Short Chain Fatty Acids, sodium butyrate, phenylbutyrate

[silvestrov]

It is well established that Parkinson's disease patients have a short chain fatty acid deficiency:

Short chain fatty acids and gut microbiota differ between patients with Parkinson's disease and age-matched controls.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/275...

Sodium butyrate/butyric acid is a short chain fatty acid and, in every model of PD, has been shown to be effective in the lab dish and animal models.

Sodium butyrate improves locomotor impairment and early mortality in a rotenone-induced Drosophila model of Parkinson's disease.

europepmc.org/articles/PMC3...

Sodium butyrate rescues dopaminergic cells from alpha-synuclein-induced transcriptional deregulation and DNA damage.

medscape.com/medline/abstra...

Constipation is a known problem for PwP and Sodium Butyrate has been shown to improve symptoms in IBS patients with constipation:

Butyric acid in functional constipation

"They observed a statistically significant reduction in pain during defecation in patients who received microencapsulated sodium butyrate at a dose of 2 × 150 mg per day for 12 weeks compared with those who received placebo. After 4 weeks, a significant decrease in pain during defecation was reported by the study group, which was maintained for 12 weeks. In the 12th week, statistically significant changes in stool consistency and a reduction in the incidence of constipation were observed."

europepmc.org/articles/PMC4...

Sodium butyrate is not a prescription drug and can be purchased online:

amazon.com/sodium-butyrate/...

Phenylbutyrate is a sodium salt of an aromatic fatty acid, made up of an aromatic ring and butyric acid. Wikipedia.

It is a prescription drug currently not prescribed for PD.

Neuroprotective effects of phenylbutyrate against MPTP neurotoxicity.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/156...

Phenylbutyrate Up-regulates the DJ-1 Protein and Protects Neurons in Cell Culture and in Animal Models of Parkinson Disease

jbc.org/content/286/17/1494...

Neuroprotective effects of phenylbutyrate against MPTP neurotoxicity.

jbc.org/content/286/17/1494...

Sodium Phenylbutyrate Controls Neuroinflammatory and Antioxidant Activities and Protects Dopaminergic Neurons in Mouse Models of Parkinson’s Disease

journals.plos.org/plosone/a...

Additionally, sodium phenylbuterate is being tested by the MJF Foundation:

Phenylbutyrate for Alpha-synuclein Clearance from the Brain

"We found that the drug increased the level of alpha-synclein in the bloodstream of all 40 people, strongly suggesting that the drug can stop alpha-synuclein from damaging dopamine neurons."

michaeljfox.org/foundation/...

Phase I Trial of Phenylbutyrate to Prevent Progression of Parkinson's Disease

michaeljfox.org/foundation/...

Researchers find drug that stops progression of Parkinson's disease in mice

phys.org/news/2011-03-drug-...

So either sodium butyrate or phenylbutyrate have great potential to treat constipation or potentially the elimination of alpha synuclein from PwP.

[parkie13]

Makes sense. And here's an article where you find it in food

draxe.com/butyric-acid/

[JerMan22 in reply to parkie13]

That link seems to be broken. Try this:

atlasbiomed.com/blog/butyra...

[munchybunch]

So interesting as always. Any idea of dosage pls and when you should take it? Thanks

[park_bear in reply to munchybunch]

Most of the animal studies used a dosage of 200 mg per kilogram. So for a 70 kg human using the equivalent dose calculation* based on body surface area this would amount to approximately 1.4 g of butyrate per day.

* ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[aspergerian in reply to park_bear]

I often try to induce and sustain a tonic effect and to avoid inducing a pharmacological effect.

[JerMan22 in reply to park_bear]

You can try taking pills to increase your butyrate level in your gut, or you can take a much more natural approach and just eat high-fiber "whole" foods (not butter). For the past 5 years, I've been eating this way and I've not had constipation since. I was diagnosed over 13 years ago. Thanks to diet and exercise, my PD meds have remained steady.atlasbiomed.com/blog/butyra...

[bassofspades]

Are you going to try it?

[parkie13 in reply to bassofspades]

I'm going to double up on butter. Just kidding. But I do eat lots and lots of butter. Teeny tiny bit of olive oil, I do cook with olive oil.

[bassofspades in reply to parkie13]

I use kerrygold butter, its so good! Bit I'll pick up ghee and give it a whirl.

[JerMan22 in reply to bassofspades]

This is how I make use of this information. I eat only largely unprocessed foods that are high in dietary fiber: "you don’t need to eat foods high in butyrate, you just need to eat foods that feed your gut bacteria. They’re called prebiotics.

Prebiotic foods are rich in dietary fibers. So hat you’re looking for are fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, and pulses. Your body can’t digest these fibers, so they travel to your gut where they feed the good bacteria that make butyrate."

atlasbiomed.com/blog/butyra...

[parkie13]

Butter has it also. I have never tried ghee.

[silvestrov]

I found an enteric coated butyric acid supplement and it is 787 mg per capsule.

eliehs.com/product/butycaps

Considering 300 mg/per day of sodium butyrate alieviated constipation in IBS patients over a 12 weel period this brand may be worth looking into. Plus phenylbutyrate is expensive:

pharmacyrxworld.com/buy-Bup...

[park_bear in reply to silvestrov]

Additional sources:

amazon.com/gp/product/B07W6...

Related compound Beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) is available in bulk. Do not know if it would do the same thing. Discussed in detail here: dailykos.com/stories/2019/9...

Source:

amazon.com/gp/product/B017L...

[Despe in reply to park_bear]

PB,

This is what my husband takes. What is your opinion (I value it a lot!).

amazon.com/Healus-Complete-...

[park_bear in reply to Despe]

Thanks for the kind words! I did research the sources but never actually got around to trying it. Sorry.

[Tryguy]

I took Sodium Butyrate for a couple of fairly well functioning years. I stopped about 2 years ago in trying to minimize my pill intake. Now, I am worse considering that I am on a C/L therapy. This of course has made me 'better' until I go off it.. Then look out. I will reevaluate it. Thanks Silvestrov.

[Tryguy]

What about cal/mag butyrate?

[silvestrov]

Sorry about the slow response but it has been one of those times (car/computer/phone problems!!).

I have never read a clinical study which did not use microencapsulated butyric acid in their trial and the efficacy of sodium butyrate/mag/cal is unknown - if anyone has read a study with butyrate/mag/cal please post it.

For example...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/243...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/227...

I think microencapsulated BA is best but if it is unavailable enteric BA/mag/cal may be worth a try....but the following (promotional) article says large amounts of BA/mag/cal may be required for a therapeutic response (and not without side effects).

blog.healushealth.com/all-a...

After studying butyric acid and its relationship to PD I think microencapsulated butyric acid should be standard therapy for every PWP.

Right before I wrote this response I discovered another article which relates pathogenic 'gut' bacteria and neurodegenerative diseases. Here is the summary article,

Scientists identify gut bacteria linked to neurodegenerative conditions

"Researchers have identified gut bacteria species that appear to play a role in the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and motor neurone disease."

sciencefocus.com/news/scien...

....and here is the source article...

Colonization of the Caenorhabditis elegans gut with human enteric bacterial pathogens leads to proteostasis disruption that is rescued by butyrate

"We found that colonization of the C. elegans gut with enteric bacterial pathogens disrupted proteostasis in the intestine, muscle, neurons, and the gonad, while the presence of bacteria that conditionally synthesize butyrate, a molecule previously shown to be beneficial in neurodegenerative disease models, suppressed aggregation and the associated proteotoxicity. Co-colonization with this butyrogenic strain suppressed bacteria-induced protein aggregation, emphasizing the importance of microbial interaction and its impact on host proteostasis."

journals.plos.org/plospatho...

[AmyLindy in reply to silvestrov]

This may seem like oversimplification but:

If we eat a Butyrate production friendly diet can we bump our endogenous supply (high enough to do the trick & instead of adding supplements)?

[Kia17 in reply to AmyLindy]

If we eat healthy with enough vegetables ,breathe and sit correctly we can promote good bacteria growth in our gut and enjoy the endogenous butyrate production.

[Despe]

Such a welcome surprise, Silvestrov. Please "drop by" more often. You and your knowledge are so much missed. I learned a lot from you!

[silvestrov in reply to Despe]

I plan to "drop by"but I have an upcoming art show and it is time demanding (1 painting has already sold!). That, and today's latest problems, low house water pressure, the internet will only work on laptops but not my desktop??? , it has been fun but I will get through it.

Have a great week!

[Despe in reply to silvestrov]

I am sorry for all the problems you have been experiencing. Keep the positive attitude though, your paintings are selling and I hope you get to sell all of them!

Have a great week, too!