Akkermansia muciniphila, a bacteria against obesity and its relationship with diet. Systematic review

The anaerobic bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila has demonstrated its role in regulating metabolism and markers of inflammation since its discovery. It is a Gram-negative bacteria that is classified within the phylum Verrucomicrobiae. It is recognized as a non-pathogenic bacteria, devoid of virulence factors and lacking a significant interaction with the host that leads to infection or disease. It is part of the human intestinal microbiome and its highest concentration is found in individuals of normal weight. A systematic review was performed to analyze clinical dietary interventions examining the association between obesity phenotype or status and the concentration of A. muciniphila in the intestinal microbiota, after specific nutritional modifications in overweight human patients. The search for articles was carried out using Pubmed and Clinicalkey as search engines. The Boolean terminology ((Akkermansia muciniphila) and (obesity)) and (intervention or nutrition or diet or nutrient) was used to select articles relevant to our research. Of the 301 original articles identified, only those involving dietary interventions in humans were selected. The results indicate that increasing A. muciniphila (either through direct supplementation or dietary intervention) was associated with beneficial effects such as decreased inflammation, reduced cardiovascular risk, increased insulin sensitivity, and reduced cholesterol levels. In conclusion, further interventions in humans are needed to determine the benefits and risks of increasing A. muciniphila concentrations.