In July 2019 researchers from Belgium, The Netherlands and Finland published the results of their study to assess the results of their study to assess the association of Akkermansia muciniphila supplementation on insulin resistance, circulating lipids or fat cells in the blood, abdominal obesity and body mass. It is already known that an increased level of A. muciniphila in the gut is associated with a lower incidence of overweight, obesity, untreated diabetes type 2 and hypertension but the effects of A.muciniphila supplementation were unknown. A total of 40 overweight/obese insulin-resistant individuals were included in the study although only 32 completed it. Each individual received a daily oral supplementation of either 1010 A. muciniphila bacteria (live or pasteurized) or a placebo for a period of three months. Results showed that compared to placebo, pasteurized A. muciniphila improved insulin sensitivity as well as reducing insulinaemia and total cholesterol levels. Pasteurized A. muciniphila supplementation was also seen to slightly decrease body weight, fat mass and hip circumference. In addition, three months’ supplementation of A. muciniphila was also shown to reduce the levels of specific blood markers for liver dysfunction and inflammation whilst the overall structure of the gut microbiome appeared unaffected.
Depommier C et al. Supplementation with Akkermansia muciniphila in overweight and obese human volunteers: a proof-of-concept exploratory study. Nat Med. 2019 Jul 1. [Epub ahead of print]