How to Increase Butyrate in Your Gut - and High Butyrate Foods List

Why & How to Increase Butyrate in Your Gut (Directly or Indirectly)

Blog, Prebiotics and Probiotics / April 3, 2025

If you’re navigating stubborn gut issues, helping clients navigate gut disorders, and/or you/your client(s) recently uncovered low butyrate levels on a comprehensive stool analysis test, learning how to increase butyrate with the right foods and/or supplements could be a gamechanger!

(That’s because butyrate, a type of short-chain fatty acid or “postbiotic”,  is essential for a healthy gut and balanced immune system.)

There are many ways to increase butyrate naturally, both directly and indirectly, with foods and/or supplements. 

In summary, the most effective ways to increase and optimize butyrate levels are to integrate high butyrate foods/supplements in your routine, alongside functional foods and supplements which have been shown to increase butyrate levels.  (Think: probiotics and prebiotics!)

Read on for a list of the highest butyrate foods, the best butyrate supplements, and expert insights re:the best foods and supplements which can help increase butyrate levels indirectly.

Disclaimer:  This article was written for general educational purposes and should not replace medical/dietary advice from your doctor and a functional dietitian/nutritionist or gut health dietitian. Consult with your team for 1-1 recommendations tailored to your bio-individual needs.

Affiliate disclosure:  This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate and affiliate via Fullscript and CellCore, I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

What is butyrate?

Butyrate is a type of short-chain fatty acid, aka a “postbiotic” (the end product of probiotics fermenting prebiotics in our gut).  

Butyrate and other types of short-chain fatty acid post-biotics are metabolites which get produced and released by healthy probiotic microbes in our gut, after they consume and ferment undigested prebiotic carbohydrates in our colon. (1)

This health-promoting substance is actually what makes butyrate-producing microbes probiotics (healthy gut microbes).

On a cellular level, butyrate is to our colon cells as gasoline is to most cars.

In other words, butyrate is the primary fuel source of energy and nutrition for the cells that make up our colon. (1)

The same goes for l-glutamine, which serves as the primary energy and fuel source for the cells that make up our intestinal lining.

About 90% of the butyrate produced in our gut gets metabolized by our colon cells locally and we may also receive it in breast milk (only if we were breastfed) during the early stages of gut colonization in infancy. (2, 3)

What causes low butyrate?

Low butyrate levels in stool are usually attributed to lots of different factors, but there are some common denominators I see often in my private nutrition practice.

Formula-feeding

While every case is unique, I’ve uncovered through working with functional nutrition clients 1-1 that low butyrate is more common among folks who were formula-fed versus breast-fed during infancy.

This makes sense because breast milk is an abundant source of butyrate as well as butyrate-producing microbes. (2, 3)  If we don’t receive that initial inoculation during our earlier years, it sets us up to be at a disadvantage (at least from a butyrate standpoint) for the rest of our lives.

Westernized diet 

The modern-day westernized diet is low in prebiotic and probiotic foods (which you’ll learn help to raise and optimize butyrate levels in our gut), while simultaneously being higher in foods that tend to feed unhealthy “dysbiotic” microbes in our gut linked with long-term health problems.

This leads to low gut microbial diversity which essentially translates to lower butyrate levels and increased risk of developing dysbiosis.

But on a positive note, while we can’t undo what has already happened during infancy, there’s a lot we can do about our diet to help optimize butyrate levels on a foundational level.

Antibiotics

I also believe that the increased prevalence of low butyrate levels nowadays can be attributed to the overuse of antibiotics in conventional medicine as well as the addition of low-dose antibiotics to our livestock in factory farming.

While antibiotics are sometimes necessary to eradicate infections, sometimes they’re overprescribed – and they most definitely don’t belong in our meat, poultry or dairy!

How it works:  antibiotics are broad-spectrum which means they wipe out not just the BAD bacteria, but also the probiotic butyrate-producing microbes.

If you’re consuming meat, dairy, or poultry that is not certified antibiotic-free, you are likely getting low-dose antibiotics on a regular basis in many of your staple foods. 

This is a shame, because it’s doing a huge disservice to many people suffering from chronic gut-related disorders who could benefit from higher levels of butyrate in their gut.

TLDR:  Consider consulting with a functional medicine practitioner about antimicrobial herbs which are less likely to wipe out butyrate-producing microbes in your gut, and consider switching to antibiotic-free meat, poultry and dairy.

Now, let’s talk more about why butyrate is so darn important!

Butyrate benefits

I often include butyrate-raising foods/supplements in protocols for many of my clients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), and/or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) if they have low butyrate levels on a GI MAP or Gut Zoomer test.

That’s because repleting low butyrate levels can make a profound difference in many cases.

Studies have shown that butyrate isn’t just necessary for maintaining a healthy gut – it’s also effective at helping to heal a leaky gut, reduce inflammation, promote a balanced, resilient immune system, and more.

Gut-healing

Butyrate is a popular leaky gut repair supplement, because it has been shown to help repair and enhance the integrity and function of our intestinal barrier, aka our gut wall.

This is key because our intestinal barrier (gut wall/gut lining) serves as the “gatekeeper” between the inside of our body and the outside world. (1, 3, 4)

When our intestinal barrier is too “leaky”, compromised, and left unchecked for too long, it can potentially lead to many long-term health complications such as leaky gut, food sensitivities, and more.

Recommended reading:  Leaky Gut and Food Sensitivities: A Complicated Relationship, Explained

On the flipside, this may explain why so many of my clients with gut issues end up having low butyrate levels (according to their functional stool analysis test), which is generally associated with leaky gut, inflammation, and dysbiosis (an unhealthy, unbalanced gut microbiome).

Anti-inflammatory

Butyrate is shown to help keep inflammation at bay, especially in our gut.  (1, 3, 4)

How it works:  Butyrate alters key immune system pathways which help to pacify/ modulate (balance) levels of inflammatory mediators called “cytokines” when they’re too high in some cases. (5)

Butyrate has also been shown to help reduce and prevent the harmful effects of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) – aka inflammatory substances which get released by bad, “dysbiotic” microbes which often overgrow in an unhealthy gut. (6, 7, 8)

This butyrate benefit is especially noteworthy if you’re dealing with diet-induced inflammation (which is typically caused by microbial imbalance and immune havoc, but triggered on the surface-level by food sensitivity reactions).

  • Note that butyrate should not replace foundational gut-healing interventions in the scope of diet and lifestyle, and it’s also not the first go-to intervention I would recommend during an acute inflammatory bowel flare since it isn’t always well tolerated when added during a flare.

Immune-balancing

Since about 70% of our immune system activity happens in the gut, it’s no surprise that achieving and maintaining healthy butyrate levels is associated with a more robust and balanced immune system on many levels. (9)

Helps optimize gut microbiome

Butyrate-producing microbes are considered “probiotics” (healthy gut microbes) because of their ability to produce butyrate. (10)

One of the many benefits of probiotic butyrate-producing microbes is that they help control and limit the growth of harmful bacteria and pathogens. (10)

That may explain why so many of my clients with IBS seem to have low gut diversity alongside low butyrate levels and overgrowth of unhealthy “dysbiotic” bacteria.

My mentors and colleagues in the functional medicine space have also mentioned anecdotal case study correlations in which higher butyrate levels seem to be inversely associated w/ methanogen overgrowth, in cases of methane SIBO and intestinal methanogen overgrowth (IMO).  

  • In other words, the more butyrate, the lower the amount of methanogens! (Methanogens are methane-producing microbes which cause constipation, gas, bloating, extreme fatigue, and even weight gain in cases of methane SIBO).

May inhibit colon cancer cell growth

While it’s well known that a high-fiber diet helps reduce the risk of colon cancer (11, 12), very few people realize that it’s because many high-fiber foods happen to increase butyrate production via fermentation of the prebiotic fibers via probiotic microbes in the colon. (11, 12)

And as it turns out, butyrate foods and supplements have been clinically proven to help inhibit colon cancer cell growth, according to recent studies. (13, 14, 15)

Supports mental health

Many studies are finding that butyrate supports mental health and even potentially offers neuroprotective properties, by working on the level of the gut-brain axis.  (16, 17, 18)

At this point, you may be wondering – how do I increase butyrate with food?

Foods that increase butyrate

Butyrate is naturally occurring in certain foods, and it can also be produced indirectly by probiotic and prebiotic foods which are working at different stages of the probiotic bacterial fermentation process in our gut.

Highest butyrate foods

Foods with butyrate mostly come from bovine (cow’s) milk fat and its derivatives. (3)

According to research (3) the food highest butyrate foods are:

  • Butter
  • Goat cheese
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Ghee
  • Whole milk, cream, and full-fat yogurt (dairy-derived)

Below is a chart with the amount of butyrate per 100 grams of each food listed.

Highest butyrate foods (3) Butyrate content (per 100 grams of food)
Butter 3 grams
Goat cheese 1 to 1.8 grams
Parmesan cheese 1.5 grams
Ghee 1 gram
Whole milk, cream, and full-fat yogurt ~0.1 gram

However, I actually wouldn’t recommend relying exclusively on high-butyrate foods if you (or your clients) are hoping to restore gut health and increase butyrate levels quickly and sustainably.

Therapeutic dosing is usually needed for butyrate repletion, so it may be more effective to lean into butyrate-producing foods and/or supplements.

For anyone interested in a food-first approach, let’s now dive more into prebiotic and probiotic foods which help produce butyrate in your gut indirectly.

Butyrate-producing foods

Most gut health experts can agree it’s more efficient and effective to integrate a variety of butyrate-producing probiotic and prebiotic foods into your diet, than it is to exclusively consume foods high in butyrate, when it comes to increasing butyrate in your gut.

When it comes to butyrate-producing foods, you have plenty of options to choose from!

Probiotic foods

Probiotic foods are those which provide a direct source of healthy butyrate-producing bacteria in every bite.

Some of my favorite butyrate-producing probiotic food products include:

Learn more:  Probiotic Foods List with Free Downloadable PDF

However, note that some people with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and/or histamine intolerance may feel WORSE after eating fermented probiotic foods, so always listen to your body and consult with your healthcare team as needed.

Prebiotic foods

Fermentable fibers from prebiotic foods are a key ingredient for making butyrate in your gut.

They provide us with fiber diversity, serving as the FOOD which gets eaten by the probiotic butyrate-producing microbes in our colon, producing butyrate as a bi-product.

Below are a list of prebiotic foods shown to significantly raise butyrate levels in the gut, indirectly.

Foods high in resistant starch

Resistant starch is a type of indigestible starch which reaches the colon still intact, feeding certain butyrate-producing microbes like Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus.

Examples of prebiotic foods naturally high in resistant starch include:

  • Green (unripe) bananas/plantains
  • Cooked and cooled potatoes
  • Cooked and cooled rice
  • Oats/oatmeal
  • Barley
  • Raw potato starch
  • Millet
  • Lentils
  • Beans
  • Peas

Learn more:  Resistant Starch Foods List PDF (Free, Downloadable & Printable)

Inulin-rich foods

Inulin is a type of indigestible prebiotic fiber found in certain plant foods, such as:

  • Artichokes
  • Onions
  • Chicory root

Foods high in inulin may be considered butyrate-increasing foods, according to a 2022 study published by Frontiers in Nutrition. (3)

(Note that these prebiotic foods are inherently high FODMAP and may not be tolerated among many folks with IBS and/or SIBO!)

Foods high in β-glucans

β-glucans are a type of prebiotic constituent found in edible mushrooms as well as adaptogenic mushrooms and seaweed.

However, always keep in mind that one size never fits all.  

In fact, most prebiotic foods tend to also be high in FODMAPs which are naturally occurring poorly digested carbohydrates found in many of the foods listed above. 

If you suspect you (or your clients) have a FODMAP intolerance, and can’t tolerate the above butyrate-producing foods, you may want to consider supplements.

Supplements that increase butyrate

Butyrate supplements

Sodium butyrate supplements are often recommended in clinical practice and can be helpful and effective when taken in therapeutic doses among many folks with very low butyrate levels.

In fact, research is showing now that sodium butyrate supplements also help increase levels of Akkermansia, a type of probiotic bacteria found in people with a healthy gut. (19, 20)

Best butyrate supplements (functional dietitian picks)

As a functional gut health dietitian, my favorite sodium butyrate supplements and other butyrate supplements on the market include the following:

  • Apex Energetics Tributyrin
  • Apex Energetics Enterovite (also contains propionate)
  • Body Bio sodium butyrate
  • Body Bio Calcium/magnesium butyrate
  • Pure Encapsulations liquid butyrate

Note:  Be careful about buying supplements on Amazon and eBay since there are no guaranteed quality/safety standards or regulations when it comes to third-party sellers.  

  • If you order supplements from Amazon, make sure you’re ordering directly from the company’s official Amazon store and NOT a third-party seller!

Feel free to order butyrate supplements via Fullscript, my online supplement dispensary if you would prefer better quality assurance and third-party testing.  (Disclosure:  As an affiliate on Fullscript, I earn a commission from purchases made through my dispensary at no extra cost to you!)

Butyrate supplement dosing

First and foremost, remember that when it comes to supplement dosing, one size never fits all.  

  • Make sure to consult 1-1 with a functional nutrition expert to receive custom dosing recommendations tailored to your individual needs!

But generally, according to a 2022 study by Frontiers in Nutrition, “Therapeutic doses (150–300 mg) have shown no clinical side effects. Even when higher doses up to 2,000 mg/day, no adverse reactions have been observed.” (3)

In my functional nutrition practice I will often recommend therapeutic label dosing of ~1500-3000 milligrams (mg) per day total, in divided doses, for clients who I believe could benefit from butyrate supplementation.

Butyrate supplement side effects and contraindications

While I’ve never seen this happen first-hand, a few of my functional dietitian colleagues in the gut health space have mentioned that butyrate supplements can sometimes cause constipation, so keep this in mind.

Also, keep in mind butyrate supplements are rarely ever used as a stand-alone intervention for gut healing protocols.  

Probiotic supplements

Probiotic supplements containing butyrate-producing bacteria such as Lactobacillus and/or Bifidobacteria can make a great addition to your gut repair regimen, especially if these microbes are showing up as low on a comprehensive stool analysis test.  (I often see this happening alongside low butyrate levels!)

When it comes to probiotic supplements, the key is to find products with high levels of the above species and to go with products that are quality-controlled and third-party tested.

You may also want to take probiotics with food (unless instructed otherwise by your healthcare team), so you can get the most return on investment. 

Otherwise it’s difficult for probiotic microbes to survive and withstand the harsh acidic pH of stomach acid without food to buffer it!

A few of my favorite probiotic supplements for increasing butyrate include, but aren’t limited to:

There are lots more wonderful probiotic supplements, but listing them all would be beyond the scope of a blog article. 😉

Prebiotic supplements

Prebiotic supplements can be a game-changer for your gut-healing journey.

as part of a protocol to increase butyrate levels naturally in your gut (or for your clients).

Some of the best prebiotic supplements for effectively increasing butyrate include, but aren’t limited to:

Some of these are available via my Fullscript dispensary for 15% off:

Note that some people with SIBO may not tolerate certain types of prebiotic supplements from a gut health standpoint.

Consult 1-1 with your healthcare team for probiotic and/or prebiotic supplement recommendations based on your unique needs and goals.

Related articles

Recap

Butyrate is a type of short-chain fatty acid and post-biotic which is essential for a healthy gut. 

People with gut-related disorders generally tend to have lower levels of butyrate at baseline.

Based on my own findings and professional opinion, low, suboptimal butyrate levels left unchecked are often correlated with chronic gut health issues and may generally be attributed to a combination of factors which put us at a disadvantage from a gut microbial diversity standpoint, such as:

  • Being formula-fed (versus breast-fed)
  • Growing up on a westernized diet high in added sugar and processed foods, but low in prebiotic and probiotic foods
  • Excessive exposure to antibiotics from food and/or conventional medicine

High butyrate foods such as butter and other full-fat dairy products may not be enough to replete low butyrate levels. 

  • These food sources of butyrate may not be well-tolerated if you have a lactose intolerance, casein intolerance, or dairy sensitivity.

Integrating prebiotic foods/supplements, with or without probiotic foods and supplements, and possibly taking butyrate supplements in therapeutic doses, may help increase butyrate naturally.

Keep in mind, probiotic and prebiotic foods and supplements aren’t always well tolerated by folks with gut-related disorders (in my clinical experience).

Make sure to listen to your body, keep a food-symptom journal, and consult with your healthcare team to receive the right level of support on your gut-healing journey.

Next steps

Are you looking for personalized support 1-1 on your gut-healing journey? If so, and you live in the U.S., I’d love to support you! 

Apply for my 1-1 client waiting list HERE.

Wishing you all the best on your gut-healing journey!

XX – Jenna

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