Investigating the response of the butyrate production potential to major fibers in dietary intervention studies

This study investigated the impact of three dietary fibers—inulin-type fructans (ITF), resistant starch (RS), and arabinoxylan-oligosaccharides (AXOS)—on butyrate production potential in the gut microbiota. Pooled analysis of 16S rRNA gene data from 14 intervention studies revealed increased butyrate production potential after ITF and RS treatment due to increases in butyryl-CoA:acetate CoA-transferase (*but*)-containing bacteria. The increase was driven by specific taxa (*Faecalibacterium*, *Anaerostipes* for ITF; *Agathobacter* for RS), while AXOS did not show this effect. Pre-intervention microbiota composition significantly influenced the response, with low initial *Ruminococcus* (ITF) and high *Ruminococcus* (RS) abundance correlating with increased *but*-containing taxa. Conversely, high initial *Prevotella* abundance negatively correlated with butyrate producer responses. The study highlights the targeted stimulation of specific taxa by individual fibers and the importance of pre-intervention gut microbiota composition in determining outcomes.

Thao Van-Wehle, Marius Vital