The heat-killed bacteria consortium containing Akkermansia muciniphila and Bacteroides vulgatus attenuates diet-induced obesity in mice

Abstract Mucin-degrading bacteria (MDB), such as Akkermansia muciniphila ( A. muciniphila ) and Bacteroides vulgatus ( B. vulgatus ), improve metabolic health but raise safety concerns due to mucus barrier degradation. Heat-killed bacteria, which retain beneficial cell components and metabolites without harmful activity, have gained attention. This study examined metabolic effects of the heat-killed consortium containing A. muciniphila and B. vulgatus in high-fat diet-induced obese mice. After 10 weeks of oral administration (1 × 10 10 cells/day), the consortium reduced body weight gain and fat mass accumulation without altering food intake. Moreover, it positively modulated the gut microbiome, improved intestinal barrier integrity, and significantly alleviated hepatic steatosis and adipocyte hypertrophy. The consortium also improved systemic glucose homeostasis without affecting other biochemical markers related to liver injury and lipid profile. These findings demonstrate that the heat-killed consortium provides a safe and effective strategy for combating obesity and metabolic syndrome by modulating the gut-liver-adipose axis.