Roseburia

Roseburia is a genus of bacteria that make butyrate. (Butyrate is a beneficial gut fat.) It belongs to the Lachnospiraceae family, part of the Firmicutes. Its best-studied species are R. intestinalis and R. hominis. The genus ferments dietary fiber. It is especially fond of resistant starch and beta-glucan from whole grains. In doing so, it makes butyrate in your colon. It shares that job with another microbe, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii. Low levels turn up in several conditions. These include inflammatory bowel disease, type 2 diabetes, and colorectal cancer. So it is often floated as a candidate 'next-generation probiotic'. A 2017 review even asked, in its title, whether it is 'a marker of health'. And diet studies show it responds to whole-grain, high-fiber eating.

Last reviewed: June 22, 2026

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