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# This Gut Microbe May Help You Maintain Weight Loss
- URL: https://www.gutminds.com/this-gut-microbe-may-help-you-maintain-weight-loss/
- Published: 2026-07-20T11:43:22.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-20T11:43:22.000Z
- Description: It used to be called the yo-yo effect. Even worse, some people don't just return to their previous weight - they end up weighing more than before they started dieting. This beneficial gut bacterium may help break that cycle.
- Author: GutMinds

[Science Based](#the-bottom-line)

I like learning about lesser-known beneficial bacteria because the gut microbiome is much more diverse than just *Lactobacillus* and *Bifidobacterium*, even though these two are the most common ingredients found in probiotic supplements. 

If you have ever been on a diet, you've probably noticed that losing weight is often easier than maintaining the results long term. 

But there's a beneficial gut microbe that may help prevent weight regain. 

## *Akkermansia* *muciniphila* for Keeping Weight Off

*Akkermansia* *muciniphila* is a relatively new probiotic and I find it especially interesting because of its connection to metabolic health. 

In this [study](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42120725/?ref=gutminds.com), adults with overweight or obesity first lost weight during an 8-week low-energy diet. They then followed a healthy diet while taking either *Akkermansia muciniphila* or a placebo for 24 weeks. 

The supplement group regained about 1.2 kg (2.6 lb), compared with around 3.2 kg (7 lb) in the placebo group.

### *Akkermansia* *muciniphila* and Metabolic Health

Part of the reason why *Akkermansia muciniphila* may support a healthy weight is its effect on insulin sensitivity. 

In another [study](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-019-0495-2?ref=gutminds.com), insulin levels dropped by about 34%, while insulin sensitivity improved by approximately 29%. 

What's more, blood tests showed improvements in markers related to liver dysfunction and inflammation. 

### Other Health Benefits

A different [study](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13213-025-01839-1?ref=gutminds.com) showed that *Akkermansia muciniphila* may have broader effects throughout the body.

These include:

- reduced inflammation
- increased levels of beneficial gut bacteria
- higher levels of GLP-1 and PYY - hormones that help regulate appetite and signal fullness after meals

#### The Bottom Line

I also found another interesting [study](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39879980/?ref=gutminds.com) on *Akkermansia* *muciniphil*a. You might think that more is always better, but researchers found that if you already have high levels of this bacterium in your gut, taking a supplement may not make much of a difference. 

But if you start with low levels, *Akkermansia* *muciniphila* can actually colonize the gut and lead to improvements in HbA1c, body weight, and body fat. 

#### 4 Sources

[Pasteurized Akkermansia muciniphila MucT for weight loss maintenance in people with overweight and obesity: a controlled randomized trial](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42120725/?ref=gutminds.com)

[Supplementation with Akkermansia muciniphila in overweight and obese human volunteers: a proof-of-concept exploratory study](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-019-0495-2?ref=gutminds.com)

[Safety and efficacy of a synbiotic formulation containing Akkermansia muciniphila Akk11 on gut microbiota and metabolic health: a randomized controlled trial](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13213-025-01839-1?ref=gutminds.com)

[Akkermansia muciniphila supplementation in patients with overweight/obese type 2 diabetes: Efficacy depends on its baseline levels in the gut](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39879980/?ref=gutminds.com)