Dutch Trial Finds Pasteurized Akkermansia Linked to Less Weight Regain After Diet

Ninety overweight and obese adults in the Netherlands who completed an eight-week low-energy diet regained less weight when given a pasteurized form of the gut bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila MucT during the following 24 weeks. Participants were instructed to lose 8% of their body weight during the diet phase.

They were then randomly assigned to receive either the pasteurized bacterium or a placebo for the 24-week maintenance period.

1 pounds among those who received the placebo. The difference was statistically significant, according to results published in Nature Medicine. No serious adverse events were reported in either group.

The study’s short duration and small sample size limit conclusions about longer-term effects, the researchers noted. Participants also followed self-selected diets rather than a standardized eating plan during the maintenance phase. Dr.

” “The finding that a single gut microbe, pasteurized Akkermansia, reduced weight regain is particularly compelling,” Balazs told Fox News Digital. ” Balazs said the pasteurized bacterium works through components of the bacteria, particularly a protein called Amuc_1100. “This protein helps strengthen the gut barrier, reduce low-grade inflammation and support healthy metabolic function,” he said.

“After weight loss, the body naturally tries to regain fat, but Akkermansia appears to help quiet some of those biological signals, making it easier to maintain results over time,” Balazs added. He cautioned that the treatment is not a substitute for diet, exercise or medical advice. “It helps with maintenance, not initial loss,” Balazs said.