Evidence supporting the use of: Sodium Butyrate
For the health condition: Leaky Gut Syndrome

Links: Go back one page, Tool main page, Ingredients list, Health conditions list, Body systems list

Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 3

Sodium butyrate, a salt form of the short-chain fatty acid butyrate, has scientific backing for its role in supporting gut barrier function—often referred to as "leaky gut." Butyrate is naturally produced by gut bacteria fermenting dietary fiber and is a primary energy source for colonocytes (cells lining the colon). Several animal studies and limited human research suggest that butyrate supplementation helps maintain the integrity of the intestinal barrier. It does so by promoting the expression of tight junction proteins, reducing inflammation, and modulating immune responses within the gut. For example, research published in journals such as Gut and Clinical Science demonstrates that butyrate treatment can decrease intestinal permeability in models of chemically-induced colitis and in vitro studies of human intestinal cells.

However, while the mechanistic and preclinical data are robust, human clinical trials specifically examining sodium butyrate for "leaky gut syndrome" (a term more commonly used in alternative medicine than in mainstream clinical practice) are limited. Most available human studies are small, short-term, or use butyrate in the context of other gastrointestinal diseases. Therefore, while scientific rationale exists and preliminary studies are promising, high-quality clinical evidence in humans is not yet definitive, justifying a moderate evidence rating.

More about Sodium Butyrate
More about Leaky Gut Syndrome

Products containing Sodium Butyrate

We currently have no products on Vitabase that contain this ingredient.