How to Increase Akkermansia Naturally

How to Increase Akkermansia Naturally: Foods, Supplements, and Lifestyle Tips 

Role of Akkermansia

Akkermansia is one of many gut bacteria that’s recently gained attention for its potential role in human health. But what is akkermansia and how can it benefit us? Let’s dive in! Akkermansia muciniphila, or Akkermansia, is a bacteria found in our gastrointestinal tracts (GIT) that is linked to lower risks of obesity, diabetes, inflammation, cardiovascular disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and other metabolic and inflammatory disorders (1, 2). 

Can Akkermansia Improve Our Health? 

Its impressive role in these conditions is primarily attributed to its role as a mucin-degrading bacteria (1). Mucin is the main component of the mucus that lines our GIT, where it acts as a barrier to protect us against harmful enzymes, bacteria, and other substances (1)(2). It may seem counterintuitive that akkermansia is beneficial considering it breaks down this beneficial mucin: however, its presence is actually linked to greater mucus thickness and a stronger intestinal barrier. It is believed that Akkermansia produces short chain fatty acids from this degraded mucin, which are then used as energy by mucin-producing cells, thereby increasing mucin turnover and the number of mucin-producing cells, and in turn strengthening out gut barrier (1) (2).  

This may explain Akkermansia’s disease-protecting effects, as impaired gut barrier function and reduced mucus layer thickness are typical characteristics of metabolic disorders (such as obesity and Type 2 Diabetes), conditions of intestinal inflammation (such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease), and even in ageing (2). Indeed, lower levels of Akkermansia are generally found in the gut microbiomes of people dealing with these conditions (1, 2). 

In addition to Akkermansia’s mucin-degrading properties, this bacteria may also confer health benefits through other methods such as by producing the short-chain fatty acid “propionate” and by the presence of a specific protein that increases GLP1 levels. GLP1 is a hormone that increases feelings of fullness after a meal, therefore relating to caloric intake, obesity, and metabolic health (2).  

Can Supplementing Akkermansia Treat Disease? 

Building on this finding, a variety of research using Akkermansia supplementation to treat conditions is underway. So far, it has successfully been used in mice to: 

• Improve metabolic health by:
  • Restoring mucus thickness and metabolic health in mice with obesity and diabetes (1)
  • Reversing metabolic disorders like fat gain, inflammation in fat cells, & insulin resistance (2) 
  • Positively affect liver fat metabolism to prevent non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (2) 
• Reduce cardiovascular disease risk by:
  • Reducing the size of atherosclerotic plaques and lowering inflammation (1)
  • Reduce dyslipidemia, cholesterol levels, and triglycerides (2)

Unfortunately, current research on Akkermansia supplementation is limited to rodent studies, so we cannot assume it applies to humans (1). Nonetheless, these results are promising and hopefully in due time human studies will be published.   

How to Increase Akkermansia Naturally

Although research using Akkermansia as a supplement is still in preliminary stages, we do have human (and rodent) data on increasing Akkermansia levels through natural methods, which in turn relate to improved health. 

The main factors known to relate to Akkermansia levels in humans are: diet, exercise, and gut transit time (2). 

By examining the foods shown to increase Akkermansia, several specific active compounds within these foods have been identified as prebiotics that underlie these effects. Specifically, polyphenols, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides are all believed to increase Akkermansia (6). 

Diet

Now, let’s look further into which specific foods and dietary strategies can increase Akkermansia!  

Polyphenols: Cranberries, Pomegranates, & Grapes

Polyphenols act as antioxidants and antimicrobials which protect Akkermansia bacteria from oxygen radicals and harmful bacteria, respectively, therefore promoting their survival (1). 

Three of the more heavily researched polyphenol-containing foods that may increase Akkermansia are cranberries, pomegranates, and grapes. Cranberry extract and concord grapes have been shown to increase Akkermansia levels from 2 to 30% and 6.2 to 49.1%, respectively in mice fed high fat diets (1). Meanwhile pomegranate extract can increase levels 47-fold (4). These increases are accompanied by health benefits: cranberry extract exhibited reduced weight gain, visceral obesity, liver fat, insulin resistance, and triglycerides (8), while concord grapes reduced weight gain, inflammation, and glucose intolerance while increasing the expression of genes involved in gut barrier function (5).  

Other Polyphenols

Polyphenols in other foods have also shown efficacy. For example, resveratrol, and polyphenols extracted from apple, rhubarb, black tea, and green tea may improve metabolic health by increasing Akkermansia (1)(5). In many cases, we don’t know which specific polyphenols cause the benefit;  however, in the case of rhubarb it is believed to be the anthraquinones (1).  

There are inconsistencies in polyphenol research, with some studies showing no effect of pomegranate extract, green tea extract, or whole California table grapes on Akkermansia levels (1). Nonetheless, the majority show positive results, suggesting that specific doses of some polyphenols likely confer health benefits in certain circumstances (such as in diet-induced obesity, as several rodent studies only saw benefits in mice with diet-induced obesity and not in those fed regular chow).   

FODMAPs 

In addition to polyphenols, FODMAPs (Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols) can increase Akkermansia levels. FODMAPs are types of carbohydrates that are poorly absorbed in our gut, and thus fermented by resident bacteria, which can produce gastrointestinal discomfort in some people. As a result, a low FODMAP diet is often temporarily prescribed to identify foods that strongly trigger symptoms.

Two human studies have shown that higher FODMAP diets relate to higher Akkermansia levels. The first was done in patients with Crohn’s disease and the second in healthy subjects. Both compared 21 days of a low FODMAP diet to a typical Australian diet (which is much higher in FODMAPs). Those following a typical Australian diet had greater Akkermansia levels (1). 

This reinforces the health benefits of FODMAPs, reiterating the importance of not following a low FODMAP diet long-term.   

Caloric Restriction

Lower calorie diets may also increase Akkermansia levels by as much as 125% (4). This may also translate to positive health outcomes, with one study finding that Akkermansia levels in individuals who are overweight or obese positively correlated with metabolic health and clinical outcomes (2). 

Other Dietary Factors

To synthesize all this research, at least two major systematic reviews have been conducted (4) (5). In addition to outlining many of the findings outlined above, these reviews highlight a few other dietary factors that can increase Akkermansia including: 

• Foods:  
  • Broccoli, orange juice, oats (6)
    • All shown to improve lipid profiles and blood sugar control! 
  • Whole grains, mung bean seed coat, rice bran, coconut water, vinegar, pineapple vinegar, fish oil (6) 
• Fibre supplements:
  • Polydextrose (4) 
  • Inulin (4)  
• The yeast fermentable “EpiCor” (4) 
• Sodium butyrate (4) (a byproduct of the short chain fatty acid “butyrate” produced by gut bacteria in response to consuming dietary fibre (10))
• Some edible herbs from Traditional Chinese Medicines
  • Panax notoginseng, Antrodia cinnamomea, Lippia citriodora, others (6)  

 These reviews also noted factors that were ineffective at increasing Akkermansia: 

• Fibre supplements:
  • Soluble corn fibre (4) 
  • Kiwifruit capsules (4) 
• Fibre from food:
  • Resistance starch, wheat bran (4) 

Exercise 

Our diet is not the only thing that affects our gut microbiome though! Exercise may also increase Akkermansia. While it is well established that exercise promotes good gut health, findings are mixed when specifically looking at its impact on Akkermansia. 

A 2024 systematic review identified 13 human and 9 animal studies on this topic. Of the human studies, 6 showed exercise increased Akkermansia levels, 5 showed it decreased, and 2 showed no effect. Meanwhile all but one animal study showed it increased, with the ninth study showing no impact (9).  

Gut Transit Time

Finally, greater Akkermansia is consistently associated with longer colonic transit time (11) (12) (13). Accordingly, it is also linked to a firmer stool consistency (2). Of course, in extreme cases, long gut transit time (constipation) is not ideal either. However, within the normal range, slightly longer time in the GIT can allow enough time for Akkermansia to access nutrients and grow (12).  

Things to Limit

While polyphenols and other dietary factors, exercise, and longer gut transit times can increase Akkermansia, other factors can decrease it. 

First, a high fat diet consistently reduces levels in animals. As little as 8 weeks on a diet where 60% of total energy comes from fat produced a 100-fold decrease in Akkermansia in mice according to one study (1). 

Secondly, acute alcohol administration can also reduce gut Akkermansia populations by 100-fold in mice with diet-induced obesity (1).  

Finally, as mentioned previously, the most consistent correlates of low Akkermansia are various metabolic and inflammatory health conditions. Therefore, maintaining good metabolic health (which many of the dietary and exercise considerations mentioned above can contribute to!) is key to promoting optimal levels of Akkermansia . 

Supplements to Increase Akkermansia: Metformin and Berberine

Additionally, agents used for glucose control, namely metformin and berberine, may also support higher Akkermansia levels. 

Metformin

Metformin has long-since been a first line drug to treat type 2 diabetes (1). It has more recently been proposed that its beneficial effects on glucose metabolism, inflammation, and obesity (all strongly linked to diabetes) are thanks to its impact on certain gut bacteria, including Akkermansia (1). 

Indeed, after reducing Akkermansia via a high-fat diet, metformin was able to restore levels in 4-10 weeks. Interestingly, metformin did not change Akkermansia levels in control mice that had healthy levels, suggesting that benefits may be specific to those with poor baseline metabolic health. Other animal studies show similar results, however, human studies are more sparse and results less consistent (1, 14). 

Although studies have not directly shown that metformin’s benefits are because it increases Akkermansia, we do know that metformin and Akkermansia are both linked to higher numbers of mucin-producing cells in the gut. Thus, it is plausible that metformin increases Akkermansia which in turn increases mucin which then reduces inflammation and metabolic disturbances (see flow diagram below!) (1). These findings are further supported by the knowledge that taking antibiotics (which kill Akkermansia) before metformin abolishes metformin’s beneficial effects, strongly supporting that Akkermansia explains this link (1). 

Metformin → ↑ Akkermansia → ↑ mucin-producing intestinal cells → ↑ metabolic health  

Berberine

Berberine is a dietary supplement touted for its beneficial role in blood sugar control. Emerging research suggests it stimulates intestinal mucin secretion and Akkermansia survival (3). As seen with metformin, beneficial health outcomes are observed alongside these changes. For example, when Akkermansia levels of high-fat diet fed mice were increased using Berberine, they experienced a reduction of inflammation and improved gut barrier integrity (7). It has also been proposed that Akkermansia underlies Berberine’s cardioprotective effects (7). 

Conclusion

As we reviewed above, the potential for Akkermansia to support human health is extremely promising! While research is still emerging, results so far suggest that it could help explain some aspects of certain diseases, as well as be used as a potential treatment. Low levels of Akkermansia can also increase the risk of leaky gut and contribute to IBS and digestive symptoms, due to its role in supporting the gut barrier. If you are interested in gut microbiome testing and determining your levels of Akkermansia and other gut bacteria, book here. Learn more about our gut microbiome testing package here.  

References 

Petakh P, Kamyshna I, Kamyshnyi A. Effects of metformin on the gut microbiota: a systematic review. Mol Metab. 2023;77:101805. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molmet.2023.101805. 

Zhou. Strategies to promote abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila, an emerging probiotic in the gut, evidence from dietary intervention studies. J Funct Foods. (2017);33:194-201. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2017.03.045.

Cani PD, Depommier C, Derrien M, Everard A, de Vos WM. Akkermansia muciniphila: paradigm for next-generation beneficial microorganisms. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2022;19:625-37. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41575-022-00631-9. 

Dong C, Yu Jiaqi, Yang Y, Zhang F, Su W, Fan, Q, et al. Berberine, a potential prebiotic to indirectly promote Akkermansia growth through stimulating gut mucin secretion. Biomed Pharmacother. 2021;139 111595. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2021.111595. 

Verhoog S, Taneri PE, Días ZMR, Marques-Vidal P, Troup JP, Bally L, et al. Dietary factors and modulation of bacteria strains of Akkermansia muciniphila and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii: a systematic review. Nutrients. 2019;11(7):1565. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11071565. 

Roopchand DE, Raskin I. Dietary polyphenols promote growth of the gut bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila and attenuate high-fat diet-induced metabolic syndrome. Diabetes. 2015;64(8):2847-2858. https://doi.org/10.2337/db14-1916. 

Xu W, Zhang S, Yang Y, Zhan J, Zang C, Yu H, Wu C. Therapeutic potential of dietary nutrients and medicinal foods against metabolic disorders: targeting Akkermansia muciniphila. Food Front. 2024;5(2):329-49. https://doi.org/10.1002/fft2.341.

Zhu L, Zhang D, Zhu H, Zhu J, Weng S, Dong L, et al. Berberine treatment increases Akkermansia in the gut and improves high-fat diet-induced atherosclerosis in Apoe-/- mice. Atherosclerosis. 2018;268:117-26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2017.11.023. 

Anhȇ F, Roy D, Pilon G, Dudonné S, Matamoros S, Varin T, et al. A polyphenol-rich cranberry extract protects from diet-induced obesity, insulin resistance and intestinal inflammation in association with increased Akkermansia spp. population in the gut microbiota of mice. Gut. 2014;64(6). https://doi.org/10.1136/gutjnl-2014-307142. 

Aguiar SS, Ribeiro FM, Sousa Neto IV, Franco OL, Petriz B. Effects of physical exercise on Akkermansia muciniphila: a systematic review of human and animal studies. Benef Microbes. 2024;15(6):565-87. ​​https://doi.org/10.1163/18762891-bja00031. 

American Chemical Society [Internet]. Washington, DC: American Chemical Society; [cited 2026 Mar 18]. Sodium butyrate [about 2 screens]. Available from: https://www.acs.org/molecule-of-the-week/archive/s/sodium-butyrate.html. 

Steenackers N, Felony G, Augustijns P, Van der Schueren B, Vanuytsel T, Vieira-Silva S, et al. Specific contributions of segmental transit times to gut microbiota composition. Metab Clin Exp. 2021;71(7). 

Vandeputte D, Felony G, Vieira-Silva S, Joossens M, Raes J. Stool consistency is strongly associated with gut microbiota richness and composition, enterotypes and bacterial growth rates. Gut. 2015;65(1). https://doi.org/10.1136/gutjnl-2015-309618. 

Asnicar F, Leeming ER, Dimidi E, Mazidi M, Franks PW, Al Khatib H, et al. Blue poo: impact of gut transit time on the gut microbiome using a novel marker. Gut. 2020;70(9). https://doi.org/10.1136/gutjnl-2020-323877.