Research

Hormonal

Ingestion of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), specifically propionate and butyrate, stimulates PYY gene expression and secretion in human enteroendocrine cells via histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition, thereby increasing plasma PYY levels.

To maximize your natural PYY production (a hormone that helps you feel full), focus on consuming high-fiber foods that your gut bacteria can ferment into short-chain fatty acids like butyrate and propionate. This process naturally stimulates your gut hormones to regulate appetite, a mechanism that works specifically in humans.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
In summary, this study revealed a strong regulation of PYY production by SCFA that was evident in humans but not mice, and suggests that high fibre diets elevate plasma concentrations of the anorexigenic hormone PYY, both by targeting gene expression and hormone secretion.
Pierre Larraufie et al. · Scientific Reports · 2018

Why this rating

High-quality in vitro and ex vivo human tissue data with rigorous mechanistic dissection (CRISPR, agonists, inhibitors), though not a clinical trial.

Source

SCFAs strongly stimulate PYY production in human enteroendocrine cells

Pierre Larraufie et al. · Scientific Reports · 2018

DOI 10.1038/s41598-017-18259-0

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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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