Overweight and obesity are major health concerns, with weight maintenance after weight loss being challenging. The gut microbiota influences host metabolism, and Akkermansia muciniphila, particularly the MucT strain, has improved weight-related outcomes in preclinical studies and reduced body weight of individuals with overweight and metabolic syndrome in a 3-month randomized controlled trial, making it an attractive therapeutic candidate for weight control, although larger, longer trials are needed. In a new study, Mount et al. conducted a randomized placebo-controlled trial in 90 adults with overweight or obesity who first underwent a low-energy diet for 8 weeks (weight loss phase), followed by a 24-week healthy unrestricted diet with daily supplementation of pasteurized MucT or placebo (weight loss maintenance phase). Body weight regain (the primary outcome) was lower in the MucT group than in the placebo group at the end of the maintenance period. Participants receiving MucT showed greater net weight loss from baseline (week 0) to the end of the maintenance period (week 32). Potential mechanisms for this include increased loss of energy in faeces, reduced inflammation and more metabolically active subcutaneous adipose tissue. Participants with low baseline faecal MucT abundance exhibited greater cardiometabolic benefits from MucT. No serious treatment-related adverse effects were observed.

In sum, this study underscores pasteurized A. muciniphila MucT as a strategy for weight loss maintenance.