Akkermansia Muciniphila The Super Probiotic

Akkermansia muciniphila, the name of this recently discovered probiotic is a mouthful. So what makes it so "super"? What is it? How does it benefit your overall health? And what can you do to increase it?

Akkermansia refers to the specific bacteria strain (it’s named for a Dutch microbiologist), and muciniphila translates to mean “mucus loving.” This gives us a clue into Akkermansia muciniphila, where it makes its home, and exactly what role it plays in gut health. Like most probiotics, Akkermansia muciniphila lives in the large intestine. Uniquely, though, it doesn’t consume fibre — and it doesn’t require any outside nourishment in order to thrive and reproduce. This is very unique for gut bacteria. Instead, Akkermansia muciniphila eats the mucus layer that covers the intestinal cells. But importantly, it doesn’t destroy the mucus layer. Its careful “pruning” allows the gut lining to create more mucin, strengthening it over time.

What are the Health Benefits of Akkermansia Muciniphila?

• It acts as a gatekeeper to your gut. By protecting and strengthening your gut lining, Akkermansia helps to keep good bacteria in and bad bacteria out. With a strong gut lining, you may be less likely to develop gut dysbiosis, leaky gut and chronic illness over time.

• It prevents inflammation. Optimal levels of Akkermansia muciniphila usually means less leaky gut. Therefore, less inflammation.

• It’s considered to protect against illness. Scientists have studied Akkermansia muciniphila levels in healthy and sick people. The presence of this bacteria seems to be much more common in healthy people.

• It may manage glucose levels in the body. There still isn’t a lot of information on how Akkermansia muciniphila positively impacts type two diabetes — but the studies that have been done are promising. Especially for those who struggle with insulin resistance, supporting these bacteria could be a much-needed development.

• Another very unique feature of this “wonder bacteria” is It’s called a “cross feeder.” This is because Akkermansia consumes mucins and then turns them into certain types of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). In some cases, these fatty acids are then used by other bacterial strains to create butyrate. Butyrate is considered the “king” of SCFA’s for its gut regenerative and immune boosting properties.

Foods to Encourage Akkermansia Muciniphila Growth

Polyphenols When encouraging the Akkermansia muciniphila in your gut to proliferate, you have to take a unique approach and focus on supporting the mucus layer protecting your intestinal cells. Polyphenols (plant-based compounds that often protect against disease, and support immunity) are believed to do this. Powerful sources of polyphenols include berries, fresh herbs, real cranberry juice, and cocoa.

Healthy Fats A diet rich with fish oil, flax seed, and olives could help your Akkermansia muciniphila population flourish. Healthy fats have shown promising effects on the mucus in the gut lining — thus trickling down to the bacteria itself.

High levels of Akkermansia

Your Akkermansia muciniphila levels should hover between at least 0.5% and at most 5% of your total gut bacteria. In healthy people, scientists typically see bacteria levels at about 4%.

Typically, higher levels of Akkermansia muciniphila are a good sign. So far, research has associated this with a lower risk for diabetes, IBS, metabolic syndrome, obesity, and even cancer. However, there are a few instances where high levels of Akkermansia might cause concern. Research has shown high levels associated with individuals with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) who may want to be careful with Akkermansia, as it could be correlated with the disease and other autoimmune conditions. If you are supporting Akkermansia levels through dietary fats and polyphenols, it's much less likely that you’ll increase Akkermansia too much, unlike supplementing the probiotic directly. However, it’s always wise to gradually make any dietary changes and see how you feel.

If you are someone who is experiencing gut symptoms, have been diagnosed with an autoimmune condition or are curious to find out more about your gut microbiome and what that means for your personal health choices, contact me and ask about how a gut microbiome test may be able to help you.

In health and love

Deena x

NB. The information in this article is for education purposes only and not designed to treat or cure any health issues. Speak to your qualified health practitioner (like myself) before undergoing any changes to your diet.