Daily gut routine
Tesseract Medical Research ProButyrate Butyric Acid Complex
A sustained-release capsule of butyric acid, not a salt, in a dextrin carrier, taken one or two at a time twice a day.
- Format
- Capsule
- Type
- Postbiotic
- Cost
- $1.20 per day at one capsule twice a day; $2.40 at the two-capsule dose
- Customer rating
- 4.5 out of 5 from 757 ratings from Amazon
What customers consistently report
- Relief of IBS-type bloating and stomach upset
- No smell and an easy-to-swallow capsule compared with other butyrates
- A formula some reviewers say gives them more butyric acid per capsule
Those are the themes that recur across the reviews. Moderate review confidence — the 4.5 from 757 ratings is shown on Amazon by an independent platform, but the brand’s own store hides its product pages and reviews behind a login, there is no Trustpilot profile, and the only other retailer rating read is 5.0 from 2 reviews.
Why it might work
Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid that gut bacteria make from fiber and that cells lining the colon use as fuel. The idea behind a butyrate supplement is to deliver it to the colon directly when the gut’s own production is thought to be low, and it is also studied for effects on the gut barrier and on pain signaling. Butyric acid is absorbed quickly in the upper gut and has a strong odor, which is why salts, coatings and fat-based forms such as tributyrin exist. This product holds the free acid in a dextrin fiber matrix and uses hydroxypropyl methylcellulose layers for sustained release, and the brand says the acid is released in the colon. What the label does not let you check is how much butyric acid each capsule contains, where it is released, or how much is absorbed before the colon.
What the research supports
No trial of this product, or of free butyric acid in a dextrin carrier, was found. Trials of butyrate salts are the nearest evidence: microencapsulated sodium butyrate at 300 mg a day reduced pain during defecation and improved urgency in 66 adults with IBS over 12 weeks, but not abdominal pain or symptom severity, and 1.5 g a day of microencapsulated sodium butyrate reduced pain, diarrhea and bloating in 52 adults with diabetes and IBS-type symptoms. A pediatric trial of 150 mg of sodium butyrate twice a day in IBD found no difference from placebo. This label states 300 mg of a butyric acid complex per capsule, not the butyric acid itself, so it cannot be compared with those doses.
What the label discloses
One row is printed, 300 mg of a “Natural Butyric Acid Proprietary Complex” per capsule, and the milligrams of butyric acid are not stated. The form is free butyric acid held in the brand’s CyLoc dextrin matrix with a DexKey release agent, described as “patent pending” on the label and “patented” in a listing graphic. No release, absorption or potency data is posted, and no laboratory is named, though the brand states GMP manufacturing. The brand’s own store keeps its product pages and prices behind a login.
Who this tends to suit
We match this product to people reporting bloating, general abdominal discomfort and irregular bowel habits. It fits someone whose priority is day-to-day comfort or resetting after a course of antibiotics or an upset. Whether it is the best fit for you depends on the rest of your answers — what you have already tried, what format you will take, and anything that has to be ruled out.
Where it may not fit
The label supports gluten-free. We flag this product for anyone pregnant or breastfeeding or taking prescription medication, and the quiz removes it rather than recommending it in those cases. That is a caution about who should be deciding, not a claim about the product. A capsule only works if you will take it as often as the label directs.
Side effects and what to be aware of
About 7% of Amazon ratings are one or two stars. Amazon’s summary shows 11 negative value mentions out of 14 and 10 negative digestive-effect mentions out of 52; some reviewers find the capsule large or say it did nothing. The bottle advises consulting a practitioner if pregnant, and the retailer text adds nursing, medication and medical conditions. Directions differ between sellers.
Common questions
Does Tesseract ProButyrate work?
No trial of ProButyrate was found, and no study of the CyLoc or DexKey delivery system. Trials of butyrate salts show mixed results: microencapsulated sodium butyrate improved some symptoms in 66 adults with IBS and cut bloating and pain in 52 adults with diabetes and IBS-type symptoms, while a pediatric IBD trial found no difference. On Amazon, 42 of 52 digestive-effect mentions are positive.
Is ProButyrate safe, and does it have side effects?
The bottle says to consult a healthcare practitioner if pregnant, and retailer text adds nursing, medication and medical conditions. No side-effect warning is printed. One Amazon reviewer notes no side effects but no benefit, and the trials of butyrate salts reported no significant adverse events in the abstracts read.
How much does ProButyrate cost per day?
The label says 1 to 2 capsules twice a day, so 2 to 4 capsules. At Amazon’s $36.00 for 60 capsules ($0.60 each) that is $1.20 to $2.40 a day; the 120-count at $58.00 is $0.97 to $1.93. The brand’s own site hides prices behind a login.
ProButyrate vs tributyrin or sodium butyrate: what is the difference?
ProButyrate lists free butyric acid in a dextrin matrix, 300 mg of complex per capsule with the butyric acid amount unstated, while the adult IBS trials used microencapsulated sodium butyrate at doses stated in milligrams. The brand says it is not tributyrin and not a mineral salt. No head-to-head study of the three forms was found.
What is CyLoc, and is ProButyrate patented?
CyLoc is the brand’s name for a dextrin fiber matrix that holds each butyric acid molecule, and DexKey is the release agent; the panel says “patent pending” while an Amazon graphic says “Patented”. No published study of either technology was found. The brand claims the acid is released in the large intestine, and no release or absorption data is posted.
Before you take this. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or taking prescription medication. Nothing on this page is medical advice, and no supplement diagnoses, treats, cures or prevents disease.
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Related reading
Background on how this type of product works, read from the trial evidence.