Meet Butyrate, your Gut's Best Friend

    What is Butyrate?

    Butyrate is a short chain fatty acid. It is produced by the good bug F.prau during fermentation of certain fibres, such as those found in Livaux® - the new hero ingredient in Kiwi-Klenz.

    Butyrate really is your gut’s best friend, but your body can’t make butyrate by itself. You need to feed your microbiome with the right ingredients so the good bacteria can convert dietary fibres into butyrate, giving you the benefits of this essential nutrient.

    Healthy butyrate levels versus reduced butyrate levels

    In this Health Article, we’ll outline exactly what makes Livaux® so special. We’ll also reveal why so many people are maintaining healthy levels of butyrate by adding Livaux® to their daily supplement regime for better digestive, immune and overall health.

    Introducing Livaux®

    Livaux® (pronounced LIV-OX) is the new hero ingredient in Xtend-Life’s reformulated Kiwi-Klenz. Livaux® is a rising superstar in the natural health world. That’s because it is made from 100% New Zealand-grown non-GMO gold kiwifruit, and it is backed by some seriously good research.

    It is a multi-award-winning ingredient that has been recognized globally as ‘best in class’ in the prebiotic category. Livaux® is free of added sugars and contains no preservatives.

    F.prauis the King of the Good Bugs

    Livaux® is clinically proven to significantly increase the abundance of a good bug in the gut called F.prau. In this clinical study, participants taking Livaux® also had improvements in constipation symptoms and reduced abdominal bloating and discomfort.

    Low numbers of F.prau are associated with everything from constipation, bloating and discomfort to IBS, Crohn’s and coeliac disease.

    F.prau is one of the most abundant bacteria in the human gut. Low numbers of F.prau are associated with problems such as inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease and coeliac disease.

    There are widespread benefits to having healthy levels of F.prau. For example, numbers of F.prau are reduced in obese individuals compared to lean individuals. F.prau is also a major producer of a molecule called butyrate which has anti-inflammatory properties and is important for keeping the gut lining healthy.

    Meet Butyrate, Your Gut’s Best Friend

    Butyrate is a short chain fatty acid produced by the good bug F.prau during fermentation of certain fibres, such as those found in the gold kiwifruit powder, Livaux®.

    Butyrate really is your gut’s best friend. That’s because butyrate has multiple beneficial properties.

    • Butyrate keeps the lining of your digestive system healthy. That’s partly because it’s the primary fuel source for the colonocytes – the cells lining the colon. It also controls the connection between colonocytes, called tight junctions, keeping cells tightly bound together to prevent toxic molecules getting into your body.
    • Butyrate assists with gut motility – the movement of food through your digestive system and helps with mucus production in your gut – a coating that helps keep things moving through.
    • Butyrate also has anti-inflammatory properties. Through downregulation of certain molecular pathways, butyrate has been shown to suppress proinflammatory cytokine production. Researchers think the anti-inflammatory properties of butyrate are the link between having a healthy microbiome and positive mental health. For more on this topic, see How the Microbiome Shapes Your Health.

    Butyrate and Your Immune System

    The discussion on why your gut loves butyrate would be incomplete without discussing butyrate’s important role in immunity.

    Clinical studies have shown the benefits of gold kiwifruit for cold and flu symptoms.

    Butyrate supports innate and acquired immunity through multiple mechanisms. Two clinical studies have shown the benefits of gold kiwifruit for cold and flu symptoms. In young children, gold kiwifruit consumption resulted in a reduction in the number of cold and flu-like illnesses. In older adults (over 65 years) gold kiwifruit consumption significantly reduced cold and flu symptoms.

    These immune-enhancing benefits of gold kiwifruit come from the increase in F.prau in the microbiome, which leads to an increase in butyrate concentration. 

    Wanting Better Bowel Regularity?

    Livaux® is high in dietary fibre with approximately 1/3 being soluble fibre and 2/3 being insoluble fibre. It also contains bioactive molecules called polyphenols which provide antioxidant benefits. 

    The unique fibre profile of gold kiwifruit gives it superior hydration and water retention properties.

    The fibre in Livaux® outperforms traditional sources like bran making Kiwi-Klenz an excellent choice for anyone wanting relief from constipation or diarrhea.

    Like many types of fibre, the fibre in gold kiwifruit swells, or forms a gel with water. The swelling properties of freeze-dried kiwifruit are much higher than other types of fibre. For example, it is twelve times higher than wheat bran, more than six times higher than apple fibre, and one a half times higher than psyllium.

    Not only does fibre from gold kiwifruit swell up but it holds onto the water via molecular bonds. This is called water retention capacity and Livaux® fibre is also a high achiever on this front. For every gram of insoluble fibre, it holds 12-13 grams of water. That is about four times higher than wheat bran.

    The superior swelling and water retention properties of Livaux® kiwifruit powder mean that it has high fecal bulking properties. This is hugely beneficial because it helps normalize bowel movements by increasing the weight, softness and size of stools. A bulky, softer stool is easier to pass, decreasing your chances of constipation. Hydrated fibre is also beneficial for those who have diarrhea because it adds bulk to stools, making them more solid.

    The unique fibre properties of Livaux® mean that Kiwi-Klenz is an excellent choice for anyone wanting relief from constipation or diarrhea.

    The Easy Way to Increase your F.prau and Butyrate

    Increasing F.prau is an excellent goal for improving gut health, immune health and overall wellbeing.

    Unfortunately, F.prau is extremely sensitive to oxygen, therefore it is not feasible to take it as a probiotic supplement because it cannot survive manufacturing. The best strategy for increasing F.prau is by increasing your consumption of specific prebiotic fibres such as those found in Kiwi-Klenz.

    To get the same amount fibre found in Kiwi-Klenz, you would need to eat six kiwifruit daily. For most people, that’s simply not feasible! For convenience and consistency, try Kiwi-Klenz daily for complete prebiotic support.

    References

    Siddiqui MT, Cresci GAM. The Immunomodulatory Functions of Butyrate. J Inflamm Res. 2021 Nov 18;14:6025-6041.

    Lopez-Siles M, et al. Faecalibacterium prausnitzii: from microbiology to diagnostics and prognostics. ISME J. 2017 Apr;11(4):841-852.

    Zhao H, et al. Systematic review and meta-analysis of the role of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii alteration in inflammatory bowel disease. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2021 Feb;36(2):320-328. 

    Skinner MA, et al. Effects of kiwifruit on innate and adaptive immunity and symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections. Adv Food Nutr Res. 2013;68:301-20. 

    Blatchford P, et al. Consumption of kiwifruit capsules increases Faecalibacterium prausnitzii abundance in functionally constipated individuals: a randomised controlled human trial. J Nutr Sci. 2017 Oct 12;6:e52.

    Starin McKeen et al. Livaux® gold kiwifruit powder increases Faecalibacterium prausnitzii numbers and decreases hydrogenotrophic Blautia spp numbers and bloating in healthy individuals, consistent with slow fermentation [PUBLICATION PENDING]

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