microbiota- and butyrate-dependent manner.&#; (9) What does that mean? It means that most likely getting plenty of fiber isn&#;t what fends off cancer on its own. It&#;s eating a diet rich in healthy fiber AND having enough good gut flora AND enough BTA present in the body that can provides cancer defense in the colon.
In general, butyric acid can have a very positive impact on gut health, which greatly affects the health of your entire body. Short chain fatty acids like butyric acid can help keep the gut ling healthy and sealed, which prevents leaky gut syndrome and all kinds of issues linked to a leaky gut like IBS symptoms. This is a type of digestive disorder that&#;s characterized by a group of common symptoms, including changes in bowel movements and abdominal pain.
A scientific article published in the Gastroenterology Review looked at butyric acid&#;s potential as an IBS diet therapy based on numerous studies conducted to date. Researchers conclude that &#;butyrate supplementation seems to be a promising therapy for IBS.&#; (10)
Some notable research included in the article was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study involving 66 adult patients with IBS who were given microencapsulated butyric acid at a dose of 300 milligrams per day or a placebo in addition to receiving standard therapy.
After four weeks, researchers found that subjects who took the butyric acid had a statistically significant decrease in the frequency of abdominal pain during bowel movements. After 12 weeks, subjects in the BTA group experienced decreases in the frequency of spontaneous abdominal pain, postprandial abdominal pain, abdominal pain during defecation and urge after defecation. (11)
Crohn&#;s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) characterized by inflammation of the lining of the GI tract, abdominal pain, severe diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss and malnutrition. Again, this is a disease related to a leaky gut. A study published in the journal Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics was small, but it found that &#;oral butyrate is safe and well tolerated, and may be effective in inducing clinical improvement/remission in Crohn&#;s disease.&#; (12)
Another study showed that butyric acid can reduce pain during bowel movements and inflammation in the gut, both of which are extremely helpful to Crohn&#;s disease and other inflammatory bowel diseases. (13)
Short chain fatty acids like BTA truly play a crucial role in the maintenance of gut barrier integrity, which can help ward off a leaky gut and avoid an IBDs like Crohn&#;s.
A study published by the American Diabetes Foundation looked at butyric acid&#;s effect on the regulation of insulin sensitivity in mice consuming a diet high in fat. The study concluded that &#;dietary supplementation of butyrate can prevent and treat diet-induced insulin resistance in mouse.&#; Researchers also found that the mice treated with butyrate did not have any increase in body fat and the butyrate supplement actually appeared to prevent obesity. (14)
Researchers agree that more studies need to be conducted to further explore how butyrate affects insulin levels in humans, but it looks promising so far, which could have profound effects on treating diabetes.
Studies have shown the broad anti-inflammatory powers of butyric acid. It&#;s believed that not only can BTA help inflammatory conditions, but it might also have a helpful ability to manage immune responses. (15)
As we&#;ve said before, inflammation is the root of most diseases, which is why having more butyric acid in your body could likely benefit many people with various health problems with inflammatory roots.
How to UseAn increased intake of highly processed, low-fiber, high-sugar foods has been shown to decrease levels of butyrate production in the large intestine. Supplementing with butyric acid might be a good idea if you&#;re unable to obtain enough of it from your diet.
A butyric acid supplement is typically available at health stores or online. It&#;s most commonly found in capsule or tablet form. Dosage recommendations vary by product. Some recommend one to six capsules/tablets after meals while others suggest taking one capsule three times daily with meals, a few hours before or after taking other medications. It&#;s best to read product labels carefully and consult your doctor if you feel unsure.
If you prefer to get your butyric acid from foods, then the following are good choices: butter, ghee, raw milk and parmesan cheese. When looking for a high-quality butter, raw and cultured is best. This might be hard to find, however. Organic butter from grass-fed cows is your next best option. Some properly made kombucha (a fermented tea drink) can also contain butyric acid.
To naturally increase the butyric acid production in your body, you can up your intake of healthy prebiotics like raw Jerusalem artichokes, raw dandelion greens, raw jicama and under-ripe bananas.
Scientific research has found that fecal butyrate levels can vary greatly among individuals, but eating a diet high in resistance starches (like an under-ripe banana) typically increases butyric acid levels and may help maintain colorectal health. (16)
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Butyric Acid Interesting FactsButyric acid gets its name from the Greek word βούτ&#;ρον, which means butter. Butyric acid makes up about 3 percent to 4 percent of butter. Ever smell rancid butter? That unpleasant odor is the result of the chemical breakdown of the BTA glyceride. While on the topic of gross odors, butyric acid is actually responsible for human vomit&#;s distinctive scent too.
During his extremely long life (102 years plus), a French organic chemist named Michel Eugène Chevreul is said to have first observed butyric acid in its impure form in . It was by the acidification of animal fat soaps that he was able to identify butyric acid along with several other fatty acids for the first time, including oleic acid, capric acid (naturally occurs in coconut oil) and valeric acid. (17)
Risks and Side EffectsIt&#;s hard to find any documented negative side effects of butyric acid supplements. If you take a butyric acid and experience any negative side effects, you may need to cut back on your dosage. Of course, if you have any serious side effects then you should discontinue use and seek immediate medical attention.
If you&#;re pregnant or nursing, speak to your doctor before taking a butyric acid supplement. Also talk to your doctor if you have any ongoing medical conditions or if you already take any other medications before taking a BTA supplement.
To increase the production of butyric acid in your body naturally, focus on getting more foods that contain butyric acid like ghee and high-quality butter on a regular basis. Also increase your daily intake of fiber-rich foods like vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains.
If you can increase your intake of these prebiotics, then you can help increase the probiotics and short chain fatty acids in your body. This is a healthy and easy way to increase your butyric acid levels, not to mention your overall health.
Having the right balance of all prebiotics, probiotics and short chain fatty acids appears to not only improve minor as well as chronic gastrointestinal issues, but many studies show how butyric acid may have some serious cancer-fighting power, especially colon cancer.
What about a supplement? A butyric acid supplement might be helpful, especially if you suffer from an inflammatory bowel disease or are trying to prevent colon cancer. When it comes to weight loss, most of the evidence linking butyric acid to weight loss is based on animal and test-tube studies. A butyric acid supplement should definitely not be thought of as a magic weight loss supplement but might be helpful along with an overall healthy lifestyle.
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