Research

Hormonal

Butyrate and propionate, produced by gut microbiota from dietary fiber, play a protective role against colorectal cancer (CRC) and metabolic syndrome by promoting apoptosis in cancer cells and improving insulin sensitivity.

To reduce your risk of colorectal cancer and metabolic syndrome, focus on eating a diet rich in diverse fibers (vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes). This feeds your gut bacteria to produce butyrate and propionate, which help protect colon cells and improve metabolic health. While supplements exist, whole food sources are preferred for overall health.

ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
It has also been observed that SCFA protect against the development of colorectal cancer (CRC), with most studies focusing on butyrate... A reduction in obesity and insulin resistance in experimental animals on high-fat diet after dietary supplementation with butyrate has been observed.
David Ríos-Covián et al. · Frontiers in Microbiology · 2016

Why this rating

The paper cites animal studies and some human observational data, but explicitly states that 'controlled human intervention studies are still needed before drawing firm conclusions' for some metabolic effects.

Source

Intestinal Short Chain Fatty Acids and their Link with Diet and Human Health

David Ríos-Covián et al. · Frontiers in Microbiology · 2016

DOI 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00185

narrative_reviewCited 2,149×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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