Akkermansia muciniphila is one of the most talked-about gut bacteria in modern microbiome research — and for good reason. Linked to improved gut barrier function, metabolic health, and inflammation control, higher levels of Akkermansia are increasingly associated with better overall health.
But how do you actually increase Akkermansia levels?
In this guide, we break down the most effective, science-backed ways to boost Akkermansia naturally — including the best foods, prebiotics, and probiotics, as well as how dietary patterns like the “gut-farmer diet” may support its growth.
Content outline
What is Akkermansia?
kkermansia or Akkermansia muciniphila to be precise is a bacterial species that thrives in the mucosal layer of your colon. As its name suggests it loves a particular type of sugary protein called mucin and your gut is lined with the stuff. Result!
The great thing about A. muciniphila is it isn’t wholly reliant on your diet to thrive, it’s actually pretty self-sufficient. That’s because rather than fermenting the prebiotic fibre you guzzle, it prefers to snack on the mucus lining your gut which gives it a slight ecological advantage, too. This gel-like coating provides Akkermansia with the energy it needs to thrive and survive as well as strengthens the integrity of your intestinal barrier.
Akkermansia is the only member of the Verrucomicrobia phylum in the human gastrointestinal (GI) tract and because of its abundance in lean people, has gained the nickname of being a “skinny bug”.
Why is Akkermansia important?
A. muciniphila is an important emerging probiotic bacterium because it is inversely associated with inflammation, obesity, and metabolic disorders [1]. In short, the higher the abundance of Akkermansia in your gut, the healthier you’re likely to be.
Your relationship with Akkermansia is symbiotic; it’s good for both of you. By breaking down the mucins in your gut lining, A. muciniphila transforms them into short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). These postbiotic molecules have numerous health benefits. But the consistent chomping also encourages the cells in your gut to produce more mucins which strengthens the gut lining, creating a robust barrier, all the while helping to modulate your immune system.
But that’s not all. Akkermansia is known to have a beneficial effect on metabolic diseases including obesity and type 2 diabetes. More recent research has also shown that there could be a link between this nifty microbe and neurological disorders, like autism spectrum condition (ASC) and Alzheimer’s Disease [2].
How to increase Akkermansia naturally
You can increase Akkermansia naturally by:
- Eating more fibre-rich foods such as vegetables, legumes, and whole grains
- Consuming polyphenol-rich foods like berries, green tea, and cocoa
- Taking prebiotic supplements, such as inulin or HMOs
- Supporting overall gut diversity through diet and lifestyle
Using the gut farmer diet to increase Akkermansia
One way we can support Akkermansia, and other beneficial bacteria species in our gut, is by following the gut farmer diet. Put simply, the gut farmer diet is “seeding and feeding your gut through, diet, prebiotics, and probiotics.” [3]
Effectively we can split the gut farmer diet into three; prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics. Then, we can analyse how each of these elements can come together to help us promote the optimal environment for A.muciniphila to thrive.
Prebiotics and Akkermansia
Akkermansia is supported in the gut by key prebiotics, like polyphenols. Prebiotics are the foods that help to nourish our gut microbiota. In relation to the gut farmer diet, prebiotics, alongside probiotics, can be thought of as the seeds, being planted into the soil, or in this case the colon. Here, the nurturing and growth happens, until eventually rather than the shoots of a plant, beneficial metabolites are yielded, also known as postbiotics.
Dietary polyphenols have potent antioxidant and antimicrobial benefits which can have powerful effects on the gut microbiome composition. Their antioxidant properties can protect oxygen-hating gut microbes like A. muciniphila which are vulnerable to attacks from free oxygen radicals. So, polyphenols may manipulate the microbiota in a way that means they scavenge these free radicals protecting the likes of Akkermansia from harm [4].
In a study by Anhê et al (2015) the effect of cranberry extract on high fat/high sucrose fed mice was assessed to see if the antidiabetic effects of these polyphenols were related to changes in the gut microbiota. Interestingly, the results of the study revealed that cranberry extract was associated with a reduction in visceral obesity, weight gain and an improvement in insulin sensitivity. But all of these beneficial effects coincided with a proportional increase in the abundance of Akkermansia [5].
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Further research shows that Akkermansia abundance is also increased with the consumption of grape polyphenols. The increased presence of A.muciniphila also occurred with a decreased Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio, a factor reported in many metabolic diseases, including obesity. Thus, the increase in Akkermansia was linked to a strengthened gut barrier and better metabolic outcomes.
Another potent prebiotic for the Akkermansia calling your gut a home, is berberine. Berberine is a plant alkaloid that’s known to have benefits for metabolic health by lowering lipid levels, improving glucose control and exerting anti-obesity effects.
A study published in 2021 revealed that berberine could indirectly stimulate the growth of Akkermansia by stimulating the secretion of mucin in the gut [6]. An earlier study by Zhu et al. (2018) revealed that berberine can modulate the composition of the gut microbiota, including increasing the abundance of Akkermansia in the gut. This increase could influence the protective benefits of berberine against atherosclerosis [7], a cause of heart disease, the world’s biggest killer [8].
Finally, another feat of genius, and this time literally growing on trees, is a gift awaiting our internal ecosystem tenant Akkermansia, the mighty apple [9], in particular the peel.
A study by Masumoto et al. (2016) found that a specific class of antioxidant flavonoids found in apples, non-absorbable procyanidins, could prevent obesity in mice. The ability to do this was associated with a reduction in Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio, and an increase in Akkermansia [10].
In the peel of nature’s orchard baubles is the prebiotic pectin, and Akkermansia love it. This powerhouse can alter the Bacteroidetes to Firmicutes ratio in both the lung and gut microbiota. In turn, this increases SCFA levels in the faeces and can combat the development of inflammation, by suppressing dendritic cell function [11].
Want to take advantage of the power of the peel? Then you need look no further than Layer Origin’s Organic Apple Peel Powder – all the apple goodness you need in one pot.
HMOs and Akkermansia
Of course, we couldn’t finish this section without mentioning human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs). As we know, HMOs are an abundant component of human milk and are structurally similar to the oligosaccharides that make up mucin, the go-to nectar of Akkermansia.
A study by Luna et al. (2022) studies the potential for Akkermansia to breakdown HMOs. The study found that Akkermansia strains can use a variety of different HMOs for growth but in a strain-dependent way. So, the prebiotic effects of HMOs will depend on which strain of Akkermansia is residing in your colon.
Another interesting finding from this study was that when grown on HMOs, Akkermansia actually frees some of the sugars and produces bi-products during fermentation that can feed other members of your gut microbiota [12].
A 2022 study isolated a new strain of A. muciniphila from mouse faeces and revealed that this strain contains the necessary genes needed to utilise HMOs. Overall, the study revealed that this particular strain could utilise 2’-fucosyllactose faster than another strain.
Probiotics and Akkermansia
Although you may be hard pressed to find a huge range of Akkermansia supplements in your local health store, our Akkermansia probiotic provides a whopping 500 million AFU of live Akkermansia muciniphila and 500 million AFU of pasteurized A. muciniphila.
Here's how our Akkermansia probiotics compares to a competitor's:
| Layer Origin Akkermansia Muciniphila Probiotic | Pendulum Akkermansia | |
| Type of Akkermansia | Live & pasteurized blend | Live anaerobic strain |
| Formulation | Multi-component synbiotic | Single-strain probiotic |
| Potency | Live 500 million AFU / Pasteurized 500 million CFU | 100 million AFU |
| Prebiotics included? | ✅ HMOs & resitant starch | ❌ |
| Mechanism focus | Feeding + supporting Akkermansia growth | Gut lining & metabolic signalling |
| Form | Daily capsule | Daily capsule |
| Price | $33.99 | $146 |
Our Akkermansia supplement could help support your Akkermansia colonies, but other probiotics may also have a beneficial impact on its growth and activity [13].
An animal study found that oral administration of a combination of Lactobacillus rhamnosus LMG S-28148 and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis LMG P-28149 for 14 weeks increased the abundance of A.muciniphila in the faeces of high fat fed DIO mice by around 100 fold [14].
The increase in Akkermansia was also inversely correlated with body weight gain – as confirmed by other studies. It was concluded that the positive effect on Akkermansia was likely to be because of B. lactis rather than L. rhamnosus as similar results were seen in a later study, but the benefits were concluded to be a result of the presence of the Bifidobacteria strain.
Although the mechanism behind how B.animalis stimulates the growth of Akkermansia is unknown, it has been hypothesised that it may be because of an increased production of butyrate. Butyrate is a potent SCFA which is known to increase the production of mucus in the gut…it’s also a great example of a postbiotic!
Tip: Consuming fermented foods or probiotic supplements help to support the health of your microbiome.
Do Akkermansia probiotics have CFU?
Unlike traditional probiotics, Akkermansia supplements often do not list CFU counts. Instead, they may use AFU (active units) or include pasteurised forms, as this bacterium is highly sensitive to oxygen and difficult to measure using standard CFU methods.
Postbiotics and Akkermansia
Postbiotics are the magical metabolites produced by your gut microbes, like:
- SCFAs
- Vitamins
- Phenols
- Bacterial lysates
- Cell wall fragments
- Cell-free supernatants
- Exopolysaccharides
- Enzymes
There are some particular postbiotics associated with promoting the abundance of A. muciniphila. SCFAs have a particularly good relationship with the Akkermansia in your gut. Not only do these potent microbes produce them, but they also utilise them to support their growth.
Some research suggests that some SCFAs may promote the growth of Akkermansia because of their ability to promote mucin production [15]. A study by Willemsen et al. (2003) demonstrated that SCFAs stimulated the production of MUC-2, the main building block of intestinal mucus, helping to support the integrity of the gut barrier, and of course feeding Akkermansia.
Note: Akkermansia are also major SCFA producers, producing acetate and propionate when they break down the mucins in your gut lining, contributing to your overall health. These SCFAs can then be used by other bacteria to help nourish them [16].
Urolithin A, (UA), is another postbiotic, and another powerhouse. There is a lot of exciting research coming out about UA, firstly it incorporates so well with our internal ecosystem, it has the power to not only change it, but also change its alpha diversity, in short, the way it adapts and operates.
It has also been seen to improve the vascular endothelium function (VEF) which is responsible for regulation of the pathways of cells and substances from blood to the tissues. This is throughout the whole circulatory system. Damage in this area can lead to some of the most chronic human diseases [17, 18]. So this potent postbiotic has a protective benefit but some research also shows that urolithins could induce the growth of Akkermansia [19].
Equally, studies have highlighted the association between the formation of urolithin A production in the gut and a high abundance of A. muciniphila in stool samples after consumption of pomegranate extract [20]. However, more research is needed to determine the association between urolithin A production and the gut microbiome [21], but Akkermansia appears to have an important role.
Summary
With its potent list of benefits still growing, it’s no wonder that Akkermansia is being hailed as a next-generation probiotic. Labelled the “skinny bug” because it’s often present in high numbers in the guts of lean people, this tiny organism also has an ecological advantage because it isn’t solely reliant on you to feed it. It cleverly munches on the mucins lining your colon, minding its own business, and greatly benefits your health, all without you really knowing about it.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t do things to help support it and eat things that will help to keep the gut environment in tip-top condition to enable it to thrive. The gut farmer diet is the perfect way to promote the health of your gut microbiota. Combining prebiotics with probiotics ensures a healthy release of postbiotics, which will work wonders for you, your gut bacteria and your overall health.
Author details
Written by: Leanne Edermaniger, M.Sc. Leanne is a professional science writer who specializes in human health and enjoys writing about all things related to the gut microbiome. She has written extensively on inflammatory bowel disease, prebiotics, and microbiome research.
Her work focuses on translating complex medical science into evidence-based, practical health guidance.
Last updated: April 2026
