Butyrate-producing bacteria

Butyrate-producing bacteria, such as Faecalibacterium, Roseburia, Coprococcus, and Eubacterium hallii, are crucial for human health due to their role in providing energy to gut cells, regulating inflammation, maintaining gut barrier function, preventing cell mutations, and promoting metabolic health. Let’s take a look at these roles in more detail:

Energy source for gut cells: Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid that serves as a primary energy source for the cells lining the colon, promoting their health and function.¹²
Anti-inflammatory properties: Butyrate has anti-inflammatory effects, helping to regulate the immune system and reduce excessive inflammation in the gut and throughout the body.³⁴⁵⁶
Gut barrier function: Butyrate supports the integrity of the gut lining, preventing harmful substances and pathogens from entering the bloodstream and contributing to overall gut health.⁷⁸⁹¹⁰
Cellular protection: Butyrate has been shown to protect colon cells from experiencing damage that might lead to mutations.¹¹¹²¹³
Metabolic health: Butyrate may also improve insulin sensitivity and glucose regulation, contributing to better metabolic health and reducing the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes.¹⁴¹⁵

What foods can butyrate-producing bacteria feed on?

Foods that can encourage the growth of butyrate-producing bacteria include whole grains, legumes/pulses, nuts and seeds, fruits, and vegetables – from leafy greens to cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli and Brussels sprouts) to and root vegetables (like sweet potatoes). Foods like green bananas, plantains, and cooked-and-cooled potatoes and rice are sources of resistant starch, a type of prebiotic fibre that escapes digestion in the small intestine and becomes available for fermentation in the colon. Butyrate-producing bacteria seem to thrive on it.

Where to find butyrate-producing bacteria in the Chuckling Goat Gut Microbiome Test

The Chuckling Goat Gut Microbiome Test features individual scores for a range of butyrate-producing bacteria, including Faecalibacterium, Roseburia, and Coprococcus. You will find them in the “Butyrate producers” section of the “Probiotics” report.

Synonyms: Butyrate-producing bacteria, butyrate-producing microbes, butyrate producers, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Faecalibacterium species, Roseburia intestinalis, Roseburia species, Coprococcus species

Important disclaimer

The Chuckling Goat Gut Microbiome Handbook is an educational resource built to translate complex science into plain English. The information provided on this page is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your GP or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Always check with your GP for interactions with medications/health conditions before changing your diet or starting to take food supplements.

References

1
Donohoe DR, Garge N, Zhang X, Sun W, O’Connell TM, Bunger MK, Bultman SJ. The microbiome and butyrate regulate energy metabolism and autophagy in the mammalian colon. Cell Metab. 2011 May 4;13(5):517-26. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2011.02.018.
2
Corrêa-Oliveira R, Fachi JL, Vieira A, Sato FT, Vinolo MA. Regulation of immune cell function by short-chain fatty acids. Clin Transl Immunology. 2016 Apr 22;5(4):e73. doi: 10.1038/cti.2016.17.
3
Gasaly N, Hermoso MA, Gotteland M. Butyrate and the Fine-Tuning of Colonic Homeostasis: Implication for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Mar 17;22(6):3061. doi: 10.3390/ijms22063061.
4
Chen J, Vitetta L. The Role of Butyrate in Attenuating Pathobiont-Induced Hyperinflammation. Immune Netw. 2020 Feb 4;20(2):e15. doi: 10.4110/in.2020.20.e15.
5
Segain JP, Raingeard de la Blétière D, Bourreille A, Leray V, Gervois N, Rosales C, Ferrier L, Bonnet C, Blottière HM, Galmiche JP. Butyrate inhibits inflammatory responses through NFkappaB inhibition: implications for Crohn’s disease. Gut. 2000 Sep;47(3):397-403. doi: 10.1136/gut.47.3.397.
6
Siddiqui MT, Cresci GAM. The Immunomodulatory Functions of Butyrate. J Inflamm Res. 2021 Nov 18;14:6025-6041. doi: 10.2147/JIR.S300989.
7
Salvi PS, Cowles RA. Butyrate and the Intestinal Epithelium: Modulation of Proliferation and Inflammation in Homeostasis and Disease. Cells. 2021 Jul 14;10(7):1775. doi: 10.3390/cells10071775.
8
Peng L, Li ZR, Green RS, Holzman IR, Lin J. Butyrate enhances the intestinal barrier by facilitating tight junction assembly via activation of AMP-activated protein kinase in Caco-2 cell monolayers. J Nutr. 2009 Sep;139(9):1619-25. doi: 10.3945/jn.109.104638.
9
Pérez-Reytor D, Puebla C, Karahanian E, García K. Use of Short-Chain Fatty Acids for the Recovery of the Intestinal Epithelial Barrier Affected by Bacterial Toxins. Front Physiol. 2021 May 24;12:650313. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2021.650313.
10
VanHook, A. M. (2015). Butyrate benefits the intestinal barrier. Science Signaling, 8(378), ec135-ec135. doi: 10.1126/scisignal.aac6198
11
Schulthess J, Pandey S, Capitani M, Rue-Albrecht KC, Arnold I, Franchini F, Chomka A, Ilott NE, Johnston DGW, Pires E, McCullagh J, Sansom SN, Arancibia-Cárcamo CV, Uhlig HH, Powrie F. The Short Chain Fatty Acid Butyrate Imprints an Antimicrobial Program in Macrophages. Immunity. 2019 Feb 19;50(2):432-445.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2018.12.018.
12
Berni Canani, R., Di Costanzo, M. & Leone, L. The epigenetic effects of butyrate: potential therapeutic implications for clinical practice. Clin Epigenet 4, 4 (2012). doi: 10.1186/1868-7083-4-4
13
Hajjar, R., Richard, C. S., & Santos, M. M. (2021). The role of butyrate in surgical and oncological outcomes in colorectal cancer. American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, 320(4), G601-G608. doi: 10.1152/ajpgi.00316.2020
14
Coppola S, Avagliano C, Calignano A, Berni Canani R. The Protective Role of Butyrate against Obesity and Obesity-Related Diseases. Molecules. 2021 Jan 28;26(3):682. doi: 10.3390/molecules26030682.
15
Li, Z., Zhou, E., Liu, C., Wicks, H., Yildiz, S., Razack, F., . . . Wang, Y. (2023). Dietary butyrate ameliorates metabolic health associated with selective proliferation of gut Lachnospiraceae bacterium 28-4. JCI Insight, 8(4). doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.166655

Butyrate-producing bacteria

References

Questions? Talk to a Nutritional Therapist on live chat!

More from The Gut Health Express

As Featured In