Butyrate

Butyrate is described as the main fuel source for colonocytes and a central metabolic regulator. Sustained remission in the original TURN trial was linked to butyrate-producing bacteria and increased butyrate production capacity. Higher microbially derived butyrate was linked to preserved skeletal muscle mass in menopausal women. Restoring butyrate-producing organisms is presented as more effective than taking exogenous butyrate supplements. TURN2 measures short-chain fatty acids and tryptophan metabolites as metabolomic outcomes. Butyrate binds G-protein coupled receptors on intestinal L-cells and triggers GLP-1 release. Butyrate downregulates proinflammatory responses in intestinal epithelial cells and supports gut barrier function. Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid mainly produced by Firmicutes species. The article asserts that butyrate is generated exclusively by the gut microbiome.