Oral Butyrate Supplementation Treats Pediatric Obesity

According to the CDC, 20% of children and adolescents in the United States deal with pediatric obesity. Obesity is linked with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, joint problems, and gallbladder disease, among other conditions. Because many factors contribute to the disease, treating pediatric obesity can be complex, but a recent study in JAMA Network Open suggests oral butyrate supplementation can help.

Based on the publication, some hypothesize that the gut microbiome (GM) contributes to pediatric obesity. Researchers in the publication state, “A metabolically healthy GM is maintained by a diet rich in fiber. Plant foods are fermented by GM to produce the antiobesogenic short-chain fatty acid butyrate. Although butyrate dietary intake could be increased by the consumption of dairy products, its main source is derived from GM fermentation of nondigestible carbohydrates. A low intake of dietary substrates for butyrate production and a low number of butyrate-producing bacteria may contribute to obesity.”

The randomized, quadruple-blind, and placebo-controlled study recruited 54 patients between 5 and 17 at the Tertiary Center for Pediatric Nutrition in Naples. Data were collected from November 1, 2020, to December 21, 2021, and all participants had a body mass index (BMI) greater than the 95 percentile.

One group of participants received sodium butyrate capsules at a dose of 20 mg/kg of body weight per day, with the maximum dosage being 800 mg per day for six months. Meanwhile, the placebo group received a cornstarch capsule.

At the six-month mark, approximately 56% of those in the placebo group had reduced BMIs. Conversely, 96% of those in the experimental group had reduced BMIs. In addition, the experimental group had an average waist size 5.07 cm smaller than the placebo group. 

Furthermore, insulin levels were reduced by 5.41 μU/mL in the experimental group, and ghrelin — the hunger hormone — levels were approximately 47.89 μg/mL lower. 

The experimental group reported mild nausea and headaches. However, these side effects were only reported by two patients and resolved within the first month of treatment.

Researchers concluded from this data that “in children with obesity, oral butyrate supplementation may produce a reduction of BMI and exerts beneficial effects on glucose metabolism and inflammation.”