butyrate + glycocholate

butyrate + glycocholate is an investigational combination therapy consisting of a short-chain fatty acid (butyrate) and a conjugated bile acid (glycocholate). Developed by Västra Götalandsregionen, it is primarily being studied to address calcium malabsorption and subsequent bone metabolism disorders in patients who have undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). In RYGB patients, the bypass of the duodenum and proximal jejunum—the primary sites for calcium absorption—often leads to secondary hyperparathyroidism and increased bone resorption. This combination aims to utilize the distal intestine and colon as alternative sites for calcium uptake. Butyrate is thought to stimulate calcium transport by upregulating epithelial calcium channels (such as TRPV6) and providing energy to colonocytes, while glycocholate may enhance the solubility of calcium or act through bile acid receptors to modulate metabolic signaling. The therapy is typically administered in pH-dependent capsules designed to release the active ingredients in the distal gut.

Other names

sodium butyrate + sodium glycocholatebutyric acid + glycocholic acid