PrometheusGeneral

Compound or practice · Nutrition

Butyrate

The colon's preferred fuel — feeding fermentable fiber usually beats swallowing it, but oral/enema forms have niche use.

Overall grade
Grade C
Last revised
2
graded outcomes
0
references listed
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A structured monograph in Prometheus's bundled library. Its grades are the monograph's own reading of the evidence, not a peer-reviewed review.

2 at grade C — 2 graded rows

What is known

Each outcome with its grade (how strong the evidence is, A to D), the size of the effect where the entry records one, and how often studies agree.

  • Gut barrier / colitis (enema)Evidence grade C

    Context-specific

    Moderatemixed

  • IBS (oral)Evidence grade C

    Early

    Smalllow

What is uncertain

Read off the same rows as above. Nothing here is added that the entry does not itself record.

  • Thin evidence: Gut barrier / colitis (enema) (grade C); IBS (oral) (grade C).

The evidence in words

What it is

Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid that colon cells use as their main energy source; the body makes it by fermenting fiber.

How it works

It fuels colonocytes, strengthens the gut barrier, and has anti-inflammatory (HDAC-inhibitory) effects.

What the evidence shows

Butyrate enemas have evidence in some colitis contexts; oral (often as tributyrin or sodium butyrate) shows early signals for IBS and gut-barrier support. Producing butyrate by eating fermentable fiber is usually the better route.

Safety & interactions

Generally safe; oral forms can smell/taste unpleasant.

Bottom line

Real colon fuel with niche therapeutic evidence. For most, fermentable fiber (which makes butyrate) is the smarter move.

Related reading

Entries that share this one's tags or conditions.

Sources

This entry lists no references of its own.

Last revised . A grade is this entry's reading of the evidence, not medical advice.