Akkermansia muciniphila naturally lives in our intestines as part of the gut microbiome, and higher levels of A. muciniphila in the gut tend to be associated with positive health outcomes.[1] However, using dietary interventions to increase A. muciniphila abundance is complicated. The effects appear to be highly dependent on the person, and it’s not clear whether simply increasing the levels of A. muciniphila improves health outcomes.
Fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAPs) are a category of dietary carbohydrates found in varying levels in fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, and grains. A low-FODMAP diet has been reported to reduce levels of A. muciniphila compared to a diet that includes FODMAPs.[2][3] Inulin is a FODMAP, and one study found that taking 10 grams of inulin daily for 45 days increased the population of A. muciniphila in people with type 2 diabetes.[4]
Some preliminary research suggests that calorie restriction or certain polyphenols (e.g., resveratrol, pomegranate extract) might increase the population of A. muciniphila. However, the effects varied depending on certain population characteristics (e.g., ethnicity, baseline levels of A. muciniphila), and both of the studies that used calorie restriction also increased dietary fiber intake, which tends to influence the composition of the gut microbiota.[1][5][6]
More research is needed to understand if, and in whom, these interventions increase A. muciniphila levels, and perhaps more importantly, if this positively affects health.