Butyric Acid
Butyric acid (butyrate) is a short-chain fatty acid produced when gut bacteria ferment fiber. It also occurs in butter and other dairy fats.
What it is studied for
The strongest rated effects first. Bars show the size of the effect, the letter grades the evidence, and each rating lists the studies behind it.
Why is butyrate of interest for the gut?
Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid that supplies energy to cells lining the colon and participates in intestinal barrier function. This biological role is one reason researchers test butyrate-containing supplements for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS); it does not by itself establish their clinical benefit. 1
Why people take it
SuppCo community snapshot, 2026-09-28. Reasons for use are not evidence that it works.
Questions people ask
Is butyrate a probiotic?
In the combination trial, sodium butyrate was a separate ingredient from the live probiotic bacteria. Benefits from the mixture cannot be assigned to one component. 1
Does butyrate help IBS pain?
A small trial found fewer episodes of selected symptoms, but no significant improvement in overall symptom severity. 2
What dose has been studied?
The 12-week combination trial supplied 300 mg sodium butyrate daily, together with probiotics and a small amount of prebiotic. It did not test that dose alone. 1
Does it repair a leaky gut?
Butyrate has a biological role in the intestinal barrier, but the combination trial did not assess microbiome composition or function and does not establish a general “gut repair” treatment. 1
Short-Chain Fatty Acid
Propionic Acid
Caprylic acid