Gut Microbiome’s Next Generation Probiotic: Akkermansia Overview and Supplementation Health Benefits

A bacterium known as Akkermansia muciniphila (AkkermansiaA.muciniphila) was detected in human feces in 2004.It is defined as a gram-negative, anaerobic, and mucin-degrading microbe belonging to the Verrucomicrobia species.Although the majority of A. muciniphila is found in the human intestinal tract playing a role in the gut microbiome, there are also smaller levels detected in breast milk and oral cavities as well as in the pancreas and appendix.Evidence suggests that having A. muciniphila present in the gut microbiome has positive effects on human health.As a result, A. muciniphila has been shown to have health benefits when taken as a dietary supplementation where it is considered a promising next-generation probiotic.However, the large-scale production of A. muciniphila remains a challenge due to its need for a stable environment.While culturing A. muciniphila in a mucin-based medium is one option, other strategies that use plate-based mediums have also been explored.Currently, both live and pasteurized forms of A. muciniphila are available on the market and shown to have promising outcomes in animal models.Additionally, researchers are investigating various prebiotics to increase the abundance of A. muciniphila in the human gut.This article presents a detailed summary of the phenotypic characteristics of A. muciniphila and its associations with various human health condition illnesses.Finally, the paper explores A. muciniphila's potential as an effective next-generation probiotic.