ReviewNature metabolism2020
Short-chain fatty acids as potential regulators of skeletal muscle metabolism and function.
Review in Nature metabolism, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 302 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
302 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 462 citations in OpenAlex.
- Natural products alleviate exercise-induced fatigue by modulating gut microbiota: a systematic review.Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · 2026Pooled it
- Effects ofFrontiers in nutrition · 2026Pooled it
- Human Gut Microbiome: A Connecting Organ Between Nutrition, Metabolism, and Health.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Pooled it
- Probiotics supplementation or probiotic-fortified products on sarcopenic indices in older adults: systematic review and meta-analysis from recent randomized controlled trials.Frontiers in aging · 2024Pooled it
- Trial
- Increasing gut short-chain fatty acids protects intestinal barrier function but does not spare muscle glycogen or impact aerobic performance.The Journal of physiology · 2026Trial
- Signatures in the gut microbiome of German elite athletes: insights from a matched-subgroup analysis.mSystems · 2026Trial
- Effects of Phenolic-Rich Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Prebiotics on Sarcopenia in Older Adults: FOOP-Sarc Project.Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle · 2026Trial
- The Effects of Soy Protein-Rich Meals on Muscle Health of Older Adults Are Linked to Gut Microbiome Modifications.Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle · 2026Trial
- The effect of elastic-band resistance training on fecal microbiota and derived metabolites of aged individuals with possible sarcopenia.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Trial
- Supplementation with resveratrol modified gut microbiota improving insulin sensitivity and lipid metabolism in subjects with obesity and insulin resistance.European journal of nutrition · 2025Trial
- Effects of a combined energy restriction and vigorous-intensity exercise intervention on the human gut microbiome: A randomised controlled trial.The Journal of physiology · 2025Trial
- Efficacy ofNutrients · 2024Trial
- Exploratory case comparison of gut microbiome functional potential in ultramarathoners differing in adiposity and finish time.Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · 2026Article
- Gut microbiota characteristics in patients with inguinal hernia: a prospective observational study.Hernia : the journal of hernias and abdominal wall surgery · 2026Observational
- Is There a Relationship Between the Gut Microbiome and the Functional Capabilities of Skeletal Muscle? A Narrative Review.Nutrients · 2026Review
- Puerarin improved meat quality via the gut-muscle axis mediated by liver metabolites in chicken.Poultry science · 2026Article
- Exercise and Intestinal Barrier Integrity: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential in Gut Health and Disease.Biology · 2026Review
- The Human Microbiome in Airborne Particulate Matter-Associated Aging-Related Chronic Diseases: An Evidence-Stratified Review.Environment & health (Washington, D.C.) · 2026Review
- Multiomics profiling identifies molecular and cellular signatures of regular exercise in human peripheral blood.Science advances · 2026Article
242 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
A key metabolic activity of the gut microbiota is the fermentation of non-digestible carbohydrate, which generates short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) as the principal end products. SCFAs are absorbed from the gut lumen and modulate host metabolic responses at different organ sites. Evidence suggests that these organ sites include skeletal muscle, the largest organ in humans, which plays a pivotal role in whole-body energy metabolism. In this Review, we evaluate the evidence indicating that SCFAs mediate metabolic cross-talk between the gut microbiota and skeletal muscle. We discuss the effects of three primary SCFAs (acetate, propionate and butyrate) on lipid, carbohydrate and protein metabolism in skeletal muscle, and we consider the potential mechanisms involved. Furthermore, we highlight the emerging roles of these gut-derived metabolites in skeletal muscle function and exercise capacity, present limitations in current knowledge and provide suggestions for future work.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.