Most conversations about metabolic health focus on diet, exercise, and medications. What has received less attention in the past is the role of the gut microbiome in regulating metabolic function and how certain microorganisms and their byproducts can influence processes such as blood sugar regulation, body composition and appetite. Two ingredients are starting to change this conversation: Akkermansia muciniphila, a bacteria that lives in the intestinal lining, and heat-treated Bifidobacterium animalis subs. Lactis (BPL1®), a postbiotic derived from a beneficial intestinal bacterium. Each works through different mechanisms and together they provide a complementary approach to supporting gut and metabolic health.
What is Akkermansia muciniphila?
Akkermansia muciniphila (A. muciniphila) is a bacterium that lives in the mucus layer of the intestinal tract and has recently become one of the most studied microorganisms in intestinal health research [1]. It is often referred to as a keystone species, meaning that even in small quantities it plays a disproportionately important role in keeping the entire microbial community healthy [1,2].
One of its main functions involves the mucous layer of the intestine. The intestinal lining is coated with mucus, which acts as a protective barrier between the contents moving through the intestinal tract and the cells beneath. A. muciniphila uses the proteins in this mucus layer as its main fuel source, producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the process. These small molecules provide energy to the cells lining the intestines and help maintain a strong intestinal barrier [2,3]. The process also feeds other beneficial bacteria in the gut, contributing to an overall healthier microbial environment. In addition, it contributes to the renewal of mucus-producing cells and supports immune signals in the intestinal mucosa [4,5]. In particular, observational studies show that A. muciniphila is present at lower levels in people with prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and inflammatory bowel disease than in healthy individuals [1,6,7].
Akkermansia and metabolic health
Beyond its role in gut structure and microbial balance, A. muciniphila has attracted attention for its potential influence on metabolic health, particularly its relationship to a well-known hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1).
GLP-1 is produced by cells in the intestinal lining and plays a key role in regulating blood sugar. Under normal circumstances, it signals the pancreas to secrete insulin after a meal, helps suppress appetite, and supports overall metabolic health [8]. It is also the hormone targeted by widely used GLP-1 receptor agonists such as semaglutide. What is less known is that the gut microbiome can influence how much GLP-1 the body produces.
One of the most interesting research papers on A. muciniphila is GLP-1. Early research has suggested that A. muciniphila may support the body’s own GLP-1 production. Current laboratory results show an increase in GLP-1 secretion from human intestinal cells of over 2,000%, although further clinical research is needed to understand what this means in clinical practice [9,10,11].
Another important area where A. muciniphila shows promise is body composition. In a randomized controlled trial of 58 overweight or obese adults with type 2 diabetes, those with the lowest baseline levels of A. muciniphila in their gut who were supplemented with live A. muciniphila experienced significant reductions in body weight, fat mass, visceral fat, blood sugar and cholesterol compared to those who did not [12]. Those who started the study with the lowest amount of A. muciniphila had the best results, suggesting that the amount you already have in your gut may influence how much you benefit from supplementation.
What is BPL1®?
BPL1® is a heat-treated postbiotic derived from Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. is won. Lactis (CECT 8145), meaning it is made from bacteria that have been intentionally inactivated but still retain the ability to affect the body [13]. Unlike live probiotics, which must survive digestion and settle in the intestines to be effective, postbiotics work through the structural components left behind after heat treatment. In other words, the bacteria no longer need to be alive to have an effect on the body. In the case of BPL1®, the main active component is a molecule found in the cell wall called lipoteichoic acid. This molecule appears to interact with the body’s insulin signaling pathway, which plays a critical role in how the body regulates fat storage and blood sugar. In preclinical studies, activation of this pathway has been linked to a reduction in fat accumulation, even in the setting of elevated blood sugar [14].
Evidence for BPL1® is increasing and several clinical trials have reported promising results. In a 12-week study of 135 adults with abdominal obesity, daily supplementation with BPL1® resulted in significant reductions in waist circumference, abdominal fat, visceral fat, insulin resistance and blood pressure compared to placebo, with the greatest effects on fat loss observed in women [13]. Visceral fat, which accumulates around internal organs rather than directly under the skin, has a higher impact on metabolism, which is why these reductions are particularly significant. While Akkermansia works in the gut ecosystem, BPL1® appears to influence the way the body stores and breaks down fat, targeting metabolic health from a different angle.
What makes this pairing unique
A. muciniphila and BPL1® target metabolic health through different mechanisms, which makes them such a well-suited pair. A. muciniphila works in the gut by maintaining the mucus layer, producing SCFAs, supporting microbial balance, and promoting the body’s natural GLP-1 production. BPL1® works on a different level, interacting with signaling pathways that influence how the body stores and breaks down fat.
What makes this combination particularly interesting is the fact that in the same clinical trial in which BPL1® demonstrated body composition benefits, supplementation was also associated with increased levels of Akkermansia in the gut [13]. While this finding was not statistically significant between groups, the increase in Akkermansia correlated with more favorable changes in body weight, raising the possibility that BPL1® may support metabolic health in part by promoting the growth of Akkermansia itself [13].
These two ingredients look at metabolic health from different perspectives, but research suggests that they can enhance each other in ways that go beyond what each does on its own. As the science of the gut-metabolism connection continues to evolve, Akkermansia and BPL1® represent a shift in the way metabolic health is understood, focusing less on calories and willpower and more on what actually happens in the gut. For those interested in supporting metabolic health at a fundamental level, targeting the gut ecosystem and the body’s own metabolic signaling pathways may be a more effective approach than previously thought.
References:
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- Yan J, Sheng L, Li H. Akkermansia muciniphila: Is it the Holy Grail for alleviating metabolic diseases? Gut microbes. 2021;13(1):1984104. doi:10.1080/19490976.2021.1984104
- Belzer C, Chia LW, Aalvink S, et al. Microbial metabolic networks at the mucus layer lead to nutritionally independent production of butyrate and vitamin B12 by intestinal symbionts. mBio. 2017;8(5):e00770-17. doi:10.1128/mBio.00770-17
- Kim S, Shin YC, Kim TY, et al. The mucin degrader Akkermansia muciniphila accelerates intestinal stem cell-mediated epithelial development. Gut microbes. 2021;13(1):1-20. doi:10.1080/19490976.2021.1892441
- Qu D, Chen M, Zhu H, et al. Akkermansia muciniphila and its outer membrane protein Amuc_1100 prevent high-fat diet-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in mice. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2023;684:149131. doi:10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.149131
- Letchumanan G, Abdullah N, Marlini M, et al. Gut microbiota composition in prediabetes and newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes: a systematic review of observational studies. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2022;12:943427. doi:10.3389/fcimb.2022.943427
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- Get JJ. The physiology of the glucagon-like peptide 1. Physiol Rev. 2007;87(4):1409-1439. doi:10.1152/physrev.00034.2006
- Arukha AP, Nayak S, Swain DM. Effect of Akkermansia muciniphila on GLP-1 and insulin secretion. Nutrients. 2025;17(15):2516. doi:10.3390/nu17152516
- Tolhurst G, Heffron H, Lam YS, et al. Short-chain fatty acids stimulate glucagon-like peptide-1 secretion via the G protein-coupled receptor FFAR2. Diabetes. 2012;61(2):364-371. doi:10.2337/db11-1019
- Yoon HS, Cho CH, Yun MS, et al. Akkermansia muciniphila secretes a glucagon-like peptide-1-inducing protein that improves glucose homeostasis and ameliorates metabolic diseases in mice. Nat Microbiol. 2021;6(5):563-573. doi:10.1038/s41564-021-00880-5
- Zhang Y, Liu R, Chen Y, et al. Akkermansia muciniphila Nutritional supplementation in patients with overweight/obese type 2 diabetes: Efficacy depends on baseline intestinal levels. Cell Metabolism 2025;37(3):592-605.e6. doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2024.12.010
- Pedret A, Valls RM, Calderón-Pérez L, et al. Effects of daily consumption of the probiotic Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. Lactis CECT 8145 on anthropometric adiposity biomarkers in individuals with abdominal obesity: a randomized controlled trial. Int J Obes (Lond). 2019;43(9):1863-1868. doi:10.1038/s41366-018-0220-0
- Balaguer F, Enrique M, Llopis S, et al. Lipoteichoic acid from Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. Lactis BPL1: a novel postbiotic which reduces fat deposition via the IGF-1 pathway. Microbial biotechnology. 2022;15(3):805-816. doi:10.1111/1751-7915.13769