Akkermansia Probiotic: What It Is, Live vs Pasteurized and How to Read the Label

An akkermansia probiotic is a supplement that contains Akkermansia muciniphila, a bacterium that normally lives in the mucus layer lining the human gut. Products come in two forms: live bacteria, the approach Pendulum uses, and pasteurized (heat-inactivated) bacteria, the form the European Union authorized as a novel food in 2022. Human research is still early. The most-cited trial enrolled 40 people, so an akkermansia supplement should be read as an experiment in progress, not a proven product. This guide explains what Akkermansia is, how live and pasteurized products differ, what the trials measured and how to read the label.

Peptide Labs sells Pendulum Akkermansia and AKKA Akkermansia, and we use both labels as worked examples. This article is general information, not medical advice.

What is Akkermansia?

Akkermansia muciniphila was first described in 2004 by researchers Muriel Derrien and Willem de Vos at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. The second half of the name means mucus-loving: the bacterium feeds on mucin, the protein that makes up the protective mucus layer of the gut. Reviews report that it makes up roughly 1% to 3% of the bacteria in stool and was found in more than 90% of healthy adults tested.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) describes it as a well-characterized bacterium that does not produce toxins, is not disease-causing and is part of the normal gut microbiota. Interest in it grew because observational studies found lower levels of Akkermansia in people with excess weight and some metabolic measures. That is a correlation: it does not show that adding the bacterium changes those measures.

Live vs pasteurized akkermansia muciniphila

The biggest difference between akkermansia products is whether the bacteria are alive. Pasteurized bacteria have been heated so they can no longer grow, but their cell structures remain. In the EU safety review, the pasteurized ingredient had to contain no detectable live cells.

The EU novel food authorization

In July 2021, EFSA concluded that pasteurized A. muciniphila is safe under its proposed conditions of use, up to a set number of cells per day. The European Commission then authorized it as a novel food through Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/168 of 8 February 2022, following an application from the Belgian company A-Mansia Biotech. The authorization covers food supplements for adults and excludes pregnant and breastfeeding women. In the U.S., akkermansia products are sold as dietary supplements, which do not need FDA approval before they go on sale.

What human trials of akkermansia supplements measured

The first randomized human trial, published in Nature Medicine in 2019 by Depommier and colleagues, was a double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study at one center in Belgium. It enrolled 40 adults with overweight or obesity and insulin resistance, and 32 finished. Participants took live bacteria, pasteurized bacteria or a placebo daily for three months.

• Safety: both forms were reported as safe and well tolerated in this small group.
• Blood measures: compared with placebo, the pasteurized group had better insulin sensitivity, lower insulin levels and about 9% lower total cholesterol.
• Body weight: the pasteurized group lost about 2.3 kg more than placebo, but the difference was not statistically significant.
• GLP-1: the researchers found no significant change in blood GLP-1 levels.

The limits are real. The authors wrote that the study was small and not powered to give definitive answers, and that diet and physical activity were not measured precisely. Two of the authors are co-founders of A-Mansia Biotech, the company that later applied for EU authorization. The strain and amount in a store product may also differ from what was tested. Some brand pages footnote their gut claims as based on preclinical studies, meaning lab or animal work rather than human trials. If you are comparing products marketed for GLP-1 support, our guide to GLP-1 support supplements explains how those claims differ from prescription GLP-1 drugs.

How to read an akkermansia probiotic label

1. Species and strain. Look for the full name, Akkermansia muciniphila, and ideally a strain code. AKKA, for example, lists the strain AH39. A strain code lets you check whether that exact strain has been studied.
2. Live or pasteurized. The label or brand page should say which. If it does not, ask the brand before you buy.
3. Count and unit. CFU (colony forming units) counts cells that grow on a lab plate. AFU (active fluorescent units) uses flow cytometry to count cells with intact membranes, which can include live cells that do not grow on plates, so AFU numbers often run higher than CFU. TFU (total fluorescent units) is another fluorescence count. Because the methods differ, 100 million AFU and 3 billion TFU cannot be compared directly.
4. Other ingredients. Many products add a prebiotic fiber such as chicory inulin, or herbal extracts. Each extra ingredient brings its own considerations.
5. Storage. Follow the label. Pendulum says to store it in a cool, dry place and notes that refrigeration is preferred but not required.
6. Quality checks. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) notes that some probiotic products have contained microbes not listed on the label, so independent testing is worth looking for.

Pendulum Akkermansia and AKKA compared

The two single-brand products we carry take different approaches: one pairs live Akkermansia with a fiber, the other combines a named strain with four plant ingredients.

We also carry blends that pair Akkermansia with ingredients such as berberine; if a formula lists berberine, read our guide on what to check on berberine supplements, because berberine has its own interaction cautions. You can browse all options in our fiber and gut health category.

Who should ask a clinician before taking Akkermansia

Akkermansia products are not suitable for everyone without advice. Talk to a healthcare provider first if any of these apply:

• You are pregnant, trying to conceive or breastfeeding. Pendulum states its product has not been studied in these groups, and the EU authorization excludes pregnant and breastfeeding women.
• You have a weakened immune system or a serious illness. NCCIH notes that the risk of harmful effects from probiotics is greater in these groups.
• You take prescription medicines or have a medical condition.
• The product is for a child. The EU authorization and the human trial covered adults only.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Last reviewed September 2026.