19. Neurodegenerative Disease
Brain disorders such as Huntington’s, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s disease occur when brain cells stop talking to one another and prematurely die. We’ve already mentioned that SCFA can penetrate the blood-brain barrier and that butyrate affects enzymes that break down proteins and is epigenetic in nature.
A 2015 study begins with this premise: “Probiotics actively participate in neuropsychiatric disorders.” In other words, the health of your digestive system and gut microbiota is directly related to brain health. Administration of butyrate to mice with induced brain impairment proved neuroprotective effects, improvement in cognition, and a drastic reduction in brain cell death, suggesting applications for vascular dementia. (64)
Other research for butyrate’s effects on Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, “Lou Gehrig’s disease”) found similar results, improving memory, cognition, staunching brain cell apoptosis, and turning off genetic triggers that contribute to these conditions. (65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
20. Pancreas Support
The pancreas is a gland that secretes several hormones—primarily insulin. Insulin is responsible for regulating blood sugar and if it isn’t working properly, you’ve got diabetes. Pancreatitis is extreme inflammation of the pancreas and can be excruciatingly painful. If left untreated, this inflammation can seriously damage the pancreas.
Butyrate effectively reduces pancreatic inflammation, preventing permanent injury. (70)
21. Sickle Cell Disease
Hemoglobin is the protein in blood that transports oxygen throughout the body. Sickle cell disease is a hereditary disorder that results in abnormal hemoglobin. Because the hemoglobin is irregular, cells aren’t provided their necessary oxygen. This results in severe pain and fatigue, which can become chronic. In the long term, sickle cell disease can cause organ damage due to lack of oxygen. Because it is genetic, this is a life-long illness. (71)
Epigenetic actions upon the faulty genes that cause sickle cell disease can help to reduce its severity. Butyrate is effective at stimulating normal hemoglobin production by turning off the genes that cause its irregularity. Butyrate’s effectiveness is remarkable, at 50-85% of the patients involved in a 1995 study published in Current Opinion in Hematology. (72)
22. Weight Loss
It’s no secret that dietary fiber is essential for maintaining a healthy weight, but it can also boost weight loss. In fact, one study found that butyrate triggered a 10% fat loss in obese mice. It works by both inhibiting calorie intake and increasing energy expenditure (73).
The Bottom Line
From all these case studies, we see that dietary fiber is crucial for overall health, not only for its ability to aid digestion but also the subsequent chemical reactions that occur when you eat it. Many of us don’t get enough fiber and eat too many processed and refined foods. Increasing the amount of fiber you eat isn’t difficult or unpalatable. All fruits and vegetables contain fiber.
Some foods especially rich in dietary fiber include:
- Acorn squash
- Apple
- Artichoke
- Avocado
- Banana
- Barley
- Beans
- Berries
- Broccoli
- Brown rice
- Brussels sprouts
- Buckwheat groats
- Carrot
- Cauliflower
- Chia seeds
- Coconut
- Fig
- Flax seeds
- Hemp seeds
- Kale
- Lentils
- Millet
- Nuts
- Oatmeal
- Okra
- Parsnip
- Pear
- Peas
- Prune (or any dried fruit)
- Sweet potato
- Turnip greens
While eating butter and other dairy products may not be an option for everything, it is another way to up your butyrate levels. Just make sure to consume only organic dairy products.