Exactly how Akkermansia muciniphila works is still an area of exploration. Current research suggests that A. muciniphila naturally existing in our intestines may influence our health by directly interacting with aspects of the gastrointestinal tract and immune system and by producing metabolites like short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). However, whether this applies to A. muciniphila taken as a supplement still needs to be determined.
A. muciniphila breaks down and feeds on mucin, the major component of the mucus layer that lines our gastrointestinal tract. This is thought to stimulate the turnover and production of mucus, which contributes to the health of the intestines. A. muciniphila also produces SCFAs, specifically propionate and acetate, as a byproduct of mucin degradation. These SCFAs are thought to regulate appetite, increase insulin sensitivity, decrease inflammation in the gut, and improve gut barrier integrity. Furthermore, A. muciniphila can interact with the immune system through Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), which regulates many biological functions, again including insulin sensitivity and gut barrier integrity.[1][2][3][4]
Interestingly, a surface protein on A. muciniphila, Amuc_1100, has been shown to replicate many of the effects of live A. muciniphila in animal models, possibly through activation of TLR2. Amuc_1100 is also stable at temperatures used for pasteurization, which could explain why pasteurized A. muciniphila seems to maintain some of its effects.[4][3]
The gut microbiome is very much its own ecosystem living within our intestines, and it’s important to note that A. muciniphila does not exist in isolation but rather as part of this complex ecosystem. The dynamic interplay between microbes within the ecosystem (and between our body and the gut microbiome) is complicated and only beginning to be understood. It’s quite possible that how A. muciniphila “works” relates less to its individual effects and more to its role within a larger ecosystem.