AG1 by Athletic Greens Review: An Honest Review of AG1
I’m always on the lookout for supplements that simplify my wellness routine — but once I try them first-hand, I find that few actually deliver on their promises. I initially heard about Athletic Greens (the company that makes AG1) on the Huberman Lab Podcast. Right away, I knew I had to do an honest AG1 by Athletic Greens review.
Why? For one, neuroscientist and podcast host Andrew Huberman always backs up his claims with peer-reviewed science, so I’m much more inclined to believe them. For another, this all-in-one supplement claims to support the microbiome, the community of microorganisms that live in your gut and are linked to both physical and mental wellness. (When I started prioritizing my microbiome, everything about my health changed for the better.)
As a result, I reached out to the Athletic Greens brand to organize a sample. Dr. Ralph Esposito, naturopathic physician and head of nutrition at Athletic Greens, was happy to hop on a call to answer any questions I had.
In a rush? Get the fast facts:
- Designed to cover all of your nutritional bases in one drink
- Highly absorbable powder that dissolves in 8-10 ounces of water
- Contains 75 vitamins, minerals, and ingredients sourced from whole foods
- Extensively tested and verified to ensure quality and potency
- Keep refrigerated, use cold water, and mix well for best results
- Subscription plans start at $79 a month
- Expensive, but worth it
What Is AG1 by Athletic Greens?
Before we get to my personal experience, let’s cover the basics.
In short, AG1 by Athletic Greens is a powder supplement that dissolves into water, creating an instant green drink. Like so many other green drinks out there, its goal is to deliver key nutrients you might be missing in your diet — but unlike others, AG1 supposedly covers all of your nutritional bases in one easy, highly absorbable glass.
AG1 contains 75 vitamins, minerals, and whole-food ingredients, all derived from high-quality sources and designed to work alongside each other to maximize the benefits. It also has prebiotics and probiotics to support gut health, making it one of the most comprehensive health drinks out there.
Why Is Athletic Greens So Popular?
If there’s anything I’ve learned in my search for wellness products, it’s that the world of supplements is barely regulated. Since supplements are marketed as food products (rather than medicines), brands can make false claims, skip inspection processes, include harmful ingredients, and even exclude the key ingredients on the bottle, all with little to no consequences.
Athletic Greens is one of the few supplement brands that holds itself accountable.
First, Athletic Greens scours the globe for potent, safe ingredients that meet strict qualifications and have been cross-referenced with years of established research. These ingredients are then brought to FDA and TGA registered, cGMP compliant facilities where AG1 is created.
After that, the supplement is extensively tested by NSF Certified for Sport, a third-party certification program that confirms the ingredients on the label match the formula and are free from heavy metals and nearly 300 other banned substances. Finally, Athletic Greens performs additional third-party testing to check for almost 200 more pesticides, heavy metals, and common allergens.
What’s In Athletic Greens' AG1?
AG1 has 75 ingredients, and you can read about each individual one on Athletic Greens’ website. (If that isn’t transparency, I don’t know what is.) To summarize, however, I’ve organized the ingredients into four categories:
- Vitamins and minerals: AG1 contains a well-researched balance of vitamins and minerals to give your body almost everything it needs for optimal health. Each works alongside the other to maximize benefits and absorption.
- Whole-food sourced nutrients: The brand sources the highest quality superfoods (like acerola cherries, barley grass, broccoli flower, and hawthorn berries) at their ideal harvest time to provide well-rounded nourishment.
- Probiotics: AG1 contains Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus acidophilus, probiotics that repopulate the gut microbiome to support digestion and immunity. The formula also includes Beta Glucan and Inulin — prebiotics that feed the beneficial bacteria, so it’s strong enough to tackle the not-so-beneficial bacteria.
- Adaptogens: Finally, AG1 contains adaptogens (like ashwagandha, green tea extract, and various types of mushrooms) that support your brain, mood, energy levels, and nervous system as well as your physical body.
What’s Not In AG1?
If you have sensitivities or you follow a specific diet, a supplement’s omitted ingredients are as important as its included ones.
AG1 doesn’t have any dairy, wheat, gluten, corn, preservatives, eggs, peanuts, GMOs, herbicides, pesticides, or artificial colors, flavors, and sweeteners. Its formula has under 1 gram of sugar, so it’s suitable for those following a paleo, keto, or low-carb lifestyle. Finally, for vegetarians and vegans, it contains absolutely no animal products.
Is AG1 Good For Gut Health?
This was my biggest question, and judging by the science, the answer is a resounding yes. AG1 contains both prebiotics and probiotics that repopulate the gut with healthy bacteria, promote microbial diversity, and support the immune system and metabolism at its foundation.
What Does AG1 Taste Like?
Given its dark green color, I wasn’t expecting AG1 to taste good, but I was pleasantly surprised. To me, it tastes like juiced greens with a sweet, apple-like aftertaste. In fact, I actually look forward to drinking it each day.
Two tips to optimize the taste: First, ensure that you’re using cold water with AG1. (In my opinion, room-temperature water makes it significantly less palatable.) Second, shake it well to avoid any powdery lumps or gritty texture. When fully dissolved, I find it smooth and refreshing.
How Do You Take Athletic Greens' AG1?
First and foremost, your AG1 should be stored in the refrigerator to keep it fresh and effective. (I’m glad Dr. Esposito mentioned that to me, because I wouldn’t have known otherwise.)
AG1 works best on an empty stomach, at least 10 minutes before a meal. This helps your body to absorb all of the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. I choose to take AG1 In the late morning/early afternoon to break my 16-hour fasts. That said, you can take this supplement any time of day, whenever it best suits your schedule. That includes before exercising, after a meal, or in the middle of the day to minimize snacking and overeating.
Simply add a scoop of Athletic Greens’ AG1 (12 grams) into 8 to 10 ounces of cold water. Shake the bottle well until there are no lumps. Enjoy.
Where To Buy Athletic Greens' AG1
Currently, the only place you can reliably buy Athletic Greens’ AG1 is on the brand’s website. The company confirmed to me that the Amazon listing is not a certified seller and that the formula being sold there is outdated (and, as a result, likely an expired product).
What Does AG1 Cost?
Athletic Greens has different purchasing options for different needs, including both subscription plans and one-time purchase options. You can choose between a single pouch that contains all of the servings in one, or single-serving travel packs for on-the-go use. All subscription plans have a 90-day money-back guarantee.
Why Is Athletic Greens So Expensive?
Obviously, Athletic Greens’ AG1 is pricey, which is my (and many other people’s) biggest complaint. However, as previously discussed, Athletic Greens goes above and beyond to ensure quality and validity. In addition, since the formula supposedly has everything your body needs, it can theoretically streamline your wellness routine into one step, so you may be able to cut out other dietary supplements.
To further justify the price, certain plans include starter kits. The freebies differ depending on the specific plan, but you may receive a metal canister that keeps your AG1 fresh, a metal spoon for easy, measured scooping, a shaker travel bottle with built-in measurements, five free travel packs, and a year-supply of Vitamin D3+K2 drops.
My Experience With Athletic Greens
Cons
I’ve been taking AG1 for about two months now. First, the negatives: For the price, I was hoping to experience dramatically improved digestion. (Apparently, a handful of users have experienced constipation instead of regularity; In addition to AG1, I’m still supplementing with psyllium husk powder for fiber.) I also noticed that, for about a week while my body acclimated to AG1, I felt subtle, flu-like symptoms after consuming it — I’m guessing due to the immune-boosting qualities. Finally, I don’t like that you can’t cancel your subscription directly on the website; instead, you have to contact customer service through e-mail.
Pros
Now, the positives: I actually really enjoy the taste and find that when I break my fast with AG1, I’m less hungry throughout the day and don’t crave as much sugar. I feel less bloated and more energetic with fewer dips in my mood. I’ve also found a couple of unexpected benefits, like less cramping during my period and less inflammation (my eyes are less puffy and my rings aren’t as tight). Last but definitely not least, as someone with a meat-focused diet who likely doesn’t eat enough vegetables, I love knowing that my body is getting the vitamins and minerals it needs even if I skip the salad.
What Do Other Reviewers Have To Say?
On Athletic Greens’ site, this supplement has an overall 4.5-star rating from over 20,000 reviewers. Buyers love that it’s “so easy to prepare” and report that they’ve “never felt better,” both physically and emotionally. While some do have reservations about the price, others wrote that they’ve tried just about every other greens powder supplement out there, and “this is better.”
The rating is lower on TrustPilot, but the complaints mostly surround the subscription service rather than the product itself. Fortunately, Athletic Greens offers the ability to try the supplement once for 30 days without any subscription, and if you do opt for a subscription, there’s a 90-day money-back guarantee.
Referenced Scientific Studies:
Valles-Colomer, M., Falony, G., Darzi, Y. et al. The neuroactive potential of the human gut microbiota in quality of life and depression. Nat Microbiol (2019), https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-018-0337-x
Interested? Shop AG1 Here.
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