wound healing

This article is part of the IBD Index. Last updated on March 14, 2022.

I initially focused on either UC-specific or general IBD evidence, but hope to eventually update this post to include Crohn’s-specific evidence as well.

What is hyperbaric oxygen therapy?
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) involves inhaling 100% oxygen at greater than atmospheric pressure for a period of time, usually between 30-120 min. This is done either in a single-person pressurized chamber, or in a multi-person room where oxygen is delivered via hoods or masks. Treatments can take place in hospitals or outpatient clinics, or at home with soft hyperbaric oxygen chambers (although the efficacy of soft chambers is debated).

HBOT is most commonly used for refractory wound healing in situations like advanced diabetes, severe burns, and skin grafts, but it’s being investigated for therapeutic potential in a number of different conditions (including IBD!). Few clinical trials have been conducted so far, but the ones that have (plus the documented case studies) are extremely promising (see references below).

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Summary: Akkermansia muciniphila is a commensal bacteria found in healthy human colons that is widely regarded as a promising next-generation probiotic. Researchers have mainly focused on therapeutic potential for obesity and diabetes, but there’s also substantial interest in the field of IBD, particularly for its beneficial effects on gut barrier function. However, a minority of researchers have suggested that Akkermansia muciniphila could worsen colitis. Despite that, most of the evidence thus far suggests that A. muciniphila could potentially be leveraged as a beneficial therapy for IBD and gut health in general once more research has been done.

This post is part of the IBD Index.

Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria species may still be the darlings of the probiotic world, but there’s a new kid on the block: Akkermansia muciniphila.

This bacteria was isolated for the first time in 2004 (1) so it’s still relatively new to the game, but you can see from this fun trend analysis (2) that research has exploded, especially in the last couple years.

Source: Hojat et al., Global scientific output trend for *Akkermansia muciniphila* research: a bibliometric and scientometric analysis, 2020

So what is Akkermansia muciniphila, and why the interest all of a sudden?

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Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Ulcerative Colitis

Akkermansia Muciniphila: Bane or Boon for IBD?

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