Pasteurized Akkermansia muciniphila HB05 (HB05P) Improves Muscle Strength and Function: A 12-Week, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

Abstract

Background/objectives: Sarcopenia, a condition marked by muscle wasting due to aging or inactivity, severely affects older populations. We previously showed that pasteurized Akkermansia muciniphila HB05 (HB05P), sourced from the breast milk of healthy Korean women, could mitigate muscle wasting in a dexamethasone-induced rat model. Here, we explored whether the oral administration of HB05P can enhance muscle strength and functionality in elderly individuals. Our objective was to determine if HB05P supplementation could benefit muscle performance in aging adults.

Methods: We conducted a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial involving 100 individuals aged 60 and above, randomly assigned to receive either HB05P (1.0 × 10¹⁰ cells/day) or a placebo.

Results: The HB05P group showed significant improvements in peak torque and peak torque per body weight of the left leg extensor muscles compared to the placebo group (p = 0.0103 and p = 0.0052). Furthermore, HB05P notably elevated follistatin levels, which counteract myostatin, relative to the placebo group (p = 0.0063). No notable safety concerns arose between the groups.

Conclusions: HB05P is a promising postbiotic derived from Akkermansia muciniphila that may enhance muscle strength and be used as a safe postbiotic ingredient of Akkermansia muciniphila to improve muscle health.

Keywords: Akkermansia muciniphila; follistatin; muscle atrophy; muscle strength; sarcopenia.

Figure 1

Flow diagram of the enrolled participants.

Figure 2

Change in extensor muscle strength. TQ/BW, peak torque/body weight.

Figure 3

Comparison of change in blood follistatin levels following HB05P administration.