Akkermansia and Weight Maintenance

Obesity and related disorders such as type 2 diabetes are a worldwide diet-related problem. As such new treatment options are constantly being developed. Bacteria living in the gut seem to be a key player in the treatment of obesity and related metabolic diseases by influencing energy balance and the immune system. In terms of newly identified bacteria species, Akkermansia muciniphila (A. muciniphila) has been found to be related to obesity. Several animal studies have shown the beneficial impact of A. muciniphila on the treatment of body weight as well as insulin sensitivity. The growth requirements of live A. muciniphila as well as its oxygen sensitivity rendered this bacterium unsuitable for human investigations or putative therapeutic opportunities. Therefore, pasteurization, a mild heating method, and its impact on diet-induced metabolic disorders in mice were investigated. Unexpectedly, this method of inactivation did not negate the effect of A. muciniphila, but improved its beneficial metabolic effects. Pilot studies have provided further evidence that pasteurization of A. muciniphila is safe for human use and has the potential to beneficially affect the control of body weight and glucose metabolism. In this project, The investigators hypothesize that pasteurized A. muciniphila will be superior to placebo intervention in maintaining body weight after a phase of weight loss (low caloric diet) in adult participants with overweight or obesity.