By Dr. Linda J. Dobberstein, DC, Board Certified in Clinical Nutrition
Inside your digestive tract are trillions of germs interacting with your brain, immune system, gut lining, and the nervous system in your gut. Dynamically intertwined they comprise the gut-brain-microbiome axis and perform sophisticated tasks that eventually affect all areas of your body.
These tasks greatly depend upon your diet and what the microbes or probiotics get to “chew on”. As they munch on dietary fiber, they produce incredibly important “post-biotic” compounds called short chain fatty acids (SCFA). These SCFA post-biotics influence functionality of your gut-brain-immune-microbiome axis and ultimately affect all areas of your health. The most dominant and critical postbiotic is butyrate.
We are excited to introduce Wellness Resources Tributyrin Plus™, a new supplement to increase butyrate in the colon and revitalize your gut-brain-microbiome health!
What Is Butyrate?
Butyrate is the most extensively studied short chain fatty acid. At the time of this writing, more than 144,000 peer reviewed studies exist in the National Library of Medicine. Over 491 clinical trials have been completed or are in process to evaluate butyrate, its various forms, and its impact on health.
Butyrate is a short chain fatty acid produced by healthy bacteria in the large intestine fermenting on dietary fibers and resistant starches. Butyrate is a postbiotic, a primary source of energy for cells in the colon and also influences numerous physiological functions throughout your body.
Butyrate is the critical primary fatty acid and overall dominant nutrient required to repair and support intestinal integrity. Glutamine, an amino acid, and several other nutrients are also used for repairing and maintaining intestinal lining integrity.
Butyrate, along with acetate and propionate, make up 95% of SCFAs in the colon and feces. Butyrate is also known by other names such as butyric acid, tributyrin, sodium butyrate, or butanoic acid. Beneficial bacteria normally produce butyrate. This compound is also naturally found in some high fat foods like butter and other dairy products.
Butyrate Benefits in the Intestinal Tract
Here are some highlights of what butyrate does in your gut:
• Required for maintaining homeostasis in the colon.
• Primary energy source for intestinal epithelial cells, which are the single layer of cells that line the inside of both the small and large intestine. Their main function is absorption and secretion.
• Principal nutrient required for assembly and maintenance of tight junctions which preserves intestinal barrier integrity. Impaired tight junctions lead to “leaky gut syndrome”.
• Stimulates mucous secretion in the intestine, which is essential for immune function, bowel motility, and tolerance to foods and substances, etc.
• Helps absorb electrolytes and fluids.
• Promotes differentiation of T-reg cells which are powerful anti-inflammatory cells of the immune system.
• Facilitates the secretion of several hormones like GLP-1 and neurochemicals like serotonin.
• Induces vagus nerve signaling. The vagus nerve is the neurological highway between your brain and most of your internal organs.
• Key mediator or regulator of the “crosstalk” signals between your gut microbiome, your brain, and all the rest of you.
Gut-Brain-Microbiome Axis
SCFAs are considered “the bread and butter” of the gut-brain-microbiome axis. These effects extend beyond the walls of the intestinal tract. They are profound and include:
• Curbs your appetite by the gut-brain-vagus nerve connection.
• Essential energy source for mitochondria to burn fat and sugar for fuel.
• Regulate the release of free radicals Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), affect cell proliferation, and microbial balance.
• Directly influences brain health with cognitive function, emotional processing, and behavior.
• Affects circadian rhythm and entrainment of body clocks.
• Affects signaling mechanisms and receptors involved with blood pressure regulation.
• Plays a direct role in neutralizing inflammatory activities and oxidative stress.
• Down-regulates the gene expression of TNF-alpha, NF kappa B gene expression, etc. involved with inflammatory activities due to its role with histone deacetylaton inhibition and methylation.
• Many other vital functions
Factors that Affect Butyrate Needs and Production
Dietary restrictions affect production of butyrate/SCFA levels in your intestinal tract. Reduced fiber consumption leads to decreased butyrate/SCFA production by the gut flora. Diets low in fiber commonly include Keto, FODMAP, grain-free, gluten-free, lectin-free, legume-free, Western diet, BRAT diet, etc.
Fiber and resistant starches are necessary for beneficial bacteria to make butyrate and other SCFAs. Foods that contain resistant starches include beans, peas, lentils, plantains, green bananas, and whole grains including overnight oats and barley. Consuming cooked and cooled rice, potatoes, beans, and pasta provides beneficial resistant starch to your diet more than cooked and not cooled foods. You may reheat the food before eating as it does not change the amount of resistant starch.
Chronic stress changes the gut flora whether from emotional, physical, dietary, alcohol use, medications, and/or athletic stress, etc. The gut microbiome changes in response and intestinal permeability increases. Butyrate aids in protection of the gut microbiome balance and intestinal mucosal barrier integrity during stress because it feeds the cells in the colon.
Individuals with inadequate fiber intake, have chronic stress that impacts their gut-brain-microbiome axis, medications that alter the gut microbiome etc, may find supplementation of butyrate highly supportive along with healthy diet and fiber. Short chain fatty acid levels can be measured in stool tests.
Advanced Tributyrin Plus
We are excited to introduce to you a new supplement, Tributyrin Plus™. It contains ButyraGen®, a direct butyrate generator. This unique prebiotic and postbiotic formulation provides tributyrin as well as prebiotic fibers for enhanced butyrate and SCFA production.
While tributyrin’s primary action is to directly make butyrate, it also breaks down to glycerol which, together with prebiotic fibers, can be converted by the microbiome into more butyrate and other SCFAs. This synergistic relationship enhances the power of tributyrin.
Tributyrin Plus™ uses an acid resistant capsule to ensure butyrate delivery throughout the intestines all the way to the colon.
Restoration of short chain fatty acids levels is critical to your health. Give your gut-brain-microbiome and intestinal barrier some TLC with Tributyrin Plus!
