Gut-derived SCFAs: fiber fermentation as a driver of metabolic regulation

SCFAs (acetate, propionate, butyrate) are produced by gut microbes from non-digestible carbohydrates and serve as both energy substrates and signaling molecules. They influence metabolism, immune function, and tissue homeostasis across organs via receptor-mediated signaling and epigenetic mechanisms. Production is shaped by microbiome composition, cross-feeding, and dietary fiber, and the review synthesizes how SCFAs impact health and disease and how diet or therapies might target SCFA pathways for metabolic health.