Short-chain fatty acids produced by healthy gut bacteria appear to slow the growth and reduce the invasive characteristics of Candida albicans, a fungus that normally lives harmlessly in the gut but can cause infections when the microbiota is disrupted by antibiotics. This study tested whether healthy gut SCFA levels inhibit Candida more effectively than dysbiotic levels and found that the healthy SCFA mix was somewhat more effective at preventing fungal hyphal formation, which is important for tissue invasion. However, different Candida strains responded differently to the SCFAs, suggesting that individual variation affects how protective these bacterial metabolites can be.