Akkermansia muciniphila, a type of probiotic found in capsule form, can help people who are no longer using weight-loss injections keep better control. Experts believe it could do the same for people worried about coming off the shots and regaining their weight. The bacteria may play a role in pathways linked to GLP-1, the hormone involved in regulating appetite and blood sugar.
Weight-loss jabs are, unarguably, a short-cut to shedding pounds – helping dampen appetite, quieten 'food noise' and burn fat. But once users stop taking the medication, weight rapidly creeps back on.
Latest research suggests that within 18 months of quitting weight-loss injections, most people are as heavy, or even heavier, than they were before they started using them. But could a little-known 30p-a-day supplement available in health food stores be the solution? Research suggests that akkermansia muciniphila, a type of probiotic – or ‘friendly’ bacteria – which is found in capsule form, can help people who are no longer using jabs keep better control.
And now some experts believe it could do the same for people worried about coming off the shots and regaining their weight. So what exactly is this miraculous-sounding and difficult to pronounce pill – and how does it work? Akkermansia is found naturally in the human gut, where it forms part of the microbiome – the trillions of bacteria, viruses, fungi and other microbes involved in digestion, immunity and other bodily functions.
Research suggests the bacteria may play a role in pathways linked to GLP-1, the hormone involved in regulating appetite and blood sugar. One reason many patients struggle after stopping the drugs is that the appetite-suppressing effect disappears, causing hunger and food cravings to return. Some former users describe feeling constantly hungry after coming off the injections.
Experts are now investigating whether taking akkermansia in supplement form could help provide a stop-gap for some patients – offering a more gradual transition stopping using the jabs, alongside diet and lifestyle changes. Nutritionist Matt Jarosy says: ‘What’s really interesting about akkermansia is how it interacts with GLP-1 receptors in the gut and brain, in a similar way to the jabs, helping regulate blood sugar and appetite – highlighting how you can use the microbiome to influence weight.
‘Taking akkermansia alongside a healthy diet may help shift the microbiome in a healthier direction, reducing inflammation and boosting gut diversity in the long term. ’ One study – published in the journal Nature Medicine – found that people who took akkermansia supplements after losing weight through dieting regained around 20 per cent less weight than those given placebo pills. Six months later, they weighed around 3kg lighter than those who followed a healthy diet alone.
Akkermansia supplements can be bought for as little as 30p, with more premium brands charging £1.50 for their freeze-dried live cultures. Those taking the supplement also showed better blood sugar control, significantly reducing their risk of developing pre-diabetes, heart attack and stroke. The researchers, led by Dr Ellen Blaak, a human biologist at Maastricht University, reports: ‘Our results represent a promising strategy for long-term weight management after calorie restriction or GLP-1 receptor antagonist use.
’ Maintaining the equilibrium of the gut microbiome is increasingly viewed as essential to our health – hence the popularity of probiotic supplements.
‘Exposing the gut microbiome to just one new bacteria can have a profound impact on your weight and overall metabolic health.
Weight-Loss Jabs Probiotic Akkermansia Muciniphila GLP-1 Weight Management Metabolic Health Probiotic Supplements Gut Microbiome Obesity Weight Regulation
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