There is a seemingly endless list of things that claim to make your weight loss journey quicker and easier, but very few deliver on this promise. You’ve probably heard about how probiotics and prebiotics can help, but are they really worth including in your regimen?
It’s hard to say, as there are countless strains to choose from - while some may move the needle, others could do more harm than good. So, let’s narrow our focus specifically to Akkermansia for weight loss. What is it, and does Akkermansia help with weight loss?
Akkermansia muciniphila, or A. muciniphila, is a good gut bacteria commonly discussed on social media or in health settings. It naturally occurs in the small and large intestines in healthy people and holds great promise for supporting healthy, sustainable weight loss.
Our Akkermansia weight loss guide will share insights on what makes it so powerful and how you can use it to your advantage alongside other healthy weight management practices. Learn more below, including how to naturally increase A. muciniphila in your gut!
What is Akkermansia?
As we briefly mentioned above this is simply one of many beneficial bacterium that naturally reside in the human gut. It’s an important part of the gut microbiome, a community of trillions of microorganisms that influence digestion, immunity, and overall health.
Akkermansia is unique because it mostly eats mucin, a protein responsible for forming the protective lining of the gut wall. This is how it helps maintain gut barrier integrity and creates a balanced, healthy gut environment. More on that in a moment.
Akkermansia has become more popular recently as we discover its role relating to metabolic health. Higher levels of Akkermansia in the gut are linked to better weight management, improved glucose tolerance, and enhanced gut health.
This bacteria is also being studied for its ability to regulate appetite regulation, energy metabolism, and potentially even prevent weight gain. That being said, let’s take a closer look at the connection between Akkermansia and weight loss below.
Does Akkermansia Help With Weight Loss?
So, does Akkermansia help with weight loss? It certainly appears to - but a better question is how does Akkermansia help with weight loss? There are a few key mechanisms we want to highlight below.
Appetite Suppression Properties
Part of what makes losing weight so difficult is food cravings. Even if you’ve already eaten a well-portioned meal you might find yourself longing for a sweet treat after dinner, or quickly reaching for snacks just an hour or so after lunch.
This is why one of the best ways to lose weight without counting calories is to simply regulate your appetite better. There are many ways you can go about this, like eating more protein (as it encourages a greater level of satiety) - but using Akkermansia for weight loss may help, too.
It appears to regulate appetite by interacting with gut hormones such as GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) and PYY (peptide YY).
GLP-1 is the same hormone that popular weight loss drugs like Ozempic seek to signal. We have separate guides on how to increase GLP-1 naturally and how GLP-1 supplements work because it’s such a hot topic today - learn more if you’re interested.
In the meantime, just know this - these two hormones each signal satiety so you feel full sooner and won’t overeat as frequently. A balanced microbiome leads to better communication between the gut and brain (often referred to as the gut-brain axis) which regulates hunger cues.
Improving Glucose Tolerance and Insulin Sensitivity
The other reason people are becoming more interested in using Akkermansia for weight loss is its potential ability to improve glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity.
Akkermansia helps the body regulate blood sugar more efficiently. This can reduce fat storage by promoting energy utilization rather than fat accumulation. In other words, Akkermansia prompts your body to burn fat for fuel rather than store it for a rainy day.
This means fewer energy crashes and less inclination to reach for high-calorie, sugary foods. It’s particularly intriguing for those looking for assistance managing diabetes and trying to reduce Ozempic side effects, a popular diabetes management drug that doubles as a weight loss tool.
Healing and Strengthening the Gut Barrier
The gut barrier is essential for controlling the body’s inflammatory response, which may indirectly promote weight loss by creating a more conducive environment for healthy metabolism.
You already know that Akkermansia can help support this gut barrier, as we touched on earlier. It feeds on mucin to maintain that protective mucus layer lining in the gut that’s so important.
A stronger gut barrier prevents harmful substances from leaking into the bloodstream, which would otherwise lead to increased weight gain and an array of other metabolic challenges.
Other Reasons to Try Akkermansia
Beyond the Akkermansia weight loss connection there are quite a few reasons you should seek to bolster this bacteria in your gut microbiome. Here are just a few:
- Improved Lipid Profiles: It may help regulate cholesterol levels by metabolizing dietary fats more effectively and efficiently, preventing them from accumulating as fat storage.
- Enhanced Nutrient Absorption: A healthy gut microbiome optimizes vitamin and mineral absorption to improve overall health and energy levels during weight loss.
- Immune System Support: Its ability to maintain gut barrier integrity can support immune defenses, as the gut houses up to 70% of the body’s immune cells.
It’s clear there are links between Akkermansia and weight loss, but do be advised that preliminary research is still in the early stages. Some have had great success using Akkermansia for weight loss, while others have seen lackluster results.
So, is it really worth trying Akkermansia to lose weight?
Is it Really Worth Trying Akkermansia to Lose Weight?
Before you leave here today eager to incorporate Akkermansia-boosting supplements into your regimen, we need you to set your expectations. Research shows it may play a supporting role in weight loss, but it’s just that - a supporting role.
That means to see tangible results you’ll need to be patient and pair Akkermansia weight loss solutions with a variety of other sustainable, healthy weight management tactics.
Even if you use it as intended, individual results will vary from person to person as we all have our own unique baseline gut health, lifestyle, and genetic predispositions. What works (or doesn’t work) for one person may not align with your specific experience.
You can see that this is really the case with any “miracle weight loss solution,” as we’ve explored in our blog:
- Does kombucha make you lose weight?
- Does sea moss help you lose weight?
- Does matcha help you lose weight?
- Does b12 help you lose weight?
Still, it doesn’t hurt to try Akkermansia for weight loss - but we do encourage you to use it alongside other tried-and-true weight loss techniques. We’ll share some advice on getting started below.
Tips on Taking Akkermansia for Weight Loss Alongside Other Proven Strategies
Technically you already have Akkermansia residing in your gut right now as you read this - but, whether you have enough of it is another question entirely.
If you feel that your appetite is insatiable and you’re struggling to create balance in your gut, chances are, you could benefit from taking measures to increase your body’s Akkermansia concentration. Here are some ways to do just that along with other weight management tips.
How Do You Get Akkermansia?
Not everyone has the same level of Akkermansia in their gut. Poor diet, stress, and lack of exercise can decrease its abundance. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to replenish or enhance Akkermansia levels. The two most effective will be diet and supplementation.
High-fiber foods like asparagus, garlic, and leeks all feed beneficial gut bacteria, essentially acting as prebiotics. Remember, prebiotics essentially provide the energy source Akkermansia needs to thrive so it can work its magic.
You can also try certain supplements to balance hormones and lose weight. Many products contain pasteurized Akkermansia which has shown great promise in supporting gut barrier function.
Our advice is to combine dietary changes with a supplement for the best of both worlds. So, how do you actually go about supplementing Akkermansia for weight loss?
How to Supplement Akkermansia Effectively
Heat-treated Akkermansia muciniphila supplements are currently the most accessible and reliable option, as they are stable and safe for daily use.
As with any supplement, be it the best gut healing supplements like Akkermansia or peptides to lose weight, take your time to research the formulation in question. Make sure it’s backed by clinical studies and third-party tested for both potency and purity.
When you take your supplement can make or break your results. Taking it with a whole-food meal that includes prebiotic foods will help the bacteria integrate into your gut environment. Start with a smaller dose and gradually increase it as your digestive system adjusts.
Pairing With a Gut-Healthy Diet
Sure, you need to eat plenty of prebiotic foods like oats and bananas - but there are many other foods worth including in your diet as well. That includes polyphenol-rich foods, such as green tea, red wine (in moderation), and berries.
But you also need to avoid certain foods that cause more harm than good. Many processed foods with added sugars and artificial sweeteners can wreak havoc on your gut microbiome and kill good bacteria. Steer clear of these in favor of whole foods.
If you’re not sure where to start, a Mediterranean-style diet is an excellent template for creating a gut-friendly meal plan. This approach to nutrition focuses on whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
In general, healthy weight loss is going to require a caloric deficit - meaning your body is burning more calories on a daily basis than it consumes. Getting into this state forces your body to burn its internal fat stores as fuel.
Find out what you need to maintain your weight and then trim 150-300 calories per day depending on how aggressively you want to lose weight. The average healthy adult needs 2,000-2,500 calories daily.
Prioritizing Regular Exercise
It’s no secret that exercise supports healthy, sustainable weight management. You can eat fewer calories to get into a caloric deficit, or you can force your body to burn more by working out on a daily basis - or at least a few times a week. We suggest you do both.
After all, exercise does a whole lot more than simply burn calories. It can directly impact gut microbiota diversity, including Akkermansia levels. Regular aerobic activity (running or cycling) has been linked to a healthier microbiome and better metabolic health overall.
That being said, moderate-intensity exercise appears to be most beneficial, as excessive high-intensity training can actually have the opposite intended effect - it may increase stress hormones and potentially disrupt gut balance.
You don’t have to do anything crazy, either. Just 150 minutes or so a week will make a dramatic difference in the way you look and feel - especially if you’re taking steps to utilize Akkermansia for weight loss.
The Role of Stress Management and Sleep
We just mentioned that stress can cause disruptions to your gut microbiome, which is why you need to have healthy coping mechanisms in place to prevent this issue.
This can be anything from meditation to yoga, deep breathing exercises, golf, journaling - you name it. It may even be worth trying to remove sources of stress from your life, be it toxic people or too many responsibilities.
Sleep is another often overlooked factor that influences your weight management results. Poor sleep quality disrupts the gut-brain axis, negatively impacting Akkermansia’s role in digestion and metabolism.
Beyond Akkermansia, failing to get enough quality sleep can lead to a suite of health concerns - from increased stress to low energy, obesity, metabolic syndrome, and more.
So, try your best to get 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night by maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, minimizing screen time before bed, and creating a calming bedtime routine. Trust us, getting enough sleep will change your life beyond simply supporting weight management!
How Long Does it Take for Akkermansia to Work?
We know you’re eager to take what you’ve learned in this guide to Akkermansia and weight loss and put it to the test. Will you lose weight in 2 weeks, though? How long does it take for Akkermansia to work? As with most things in life, it depends.
You may experience some benefits almost immediately - like better digestion. However, the actual weight loss you’re hoping to experience will likely be more gradual.
Research suggests that Akkermansia supplementation can start influencing gut health within two to four weeks, provided it's paired with a gut-healthy diet and other lifestyle improvements.
Noticeable changes on the scale or in the mirror will likely take anywhere from 6-12 weeks. This is a holistic approach to weight management, not a get skinny quick scheme. The goal is to lose weight in a sustainable way that doesn’t cause more harm than good.
The actual timeline for Akkermansia weight loss will vary based on how much fat you’re storing, metabolism, diet, exercise, and more. Be patient, as the transformation down the road will be well worth the wait!
Bringing Our Akkermansia Weight Loss Guide to a Close
So, does Akkermansia help with weight loss? We hope our Akkermansia weight loss guide has left you with a clear understanding of what this compound is and the role it plays in weight management.
While it isn’t a weight loss miracle, the research supporting Akkermansia for weight loss is certainly promising. It can support a healthier gut while also curbing cravings and improving glucose sensitivity and insulin tolerance.
Plus, it already exists in your stomach - you just need to nourish it through dietary changes, exercise, and stress/sleep management. Of course, certain Akkermansia weight loss supplements may help as well.
Our blog has more resources to support your gut health detox, including natural alternatives to semaglutide, how much is GLP-1 without insurance, best tea to lose weight, homemade drinks to lose weight fast, juice cleanse to lose weight, and how to lose weight without gaining muscle.
But, whether you need a prebiotic or probiotic supplement or both we’ve got clinically studied solutions waiting to be discovered.