Nutrition topic
Butyrate and Short-Chain Fatty Acids
Last updated 2026-07-02· Last reviewed 2026-07-02· 1 min read
Reviewed by the Ultimate Longevity Bible editorial team. Educational reference — not medical advice. See disclaimer.
Production
- Substrates: resistant starch (from legumes, cooled cooked potatoes, green banana), soluble fibre (oats, psyllium), fructans.
- Producers: Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Roseburia, Eubacterium rectale, and related Firmicutes.
- Age effect: butyrate-producer abundance declines with age; centenarians disproportionately retain them.
Functions
- Colonocyte energy source (accounts for ~60–70% of colonocyte ATP).
- Tight-junction integrity (barrier function).
- HDAC inhibitor systemic activity — anti-inflammatory and pro-differentiation effects.
- Peripheral effects on regulatory T cells and metabolic tissues.
Interventions
- Feed the producers: resistant starch, fibre, fermented foods.
- Direct butyrate supplementation (sodium butyrate, tributyrin) is available but poorly absorbed; utility remains debated.
- Faecal microbiota transplantation restores SCFA production in specific indications.