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# Propionate supplement reduces energy intake, prevents weight gain
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/propionate_prevents_weight_gain_0117150641/
- Published: 2015-01-17T19:40:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:10:37.000Z
- Description: In a 24-week crossover trial with 60 overweight adults, 10 grams of inulin-propionate ester stimulated PYY and GLP-1 and cut energy intake. Over the study the supplement reduced weight gain, intra-abdominal fat and liver fat and preserved insulin sensitivity.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Supplements, Nutrition, #vivvo-import

Saturday Jan 17, 2015 (foodconsumer.org) -- Dietary fibers, particularly those soluble dietary fibers are subject to fermentation in the gut leading to the formation of short chain fatty acids such as propionate, which may play a role in appetite suppression.

A UK study published in 2014 in Gut confirms that supplementation with inulin-propionate ester - a supplement can promote the production of peptide YY (PYY) and glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1) secretion and reduce energy intake and prevent weight gain. The compound is so designed that it can move to the colon.

The trial involved 60 overweight adults and during the 24-week cross-over study, a total of 10 grams of inulin-propionate ester was ingested acutely. 

Propionate was found to significantly stimulate the production of PYY and GLP-1 in human colonic cells and emery intake was substantially reduced. As a result over the 24 weeks, the supplementation led to a few significant impacts:

1) reduced weight gain,

2) reduced intra-abdominal adipose tissue distribution

3) reduced intrahepatocellular lipid

4) maintained insulin sensitivity or prevented insulin insensitivity.

The researchers concluded "increasing colonic propionate prevents weight gain in overweight adult humans." (David Liu, PH.D.)

*Chambers ES, Viardot A, Psichas A, Morrison DJ, Murphy KG, Zac-Varghese SE, MacDougall K, Preston T, Tedford C, Finlayson GS, Blundell JE, Bell JD, Thomas EL, Mt-Isa S, Ashby D, Gibson GR, Kolida S, Dhillo WS, Bloom SR, Morley W, Clegg S, Frost G. Effects of targeted delivery of propionate to the human colon on appetite regulation, body weight maintenance and adiposity in overweight adults. Gut. 2014 Dec 10\. pii: gutjnl-2014-307913.*