Article Summary:
- The rapid absorption and metabolism of butyric acid in the upper gastrointestinal tract result in only a small fraction of an oral dose reaching the intestine. This greatly limits butyric acid’s many health-promoting benefits.
- Tesseract’s innovative butyric acid supplement formulation enables slow release of butyric acid molecules at the targeted site in the gastrointestinal tract, thus achieving optimal absorption and bioavailability.
Butyric acid, also known as butyrate, is a short-chain fatty acid produced in the intestine by the bacterial fermentation of undigested dietary carbohydrates. Butyrate is animportant energy source for intestinal cells (colonocytes). Growing scientific evidence indicates the important role of butyric acid in promoting both healthy gut function and brain function1.
When considering a butyric acid nutritional supplement, the supplement’s absorption poses a major challenge. This blog post discusses butyric acid’s poor natural absorption rate, the factors that influence it, and why you should include an advanced butyrate nutritional supplement in your daily regimen.
Butyric Acid Absorption Rate
Butyric acid is primarily absorbed in the ascending colon. Its absorption there occurs due to the high concentration gradient between the colonic lumen (the inner space/cavity within the colon) and the colonocytes. Since butyric acid is completely metabolized in the colonic epithelial cells, only a small amount enters the bloodstream.
It is challenging to determine butyric acid’s concentration and its absorption rate due to the high viscosity of the contents of the intestines, the presence of bacterial biofilm, and the mucus layer on the intestinal mucosa (the innermost layer of the intestine).
In a human study that evaluated the absorption of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) from the jejunum (the middle section of the small intestine), it was found that the three SCFAs — acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid — were absorbed rapidly and at equal rates.
Factors that Affect Butyric Acid’s Absorption
The rapid absorption rate of butyric acid in the upper gastrointestinal tract makes it almost impossible for it to reach the large intestine, so it can exert its positive effects. The following table highlights several key factors that affect butyric acid absorption.
| Factors that Influence Butyric Acid’s Absorption Rate | |
|---|---|
| Physico-chemical properties | Butyric acid is a water-soluble compound with a relatively small molecular mass, resulting in its easy diffusion across cell membranes. |
| High concentration gradient | There is a high concentration of butyric acid in the colonic lumen compared to the colonocytes. This high concentration gradient leads to the rapid absorption of this short-chain fatty acid. |
| Rapid Metabolism | Butyric acid is metabolized by colonocytes for the purpose of releasing energy. The rate of metabolism can increase in cases of any intestinal damage, resulting in higher butyric acid uptake. |
The key to optimal absorption of butyric acid in the large intestine is to slow down its release during its transit through the stomach.
Include an Advanced Butyric Acid Supplement in Your Daily Diet
ProButyrate®, developed by Tesseract Medical Research, utilizes innovative and proprietary CyLoc® – DexKey® nutrient delivery nanotechnology to increase the absorption rate of butyric acid molecules. Tesseract’s CyLoc® technology encapsulates individual butyrate molecules in their own dextrin carrier, thus ensuring both molecular integrity and supplement palatability.
Tesseract’s accompanying DexKey® carriers release the encapsulated butyric acid molecules at the desired point in the intestinal tract to achieve increased absorption. This effective time-release delivery of individual butyrate molecules promotes a healthy intestinal environment, resulting in overall positive health and wellness benefits to the user.*
The power of Tesseract supplements lies in enhancing palatability, maximizing solubility, absorption, and bioavailability, and micro-dosing multiple nutrients in a single, highly effective capsule. Shop products on our website and learn more about how they support your gut health.*
Reference:
1Kalkan AE, BinMowyna MN, Raposo A, et al. Beyond the Gut: Unveiling Butyrate’s Global Health Impact Through Gut Health and Dysbiosis-Related Conditions: A Narrative Review. Nutrients. 2025;17(8):1305. Published 2025 Apr 9. doi:10.3390/nu17081305
