Glossary · Microbiota
Akkermansia muciniphila
In one sentence
Akkermansia muciniphila is a strictly anaerobic bacterium of the human gut that uses mucin from the intestinal mucus layer as its energy source. It is studied for possible links with gut barrier function and metabolic health.
Also known as: Akkermansia · A. muciniphila
What is Akkermansia muciniphila?
Akkermansia muciniphila is a Gram-negative, strictly anaerobic bacterium that lives in the mucus layer lining the colon. It was isolated from human faeces and described as a new genus and species by Derrien and colleagues in 2004 (International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology). It belongs to the phylum Verrucomicrobia, which contributes few species to the gut microbiota, although A. muciniphila itself is a regular member of the healthy adult gut.
What sets it apart is its ability to break down mucin, the main glycoprotein in intestinal mucus. In doing so it releases sugars that other bacteria can use and produces acetate and propionate, two short-chain fatty acids.
What the research shows
Work on Akkermansia has followed three main lines:
- Gut barrier. In animal models it has been linked to mucus turnover and to intestinal permeability.
- Metabolism. Several observational studies associate lower abundance with obesity or insulin resistance. This is an association and does not show that the bacterium is the cause.
- Intervention. A randomised pilot trial (Depommier et al., Nature Medicine, 2019) in overweight or obese, insulin-resistant adults (32 completed the study) reported improvements in some metabolic markers with pasteurised bacteria compared with placebo. It was a small proof-of-concept study that needs confirmation.
In 2021 EFSA assessed pasteurised A. muciniphila as a novel food and concluded it was safe under the proposed conditions of use. That opinion concerns safety, not efficacy.
Example
A gastroenterologist reviews the microbiota report of a patient with digestive symptoms. A. muciniphila shows a low relative abundance compared with the laboratory’s reference population. Rather than prescribing a supplement on the strength of that figure, she puts it in context: diet, recent medication (antibiotics, metformin), overall diversity and other markers. One isolated value does not amount to a diagnosis or an automatic treatment decision.
Limitations
- Abundance varies widely among healthy people and there is no agreed optimal range.
- Results depend on the method (16S, shotgun metagenomics, qPCR) and are not always comparable between laboratories.
- Much of the mechanistic evidence comes from animals; human data remain limited.
Akkermansia muciniphila at Xenogene
Xenogene’s gut microbiota analysis uses Nanopore NGS on a stool sample to identify the microorganisms present, Akkermansia among them, within a report that also covers diversity and microbiota functions. The test is requested by a healthcare professional, and interpreting the result is the responsibility of the requesting clinician, who can use Sophia, Xenogene’s AI assistant for reading reports, without it replacing clinical judgement.
Frequently asked questions
What foods increase Akkermansia?
Polyphenol-rich foods such as berries and some fermentable fibres have been linked to higher Akkermansia levels, mostly in animal studies. Human data are limited and responses vary widely, so no single food can be relied on to raise it.
Are Akkermansia supplements safe?
In 2021 EFSA concluded that pasteurised Akkermansia muciniphila is safe as a novel food at up to 3.4 × 10^10 cells per day for adults, excluding pregnancy and breastfeeding. Safety is not the same as proven benefit, so it is worth discussing with a healthcare professional.
Is low Akkermansia bad?
Not necessarily. Levels vary a great deal between healthy people, and an isolated low value does not indicate disease. It should be read alongside the rest of the microbiota profile and the clinical picture.
Related terms
- Microbiota
The microbiota is the community of living microorganisms (bacteria, archaea, fungi, protozoa) that inhabits a specific site of the body, such as the gut, mouth, skin or vagina.
- Intestinal permeability
Intestinal permeability is how easily substances in the gut lumen cross the intestinal lining into the bloodstream. It is a normal, regulated property; increased permeability is associated with several diseases.
- Relative abundance
Relative abundance is the share of a microorganism in the total detected in a sample, usually given as a percentage. It reflects its weight within the community, not its absolute quantity.
- Short-chain fatty acids
Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are fatty acids with one to six carbon atoms produced by colonic bacteria when they ferment fibre and other non-digestible carbohydrates. The main ones are acetate, propionate and butyrate.
- Postbiotic
A postbiotic is a preparation of inanimate microorganisms and/or their components that confers a health benefit on the host, as defined by the 2021 ISAPP consensus. Purified microbial metabolites alone do not qualify.
Educational content for healthcare professionals and the general public. It does not replace assessment by a healthcare professional: ordering and interpreting any test is the responsibility of the requesting clinician.
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