5 WAYS TO SUPPORT BUTYRATE PRODUCTION FOR GUT HEALTH
What is Butyrate?
DR. STEVEN GUNDRY, M.D
2024
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Have you heard the buzz about Butyrate and wondered what the heck it even is? Well, as someone who’s spent the last 25 years of their medical career studying the microbiome and how it relates to health, I can tell you this: Butyrate is a powerhouse when it comes to gut health. Butyrate is especially important in its role in helping support colon health, boosting metabolism, and supporting overall wellness.
Here’s are five ways to help naturally support its production:
What is Butyrate, and Why Should We Care?
Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) produced by beneficial bacteria in your gut. It's crucial for keeping your digestive system running smoothly, particularly by feeding your colon cells, called colonocytes. These cells rely almost entirely on butyrate to function properly. Without enough butyrate, colon cells can weaken and even contribute to leaky gut. Butyrate has been shown to regulate mitochondrial function and improve metabolic health.
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What Does Butyrate Do for Our Health?
Butyrate has significant health-benefiting properties. It helps regulate your immune system, and is even linked to weight management. Butyrate has been studied to induce colonocyte autophagy, working synergistically with other compounds like docosahexaenoic acid to support mitochondrial calcium accumulation.
Now, let's look at five simple ways to naturally support butyrate production.
1. Incorporate Yoga or Meditation
Beyond calming the mind, yoga and meditation also benefit your gut. A study on Indian Navy personnel found that those who practiced yoga and meditation for six months had a significant increase in glutathione, a powerful antioxidant. Interestingly, butyrate helps power glutathione production, suggesting that yoga and meditation encourage the gut to produce more butyrate, which in turn supports overall health and aging. So, a yoga session doesn’t just relax you—it also improves your gut health!
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2. Take a Daily Shot of Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar and other vinegars contain SCFA precursors that help promote butyrate production. These fermented foods help supply your gut with the right environment for butyrate-producing bacteria to thrive. A shot of vinegar daily can be a simple yet powerful tool to support gut health, giving your colon cells the fuel they need.
3. Eat More Soluble Fiber-Rich Foods
Soluble fiber is essential for feeding the good bacteria in your gut that produce butyrate. But it’s not just any fiber that helps; soluble fiber is the key. Dr. Dennis Burkitt’s research in Africa discovered that populations consuming high amounts of soluble fiber from foods like yams and root vegetables had superior digestive health. Foods like artichokes, radicchio, asparagus, and sweet potatoes are excellent sources of soluble fiber, and adding them to your daily meals may naturally boost butyrate production. Research also shows that butyrate helps boost glutathione S-transferase .
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4. Take Butyrate Containing Capsules
If you're looking for an easy, science-backed supplement, butyrate-containing capsules are an effective option. These supplements contain butyrate that help deliver butyrate where it’s needed. However, it’s essential to choose nano-encapsulated forms, like it is in Gundry MD BioComplete 3, the probiotic, postbiotic and prebiotic supplement I formulated. And it’s one of our best sellers for a reason—it gives the gut everything it needs to thrive and it’s really helped improve peoples’ lives.
5. Get Moving!
Exercise doesn’t just benefit your muscles and heart—it’s also fantastic for your gut. Research has shown that physically active mice had more of the beneficial bacteria that produce butyrate compared to sedentary mice, even when fed the same diet. In humans, exercise also increases gut bacterial diversity and promotes butyrate production, which strengthens the gut lining and supports the immune system. Whether it’s yoga, a daily walk, or strength training, regular movement is a key component of boosting butyrate.
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The Takeaway
Butyrate is essential for keeping your gut—and overall health—in check. Incorporating lifestyle changes like adding soluble fiber-rich foods, exercising regularly, and even taking a daily shot of vinegar can naturally increase your butyrate levels. For those looking to supplement, be sure to choose nano-encapsulated butyrate. Your gut—and your colon cells—will thank you for it!
Remember, butyrate protects your gut lining, making it better at keeping out invaders while simultaneously fueling your mitochondria, your body’s powerhouses. As you’ve likely heard, exercise also boosts feelings of happiness due to the release of endorphins, the feel-good hormones. But what often gets overlooked is how your gut plays a crucial role in creating those hormonal signals—your "gut buddies" do the heavy lifting when you take care of them!
A recent report from Harvard Medical School even highlighted that, for some adults struggling with depression, caring for your gut can be a key to improving mental health. This connection between butyrate, gut health, and overall wellness shows just how interconnected our bodies truly are. By supporting your gut microbiome, you’re not just improving digestion—you’re strengthening your body’s resilience while boosting mental well-being. Your gut health matters more than you think!
More resources:
Support Colon Health Naturally: Butyrate - Dr. Gundry Podcast episode
CoreBiome® - the patented bioavailable butyrate in Gundry MD BioComplete3
Gut Check - Dr. Gundry’s latest book full of research about butyrate
For more free, science-backed health insights from Steven Gundry MD, follow @drstevengundry on Instagram, subscribe to his Dr. Gundry Podcast Youtube channel and Gundry MD Youtube, or sign up for his newsletter at drgundry.com.
