Butyraatti

Butyraatti is the Finnish name for salts and esters of butyric acid (butanoic acid). Common forms include sodium butyrate and potassium butyrate; esters such as ethyl butyrate and methyl butyrate are used in flavorings and fragrances. Butyric acid itself is a short-chain fatty acid with four carbon atoms; at physiological pH, it exists as the butyrate anion.

Butyraatti occurs naturally in small amounts in ruminant products and is produced in the gut by anaerobic fermentation of dietary fiber by the gut microbiota. It is one of the main short-chain fatty acids produced in the colon, along with acetate and propionate. In the colon, butyrate serves as a primary energy source for colonocytes and plays a role in maintaining the intestinal barrier and modulating inflammation. It can influence gene expression through inhibition of histone deacetylases, a mechanism explored in epigenetics.

In nutrition and medicine, butyraatti and its salts have been investigated for potential therapeutic effects, including anti-inflammatory properties and possible reductions in colorectal cancer risk; however, human evidence remains inconclusive, and results vary by context and dose. In animal husbandry, sodium butyrate and related compounds are used as feed additives to improve gut health and growth performance.

Safety and handling depend on the form: free butyric acid is corrosive and unpleasantly odorous; butyrate salts are generally regarded as less hazardous but can cause irritation at high concentrations. See also short-chain fatty acids and histone deacetylase inhibitors.