Research

Hormonal

Gut microbiome-derived short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as butyrate, acetate, and propionate exert anti-obesity effects by activating G protein-coupled receptors (GPR43/GPR41) and inhibiting histone deacetylase (HDAC), which stimulates the release of satiety hormones (GLP-1, PYY) and increases energy expenditure.

To leverage the benefits of short-chain fatty acids, focus on consuming high-fiber carbohydrates that gut bacteria can ferment. This supports the natural production of SCFAs like butyrate and propionate, which help regulate appetite hormones and metabolism. While the exact dosing is complex, a diet rich in diverse plant fibers is the most accessible way to support this mechanism.

ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
In general, SCFAs have been associated with beneficial effects on metabolic health... Results from such studies serve as evidence of the receptor’s involvement in obesity development, which may in part be mediated by the release of satiety hormones glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and peptide YY (PYY)... Alternatively, SCFAs may act by inhibiting histone deacetylase (HDAC)...
Anna H. Lee et al. · Frontiers in Endocrinology · 2022

Why this rating

The paper is a review citing multiple animal studies and some human correlational data, but notes a 'paucity of causal studies in humans'.

Source

Leveraging the Microbiome for Obesity: Moving From Form to Function

Anna H. Lee et al. · Frontiers in Endocrinology · 2022

DOI 10.3389/fendo.2022.918923

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

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