Sodium Butyrate

Sodium butyrate is the sodium salt of butyric acid, a short-chain fatty acid naturally produced in the colon during the fermentation of dietary fibre by the gut microbiota. It serves as the primary energy source for the cells lining the colon wall, known as colonocytes. Research suggests that sodium butyrate contributes to maintaining the integrity of the intestinal barrier and supports microbiota balance. It also plays a role in regulating local inflammation within the digestive tract and may help sustain an intestinal environment conducive to healthy digestion. Endogenous butyrate production is highly dependent on dietary fibre intake and microbiota diversity, two factors that are often insufficient in Western diets. Supplementing with encapsulated sodium butyrate allows this fatty acid to be delivered directly to the intestinal level, regardless of variations in diet or microbiota status.