The following is a summary of “Butyrate supplementation reduces sarcopenia by repairing neuromuscular junction in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,” published in the February 2024 issue of Pulmonology by Qaisar, et al.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is linked to both intestinal permeability and neuromuscular junction (NMJ) degradation, which contribute to physical decline and the accelerated loss of muscle mass known as sarcopenia. Despite efforts, current interventions for COPD-associated sarcopenia remain partially ineffective. For a study, researchers sought to explore the effects of exogenous butyrate on sarcopenia and physical capacity in COPD patients, considering its impact on intestinal permeability and NMJ integrity.
COPD patients were randomly assigned to receive either placebo (n = 67) or butyrate (n = 64) capsules in a double-blind fashion. Patients in the butyrate group received one 300 mg capsule daily for 12 weeks. Circulating markers of intestinal permeability (zonulin), systemic bacterial load (LBP), and NMJ loss (CAF22) were measured, along with handgrip strength (HGS) and the short physical performance battery (SPPB), at baseline and after 12 weeks.
Butyrate supplementation led to improvements in HGS and gait speed among COPD patients. Within the SPPB indices, butyrate enhanced postural balance and walking ability while preventing a decline in the ability to rise from a chair. Additionally, butyrate decreased plasma levels of zonulin, LBP, and CAF22 in COPD patients (all P < 0.05). Regression analysis indicated significant associations between plasma zonulin and CAF22 levels and HGS, gait speed, and cumulative SPPB scores in the butyrate group. These improvements were correlated with reduced markers of inflammation and muscle damage.
Exogenous butyrate may offer a therapeutic avenue for addressing sarcopenia and physical dependency in COPD by mitigating intestinal permeability and NMJ loss.
Reference: resmedjournal.com/article/S0954-6111(23)00398-0/abstract
