Best Form of Butyrate to Take: Sodium, Tributyrin or L-Lysine Butyrate?
Butyrate comes in four main forms: sodium butyrate, calcium magnesium butyrate, tributyrin and a newer one, L-lysine butyrate.
They all deliver the same thing. Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid that your gut bacteria make when they break down fiber. What changes from one form to the next is what the butyrate is attached to.
That one detail decides how it smells, whether it adds sodium or fat to your day, and how fast it gets into your system. We compared the forms before choosing one for our capsules.
What should you look for in a butyrate supplement?
Look for three things in a butyrate supplement: a mild smell, no sodium and no added oils. Smell, sodium and oil are butyrate's three well-known downsides, and which ones you get depends on the form.
1. Does it smell?
This is the complaint people notice first, often the moment they open the bottle. Butyric acid smells rancid. It's the compound that gives rancid butter its odor, and some people say it smells like vomit. A lot of butyrate capsules carry that smell with them.
We went through 647 public reviews of two popular sodium butyrate supplements. About 15% of them mentioned the smell. No other feature of the product came up as often.
If smell matters to you, L-lysine butyrate is the best choice. It has a milder smell than the older forms. It isn't odor-free, and you may still notice a slight scent when you open the bottle. We explain where the smell comes from in why butyrate smells.
2. Are you watching your sodium?
Sodium butyrate is the oldest and most common form. As the name says, it comes with sodium. One well-known brand lists 313 mg of sodium per serving on its label, about 14% of your daily sodium.
If you're on a low-sodium diet, the forms without sodium are the better choice. That means L-lysine butyrate, calcium magnesium butyrate or tributyrin.
One more note if you have high blood pressure. In a 2024 trial, 23 adults with high blood pressure took sodium butyrate capsules every day for 4 weeks. Their blood pressure rose compared with a placebo that had the same amount of sodium (Verhaar 2024). That test hasn't been run with the sodium-free forms. So if you have high blood pressure, talk to your doctor before you take butyrate in any form.
3. Do you want to skip the extra fat and oil?
Tributyrin is butyrate attached to glycerol, which makes it a fat. It often comes as an oil-filled softgel. Some other butyrate capsules are filled with oil too.
The amounts are small, so this matters less than smell or sodium. But if you'd rather not add oils, pick a dry powder capsule. L-lysine butyrate is a dry powder with no added oil.
| What matters most to you | Best choice |
|---|---|
| A milder smell | L-lysine butyrate |
| No sodium | L-lysine butyrate, calcium magnesium butyrate or tributyrin |
| No fat or added oil | A dry powder capsule, such as L-lysine butyrate |
| The lowest price | Sodium butyrate |
L-lysine butyrate is the one form that fits the first three. That's why it's our pick.
What are the main forms of butyrate?
The four main forms of butyrate are sodium butyrate, calcium magnesium butyrate, tributyrin and L-lysine butyrate. Here is each one in plain English.
Sodium butyrate
Butyrate paired with sodium. It has been around the longest and it costs the least. It has also been used in the most human studies (Banasiewicz 2013, Vernia 2000). The trade-offs are the sodium and a strong, rancid smell.
Calcium magnesium butyrate
Butyrate paired with two minerals in place of sodium. It's a low-cost way to skip the sodium. We couldn't find a human study that measured how well it is absorbed.
Tributyrin
Three butyrates attached to glycerol, a fat. Your body has to digest it before the butyrate is released, so it gets into the blood more slowly. Some people choose it for that reason, hoping more of it reaches the lower gut. Our longer comparison is in sodium butyrate vs tributyrin.
L-lysine butyrate
Butyrate paired with L-lysine, an essential amino acid you also get from protein foods. It has no sodium and no oil, a milder smell, and it reaches the blood quickly. It's the newest of the four, and it's sold under the name BIOMEnd. For a closer look, see tributyrin vs lysine butyrate.
You may also see "coated" or "microencapsulated" butyrate. That's usually sodium butyrate inside a coating that delays its release. In one study, a coating delayed the release by 2 to 3 hours (Roda 2007).
Which form of butyrate gets into your system fastest?
L-lysine butyrate and sodium butyrate get into your system fastest. In a 2025 human study, they peaked in the blood at about 20 and 22 minutes, and tributyrin took about 51 minutes (La Monica 2025).
The researchers gave 10 healthy men the same amount of butyrate, 786 mg, in each form on three separate days. Then they measured the butyrate in their blood.
- L-lysine butyrate peaked at about 20 minutes.
- Sodium butyrate peaked at about 22 minutes.
- Tributyrin peaked at about 51 minutes, and much lower. L-lysine butyrate's peak was about 5 times higher.
L-lysine butyrate and sodium butyrate finished about even. On speed, either one does the job.
What sets L-lysine butyrate apart is that it gets there without the sodium, without the oil and with a milder smell.
It was a small study, and it measured absorption, not health results. Think of it as a good first look.
How much does each form of butyrate cost?
L-lysine butyrate costs more: about $2.32 a day for ours, against about $0.74 a day for a popular sodium butyrate. Here is the plain comparison, using list prices on October 9, 2026.
| Ozzi L-lysine butyrate | BodyBio sodium butyrate | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per bottle | $65, or $52 on subscription | $36.99 |
| How long it lasts | 28 days | 50 days |
| Cost per day | About $2.32, or $1.86 on subscription | About $0.74 |
| Butyrate per serving | 376 mg | 1,200 mg |
Sodium butyrate also has more butyrate in each serving. L-lysine butyrate is about 38% butyrate by weight, and the rest is the amino acid lysine. So gram for gram, sodium butyrate is far cheaper.
With L-lysine butyrate, you're paying for a milder smell, no sodium and no added oils, in a form that absorbs quickly. For something you take every day, we think that's worth it.
If price is what matters most to you, sodium butyrate is a fine choice.
Why did we choose L-lysine butyrate?
We chose L-lysine butyrate because it has a milder smell, no sodium and no added oils, and it reaches the blood quickly. We didn't invent butyrate. We went looking for the best form of it, found L-lysine butyrate, and put it into capsules so it's easy to take every day. We sell it because we think it's the best form.
A daily serving is 4 capsules with water. That gives you 1,000 mg of L-lysine butyrate, which supplies about 376 mg of butyrate.
It's the newest form, so it has less research behind it than sodium butyrate. So far there is one human study, the absorption study above.
We use the same form in our Natural GLP-1 Supplement capsules and our Crave Crusher drink sticks, at 500 mg per serving. If you'd like to compare products from other brands too, see our guide to the best butyrate supplement.
See the Ozzi butyrate capsules →
Can you get butyrate from food instead?
You can get butyrate from food, and it's worth doing either way. Your gut bacteria make butyrate when you eat fiber they can ferment. Oats, beans and lentils are good places to start.
Food and capsules work in different places. Fiber feeds the bacteria in your colon. A capsule is absorbed higher up and reaches the blood within minutes.
Our guide to how to increase butyrate naturally covers the food side. The rest of our butyrate research is collected in the butyrate research hub.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best form of butyrate to take?
We think the best form of butyrate to take is L-lysine butyrate. It has a milder smell, no sodium and no added oils, and in a human study it reached the bloodstream in about 20 minutes. It costs more than sodium butyrate.
Is tributyrin the same as butyrate?
Tributyrin is not the same as butyrate. It is three butyrates attached to glycerol, which makes it a fat. Your body has to digest it before the butyrate is released, so it reaches the blood more slowly.
Is butyrate the same as butyric acid?
For practical purposes, butyrate and butyric acid are the same. Butyrate is the form butyric acid takes inside your body. A label that lists 1,200 mg of butyric acid is telling you how much butyrate you get.
What is L-lysine butyrate?
L-lysine butyrate is butyrate paired with L-lysine, an essential amino acid, in place of sodium. It's sold under the name BIOMEnd. About 38% of it is butyrate by weight, so 1,000 mg supplies about 376 mg of butyrate.
Is calcium magnesium butyrate better than sodium butyrate?
Calcium magnesium butyrate gives you butyrate without the sodium, at a low price. What it lacks is a human study showing how well it is absorbed.
Does butyrate smell bad?
Butyrate often smells bad. Butyric acid has a rancid smell. It is the compound that gives rancid butter its odor, and some people say it smells like vomit. L-lysine butyrate has a milder smell than the older forms, though it isn't odor-free.
When should I take butyrate?
Take butyrate the way the label on your product says. Ours is 4 capsules once a day with water. If you're pregnant or nursing, have a medical condition or take medication, check with your doctor first.
Is there a daily value for butyrate?
There is no daily value for butyrate. The FDA has not set one, so supplement labels list it as "Daily Value not established." There is no official recommended daily amount. Your body also makes its own butyrate when gut bacteria break down fiber.
Why does L-lysine butyrate cost more?
L-lysine butyrate costs more because most of its weight is the amino acid lysine, so it takes more of it to deliver the same butyrate. It's also a branded ingredient that comes from one supplier.
What are the different forms of butyrate supplements?
Butyrate supplements come in four main forms: sodium butyrate, calcium magnesium butyrate, tributyrin and L-lysine butyrate. They differ in smell, in sodium, and in whether they need added oils.
This article is our opinion and is for educational purposes. It isn't medical advice. The absorption study it cites tested an ingredient, not a finished Ozzi product. Ozzi products are dietary supplements and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Talk to your healthcare provider before starting any supplement, especially if you have a medical condition or take medication.
References
- La Monica MB, Kirby T, Hartshorn S, Gustat A, Grdic J, Sandrock J. A pharmacokinetic comparison of three butyrate products. Journal of Exercise and Nutrition. 2025;8(1). Human crossover study, 10 healthy men. Funded in part by the American Institute of Gastrointestinal Health. Journal of Exercise and Nutrition
- Verhaar BJH, Wijdeveld M, Wortelboer K, et al. Effects of oral butyrate on blood pressure in patients with hypertension: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Hypertension. 2024. Human trial, 23 adults. PubMed 39034917
- Roda A, Simoni P, Magliulo M, et al. A new oral formulation for the release of sodium butyrate in the ileo-cecal region and colon. World J Gastroenterol. 2007. Human study, 24 adults. PubMed 17373743
- Banasiewicz T, Krokowicz L, Stojcev Z, et al. Microencapsulated sodium butyrate reduces the frequency of abdominal pain in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Colorectal Dis. 2013. Human trial, 66 adults. PubMed 22738315
- Vernia P, Monteleone G, Grandinetti G, et al. Combined oral sodium butyrate and mesalazine treatment compared to oral mesalazine alone in ulcerative colitis. Dig Dis Sci. 2000. Human trial, 30 adults. PubMed 10795763
- Label amounts and list prices for BodyBio Sodium Butyrate (100 capsules), as shown on the brand's own website on October 9, 2026. Review counts are our own keyword count of 647 public iHerb reviews, read in October 2026.
