This Gut Microbe May Help You Maintain Weight Loss
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.
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, 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, 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 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 on Akkermansia muciniphila. 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.
