Is butyrate the link between diet, intestinal microbiota and obesity-related metabolic diseases?

Summary It is increasingly recognized that there is a connection between diet, intestinal microbiota, intestinal barrier function and the low‐grade inflammation that characterizes the progression from obesity to metabolic disturbances, making dietary strategies to modulate the intestinal environment relevant. In this context, the ability of some Gram‐positive anaerobic bacteria to produce the short‐chain fatty acid butyrate is interesting. A lower abundance of butyrate‐producing bacteria has been associated with metabolic risk in humans, and recent studies suggest that butyrate might have an anti‐inflammatory potential that can alleviate obesity‐related metabolic complications, possibly due to its ability to enhance the intestinal barrier function. Here, we review and discuss the potential of butyrate as an anti‐inflammatory mediator in metabolic diseases, and the potential for dietary interventions increasing the intestinal availability of butyrate.