Your organs keep time and your gut microbes may be the metronome. Short-chain fatty acids from microbial fermentation act like tiny time signals, nudging peripheral clocks to sync with what and when you eat. If you’ve ever felt “off” after a late meal or a time-zone hop, your gut’s timing might be the reason. Table of Contents: SCFAs as time signals: what the evidence says Gut clock sets the beat Microbes set the liver’s fuel clock Stress, tryptophan and timing Timed SCFAs re