Prebiotic Complex Reduces Digestive Pain and Discomfort: Study

NutriScience Innovations’ ButyraGen, a patented complex of tributyrin and a prebiotic branded as Sunfiber designed to enhance butyrate production, appeared to improve self-reported measures of belly pain and discomfort in a recent clinical study. The effects were stronger in women than in men, the researchers noted.

“These results validate what we’ve long known: butyrate is essential for a healthy gut, and ButyraGen makes it accessible every single day,” said Edward Dosz, PhD, author of the study and VP of science and innovation at NutriScience.

According to the company, unlike traditional fiber fermentation, ButyraGen’s composition guarantees a steady daily amount of butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid associated with gut barrier function, inflammation reduction, and improved digestive health.

Study Details

The 6-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study, which was conducted virtually in a real-world setting with 595 participants, evaluated the ingredient’s effects on belly pain, gas and bloating, upper and lower gastrointestinal symptoms, digestive quality of life, and tolerability and safety. Participants received either 200 mg of ButyraGen or a placebo daily.

ButyraGen users showed an 18% greater improvement compared to placebo in belly pain relief, which became statistically significant by weeks 5 to 6. Participants with mild reflux or constipation also experienced rapid improvements in digestive quality of life within 2 weeks, with 16.9% and 18.8% greater improvements over placebo, respectively. The effects on women were even more pronounced: a 20.3% greater reduction in belly pain and a 14.9% decrease in gas and bloating compared to placebo, with post-menopausal women seeing a 26.4% greater improvement in gas and bloating.

“We’re especially excited about the strong benefits seen in women and post-menopausal women, a population that has been overlooked in gut health research for far too long,” said Dosz.