We know that a healthy metabolism is key for maintaining a healthy weight. And we also know that some lucky souls have metabolisms that, if trans-mutated into automobiles, could win the Indy 500, while others’ inner engines more resemble a Flintstone car. Scientists are trying to figure out what makes metabolisms so different — and a new study published this week in the journal Gut might provide a clue. Now, this clue is not sexy. It’s a microbe named Akkermansia muciniphila. That’s right: A tiny bug. Living in your gut. The gut is the unappealing scientific name for the stomach and small intestines. It contains trillions of microorganisms — some of which we call probiotics — including at least 1000 different species of bacteria. About one third of these microbes are common to among all humans, while two thirds are personalized specifically to each individual. Together, all of these bugs make up our microbiome, and we’re just beginning to realize the influence these mighty microbes have over our entire bodies — from our metabolism to our health to our brains. Out of the trillions of microbes in our guts, one organism called A. muciniphila makes up roughly three to five percent of the bacterial ecosystem. But it may have a disproportionate affect on our metabolism. Previous research has found that A. muciniphila is linked to a healthier glucose metabolism and healthy weight in mice, and can help combat both obesity and type 2 diabetes, so researchers wanted to see if that finding might carry over to humans. Which brings us to our current study: Scientists took measures of A. muciniphila and other microbes in 49 overweight individuals, in addition to their fasting blood glucose and blood fats, and other indicators of body fat distribution like waist-to-hip ratio and body fat percentage. They tested subjects both before and after dietary intervention — a six-week low-calorie diet with ample protein and fiber, followed by a six-week stabilization diet — since calorie restriction has been known to alter gut microbe levels. Before going on the low-calorie diet, researchers found that the individuals with the most abundant levels of A. muciniphila (as well as greater overall microbe diversity in their guts) had the healthiest metabolic profiles. They had lower fasting glucose and insulin levels, healthier triglycerides, a smaller waist-to-hip ratio and less body fat. Although reducing calories also reduced the number of A. muciniphila in all subjects — however, after the intervention, the levels of the microbe still remained 100 times higher in people who had high levels of the microbe to start. These individuals also showed a greater positive boost in metabolic processes and body fat distribution — a key indicator of overall health. Study researcher Patrice Cani, PhD, of the Louvain Drug Research Institute, UCL, in Brussels, Belgium, says the levels of A. muciniphila might finally help explain why some people respond to eating interventions. The researchers think the by-products of A. muciniphila may help fuel other beneficial microbes in the gut, leading to healthier (read: speedier) metabolisms. “Our study provides a rationale for the explanation of why some subjects are more prone to respond to a dietary intervention, in terms of their metabolic improvement,”she tells Yahoo Health. “This may be finally predicted by the presence of Akkermansia and other bugs co-existing with Akkermansia in the gut.” A. muciniphila is still a relatively new discovery; Cani notes that the microbe was isolated in 2004 by her colleague, Dutch microbiologist Willem de Vos. For its insulin-stabilizing properties, she says further studies need to look into A muciniphila to counter insulin resistance and potentially prevent diabetes, as well as its potential role in controlling weight. She’ll have a role in figuring out uses and indicators for the microbe, as well as ways to help it populate those delicate bacterial ecosystems. “We are currently designing an intervention study where Akkermansia will be administered to obese and diabetic patients,”she says. “We expect starting this experiment end of this year.” The sooner the better as far as we’re concerned. Source
