Research
Mixed
Dietary fiber fermentation by gut microbiota produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) which activate specific receptors (GPR41, GPR43, GPR109A) to regulate energy expenditure, lipid homeostasis, and inflammation.
Prioritize diverse sources of dietary fiber to support gut bacteria that produce SCFAs. These microbial byproducts act as signals to regulate your metabolism and reduce inflammation, offering benefits beyond simple caloric intake.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Diverse populations of intestinal bacteria mediate their beneficial effects through the fermentation of dietary fiber to produce short-chain fatty acids, endogenous signals with important roles in lipid homeostasis and reducing inflammation.
Why this rating
Review of multiple human and animal studies; strong mechanistic evidence.
Source
Gut Microbiome: Profound Implications for Diet and Disease
Ronald D. Hills et al. · Nutrients · 2019
DOI 10.3390/nu11071613
narrative_reviewCited 1,109×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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