Sodium Butyrate: Benefits, Side Effects and How It Compares
What is sodium butyrate?
Sodium butyrate is butyrate paired with sodium and sold as a capsule or powder. It's the most studied butyrate supplement. You may also see it written as butyrate sodium, which is the same thing.
Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid that your gut bacteria make when they break down fiber. It's a main fuel for the cells lining your colon (Roediger 1980). Our guide to what butyrate is covers the basics.
We sell a different form, and I still have a lot of respect for this one. Sodium butyrate did the hard work. Most human trials of butyrate supplements used it, so it's the main reason we know what butyrate does in people.
How much of a capsule is butyrate?
By weight, sodium butyrate is about 21% sodium. The rest is the butyrate itself, which labels count as about 80% butyric acid. So a 600 mg capsule gives you about 480 mg of butyric acid and about 125 mg of sodium.
Labels often list the butyric acid, not the sodium butyrate. A serving listed as 1,200 mg of butyric acid holds about 1,500 mg of sodium butyrate.
What are the benefits of sodium butyrate?
In small human trials, sodium butyrate has lowered markers of gut inflammation and added to weight loss during a diet. In one trial, GLP-1 rose too. Most trials studied people who already had a health condition, and the results are early.
Gut inflammation
One trial followed 98 adults with ulcerative colitis, a long-term inflammation of the colon. They added 600 mg a day of coated sodium butyrate, or a placebo, to their usual medicine.
After 8 weeks, about 31% of the butyrate group were in remission, meaning their symptoms had settled. On placebo it was about 6% (Karłowicz 2025).
In a second trial, 36 adults with active colitis took sodium butyrate capsules or a placebo for 12 weeks. A stool test for gut inflammation fell by about 134 points on butyrate and rose by about 52 on placebo. The butyrate group also slept better (Firoozi 2024).
We cover both in butyrate and inflammation, and the sleep finding in butyrate, serotonin and mood.
GLP-1
In 60 adults with type 2 diabetes, one group took 600 mg of sodium butyrate a day for 45 days. Their GLP-1, the body's own fullness hormone, rose compared with placebo (Roshanravan 2017; the dose is in the trial's second paper).
A later 8-week trial at the same dose did not see that rise (Amiri 2025). Our post on butyrate and GLP-1 follows that question.
Weight
In a 2026 trial, 46 adults followed the same reduced-calorie diet for 12 weeks. Half took 1,875 mg of sodium butyrate a day.
Among the adults without diabetes, the butyrate group lost about 15 pounds. The placebo group lost about 7 pounds (Testa 2026).
The adults with type 2 diabetes saw no difference in weight. Their triglycerides, a blood fat, came down, and they spent 9% more time in a tight blood sugar range.
A 6-month trial added sodium butyrate or a placebo to diet and exercise care for 54 children with obesity. In the butyrate group, 96% reached the trial's goal for a lower BMI, a weight-for-height measure. On placebo it was 56% (Coppola 2022).
Don't give a child butyrate without their doctor's okay.
What to keep in mind
Not every trial found a change. In 53 adults with type 1 diabetes, 3.6 g a day for 12 weeks left a gut inflammation marker unchanged (Tougaard 2022).
Butyrate supplements are not a treatment for colitis, diabetes, obesity or high blood pressure. If you have one of these, work with your doctor.
What dose of sodium butyrate have human trials used?
Most human trials of sodium butyrate in adults have used between 600 mg and about 4 g a day. They usually ran 4 to 12 weeks. Those are the amounts researchers tested, not a recommendation.
Here is what 6 of those trials used.
| Who was studied | Sodium butyrate a day | How long |
|---|---|---|
| 60 adults, type 2 diabetes (Roshanravan 2017) | 600 mg | 45 days |
| 98 adults, ulcerative colitis (Karłowicz 2025) | 600 mg, coated | 8 weeks |
| 50 adults with obesity (Amiri 2025) | 600 mg | 8 weeks |
| 46 adults on a diet (Testa 2026) | 1,875 mg | 12 weeks |
| 53 adults, type 1 diabetes (Tougaard 2022) | 3.6 g | 12 weeks |
| 23 adults, high blood pressure (Verhaar 2024) | 3.9 g | 4 weeks |
Several trials split the day's amount into 2 or more servings, often with meals. At the top of the range, that meant 12 to 26 capsules a day.
These are facts about the trials, not advice. Follow the label on the product you choose.
What are the side effects of sodium butyrate?
The main downsides of sodium butyrate are its rancid smell and the sodium it carries. In human trials, other side effects were mostly mild, such as short-lived nausea. One trial in adults with high blood pressure saw blood pressure rise.
The smell
Smell is the first thing you notice. Butyric acid smells rancid. It's the compound that gives rancid butter its odor, and some people say it smells like vomit.
We went through 647 public reviews of two popular sodium butyrate supplements. About 15% of them mentioned the smell. Our guide to butyrate smell and taste explains where it comes from.
In the children's trial, 4 children quit butyrate after their first doses, against 2 who quit the placebo. The authors pointed to its unpleasant taste and smell (Coppola 2022).
The sodium
A serving with 1,200 mg of butyric acid carries about 313 mg of sodium. That's about 14% of the daily value for sodium.
A 2025 research review lists both among sodium butyrate's drawbacks: an unpleasant taste and odor, and the sodium (Hamari 2025). On a low-sodium diet, a form without sodium makes more sense.
Stomach upset
Stomach upset turns up now and then in trials, and most of it is mild. In the children's trial, 2 children on butyrate had mild nausea and a headache in the first month. Both passed.
In the 60-adult diabetes trial, 1 person taking butyrate with a prebiotic fiber dropped out with severe stomach symptoms (Roshanravan 2017). At 3.6 g a day, a 12-week trial saw no effect on stomach symptoms either way (Tougaard 2022).
Blood pressure
In a 2024 trial, 23 adults with mild high blood pressure took part, and those on medication paused it. One group of 12 took about 4 g of sodium butyrate a day. The other 11 took a placebo with the same amount of sodium.
After 4 weeks, the top number of daytime blood pressure had risen about 10 points in the butyrate group. It didn't move on placebo. A week after the capsules stopped, the difference was gone (Verhaar 2024).
Both groups got the same sodium, so the sodium doesn't explain it. We haven't found a trial that ran this test on other forms of butyrate. If you have high blood pressure, talk to your doctor before you take butyrate.
Our guide to butyrate side effects covers who else should be careful.
How does sodium butyrate compare with other forms of butyrate?
Sodium butyrate is the most studied form of butyrate and usually the lowest-cost one, and it reaches the blood fast. The other three forms, calcium magnesium butyrate, tributyrin and L-lysine butyrate, carry no sodium.
| Form | What it is | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Sodium butyrate | Butyrate paired with sodium | Most studied; usually the lowest cost; rancid smell; about 21% sodium |
| Calcium magnesium butyrate | Butyrate paired with calcium and magnesium | No sodium; we found no human absorption study |
| Tributyrin | Three butyrates attached to glycerol, making a fat | No sodium; slower to reach the blood; often an oil-filled softgel |
| L-lysine butyrate | Butyrate paired with L-lysine, an amino acid | Milder smell, no sodium, no added oils; newest, 1 human study |
In a 2025 human study, 10 men took three of these forms on separate days. Each dose held the same amount of butyrate (La Monica 2025).
Sodium butyrate peaked in the blood at about 22 minutes. L-lysine butyrate peaked at about 20 minutes. The two finished about even.
Tributyrin peaked at about 51 minutes, and much lower. L-lysine butyrate's peak was about 5 times tributyrin's.
It was a small study, and it measured absorption, not health results. See our longer comparison of sodium butyrate vs tributyrin.
Should you take a sodium butyrate supplement?
A sodium butyrate supplement is a fair choice if price matters most and you aren't watching your sodium. Our own pick is L-lysine butyrate, because it has a milder smell, no sodium and no added oils.
We sell a butyrate supplement, which is why we read this research closely. We looked for the best form of butyrate, found L-lysine butyrate, and put it into capsules.
Here are the trade-offs. The trials above used sodium butyrate, and L-lysine butyrate has 1 human study so far. It also costs more: about $2.32 a day, against $0.33 to $0.74 for the sodium butyrate products we compared.
A serving also holds less butyrate, because L-lysine butyrate is about 38% butyric acid by weight. We think the milder smell, no sodium and no added oils are worth it for something you take every day.
Our BIOMEnd Butyrate capsules are $65 for 28 servings, or $52 a month on subscription.
The same butyrate is in our Natural GLP-1 Supplement capsules and our Crave Crusher drink, at 500 mg a serving. You take the drink after dinner.
A supplement adds butyrate directly, on top of what your gut bacteria make from fiber. Here's how to increase butyrate naturally.
For more, see the best form of butyrate to take, the best butyrate supplement and our butyrate research hub.
The form we chose
Ozzi BIOMEnd Butyrate
1,000 mg of BIOMEnd L-lysine butyrate per daily serving of 4 capsules. No sodium carrier and no added oils. 112 capsules, 28 servings per bottle. It is a dietary supplement.
See the butyrate supplement →Frequently asked questions
What does sodium butyrate do?
Sodium butyrate supplies butyrate, the short-chain fatty acid your gut bacteria make from fiber. Butyrate is a main fuel for the cells lining your colon. Human trials have studied it for gut inflammation, GLP-1 and weight.
When is the best time to take sodium butyrate?
We haven't found a trial that compared times of day for sodium butyrate. In trials, people took it every day, often with meals or split between morning and evening. Follow the label on the product you choose.
Why does sodium butyrate smell so bad?
Sodium butyrate smells because of butyric acid, the compound that gives rancid butter its odor. Some people say it smells like vomit. About 15% of the 647 public reviews we read mentioned the smell.
Is there a butyrate supplement without sodium?
Three forms of butyrate come without sodium: calcium magnesium butyrate, tributyrin and L-lysine butyrate. We chose L-lysine butyrate for its milder smell, no sodium and no added oils.
Does sodium butyrate help with weight loss?
Sodium butyrate is not a weight loss treatment. In a 12-week diet trial of 46 adults, those without diabetes lost about 15 pounds on it, against 7 on placebo. Those with type 2 diabetes saw no difference in weight.
What is microencapsulated sodium butyrate?
Microencapsulated sodium butyrate is sodium butyrate inside a coating that delays its release. In one human study, a coating delayed the release by 2 to 3 hours (Roda 2007). That frees the butyrate lower in the gut.
Is tributyrin better than sodium butyrate?
Sodium butyrate reaches the blood faster than tributyrin. In a human absorption study of 10 men, sodium butyrate peaked at about 22 minutes and tributyrin at about 51 minutes. Tributyrin has no sodium, and it frees its butyrate later in digestion.
This article is for educational purposes and isn't medical advice. It describes published research on butyrate, not the effects of any 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
- Roediger WE. Role of anaerobic bacteria in the metabolic welfare of the colonic mucosa in man. Gut. 1980. PubMed 7429343
- Karłowicz K, et al. Efficacy of microencapsulated sodium butyrate as add-on therapy in inducing remission in patients with mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis: results from a multi-center, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Med Sci Monit. 2025. PubMed 41422374
- Firoozi D, et al. Effects of short-chain fatty acid-butyrate supplementation on expression of circadian-clock genes, sleep quality, and inflammation in patients with active ulcerative colitis: a double-blind randomized controlled trial. Lipids Health Dis. 2024. PubMed 39003477
- Roshanravan N, et al. Effect of butyrate and inulin supplementation on glycemic status, lipid profile and glucagon-like peptide 1 level in patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Horm Metab Res. 2017. PubMed 28962046
- Roshanravan N, et al. The effects of sodium butyrate and inulin supplementation on angiotensin signaling pathway via promotion of Akkermansia muciniphila abundance in type 2 diabetes; a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. J Cardiovasc Thorac Res. 2017. PubMed 29391930
- Amiri P, et al. Expression of PGC-1α, PPAR-α and UCP1 genes, metabolic and anthropometric factors in response to sodium butyrate supplementation in patients with obesity: a triple-blind, randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2025. PubMed 39448815
- Testa R, et al. Targeting weight loss and blood glucose control with oral sodium butyrate in overweight/obese adults with and without type 2 diabetes: a proof-of-concept randomized controlled trial. Clin Nutr. 2026. PubMed 41880673
- Coppola S, et al. Therapeutic effects of butyrate on pediatric obesity: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2022. PubMed 36469320
- Tougaard NH, et al. Effects of butyrate supplementation on inflammation and kidney parameters in type 1 diabetes: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. J Clin Med. 2022. PubMed 35806857
- Verhaar BJH, et al. Effects of oral butyrate on blood pressure in patients with hypertension: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Hypertension. 2024. PubMed 39034917
- Hamari N, Blaak EE, Canfora EE. The impact of butyrate on glycemic control in animals and humans: a comprehensive semi-systemic review. Front Nutr. 2025. PubMed 40557239
- Roda A, et al. A new oral formulation for the release of sodium butyrate in the ileo-cecal region and colon. World J Gastroenterol. 2007. PubMed 17373743
- La Monica MB, et al. A pharmacokinetic comparison of three butyrate products. Journal of Exercise and Nutrition. 2025;8(1):4. Journal page
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Sodium in your diet. FDA page
