BUTYRATE
Short chain fatty acids, especially acetate, propionate and butyrate, are organic acids defined as post-biotic and produced within the intestinal lumen by bacterial fermentation of undigested food carbohydrates. Among these, butyric acid is essential for epithelial cells and influences a wide range of cellular functions that affect colon health.Butyric acid is the main energy source for colonocytes [Hamer, 2008]. In the last ten years it has been studied for its role in nourishing the colonic mucosa and in promoting cellular differentiation.
In summary, the known activities of butyrate at the physiological level are:
- intestinal trophic action: promotes re-epithelialization of the colon by stimulating the exchange, differentiation and maturation of colonocytes;
- contributes to maintaining the integrity of the intestinal mucosa, the first mechanism of innate immunity