Akkermansia muciniphila… A promising bacterium for obesity!
Louis Pasteur would have appreciated what has just been revealed in a recent study published in the scientific journal Nature Medicine(1): obesity would be in bad shape! Indeed, according to Patrice Cani and his entire team at UCL (Catholic University of Louvain), the scourge of modern times, would have foundits “killer bacteria”.
These researchers who track gut bacteria
Since 2007, scientists at UCL in Belgium have been able to observe that a previously unknown bacterium is found in the microbiota of slender mice while it is a hundred times less present in that of overweight mice. So they decide to administer the bacteria in question to overweight mice. The results are not long in coming: the mouse with excess poundsundoubtedly loses weight. Other international researchers are currently confirming this study.
Akkermansia muciniphila, a promising bacterium
It acts as guardianof the microbiotic barrierby maintaining order between intestinal cells and other bacteria. If Akkermansia muciniphila is missing, researchers believe that certain bacteria can sensitize the wall of the intestine by making it more porous and permeable to disease. The promising aspect comes from the fact that it is possible to use only one protein part of this bacterium… The results will be just as effective.
Designing drugs under these conditions is easy. Thus, UCL and Belgian research would keep a promise that would concern several billion individuals.
Berries to the rescue of the obese
Researcher André Marette has shown that animals that become obese following a diet based on sugar and fat, lose their pounds if they are administered cranberry extracts at the same time for two months. The scientist believes that the antioxidant molecules contained in these fruits stimulate the production of beneficial intestinal bacteria as is the case of Akkermansia Muciniphila. The results are encouraging in humans. For this, and for six weeks, overweight individuals are treated with strawberry and cranberry extracts. In any case, for André Marette and Patrice Cani, the composition of the microbiota must absolutely be taken into account in the prevention of the treatment of obesity and the diseases that result from it (diabetes in particular).
Immunometabolism
These are many connections between several major body systems such as the immune system, the metabolic system and the microbiota that suggest that Akkermansia muciniphila, this “immune mediator” bacterium is involved in this communication process. Bacteria are just one example of interference between all of these systems. We therefore see that to preserve metabolic health,nothing better than a good diet , optimal weight control and regular physical activity.
The importance of mucus
Since the intestine of obese subjects contains less Akkermansia than that of thin subjects, Patrice Cani was able to highlight that, during a rich diet, the thickness of the mucinal layer is reduced. He therefore seeks to develop formulas that can help obese individuals lose weight, but he also seeks to limit metabolic problems in overweight people,such as insulin resistance for exampletag. But what is the connection with mucus? This is because this bacterium actually feeds on it and sends signals to the intestinal cells to make more of it. Incredible!
Moreover, to say how promising bacteria are in terms of health, on December 8, the city of Toulouse proposed to inform, during a special day, the public about a new school course that concerns antibiotic resistance.
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.