EiR Blog

Continuing with my blog series aimed at helping you decipher the results of a comprehensive digestive stool analysis (CDSA), this week I will describe the various "metabolic markers" that might be referred to on your test results. n-Butyrate This short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) is produced as a result of the fermentation of dietary fibre, particularly gums and pectins, by certain bacteria that inhabit the intestines (particularly probiotic bacteria such as Lactobacilli and Bifodobacteria species). An n-butyrate level within the reference range is first and foremost then, an indicator that such health promoting bacteria are present in sufficient amounts. A low n-butyrate level in this respect may indicate a deficiency of beneficial bacteria while a high level suggests a general bacterial overgrowth caused by factors such as low stomach acid or high carbohydrate/fibre diets. In the former case probiotic supplements may be required while in the latter antibiotic therapy, whether drug-based...