AG1 is hands down the most popular greens powder on the market right now, but does that mean it’s the best one? Absolutely not! In this AG1 review, I’m going to explain the nutrition facts, benefits, side effects, pros, cons, and ultimately get to the bottom line of why I do NOT recommend the AG1 (Athletic Greens) greens supplement.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not bashing AG1, and I actually think it’s a pretty decent greens powder. The problem is that in my opinion, it is way overpriced and simply does not provide enough value. We are going to do a deep dive into the supplement facts and all that good stuff, so keep reading if you want to get all the details on this new and improved version of Athletic Greens!
With that being said, you already know at this point that I don’t recommend this greens powder, and I don’t want to waste your time. If you don’t want to read about all of the details, you can go ahead and skip on over to my article about the Best Greens Powders on the market.
AG1 Greens Review: Is AG1 any good or all hype?
In the video review below, I explain everything there is to know about the AG1 greens powder and why I don’t recommend it as a Certified Nutrition Coach. If you prefer watching videos instead of reading written reviews, I’d highly recommend checking that out! Anyways, let’s dive in. AG1 is a superfood supplement, so your most important consideration should be: how many superfoods per serving does it provide?
Here’s your answer: In every serving of AG1, you get 10,000 milligrams of greens. Sounds like a lot right? Well, if you’ve read or watched my reviews before, you know that my benchmark number for a good greens powder is actually exactly 10,000 milligrams of superfoods per serving. Therefore, AG1 meets my minimum requirement…but is that enough?
Okay, so here’s where the problem with AG1 becomes very clear. It contains 10,000 MG of superfoods in every dosage, whereas my #1 ranked top greens supplement (the Total Living Drink) contains 15,000 MG of superfoods in every dosage…AND, the two products are the exact same price at $99 for a 30 serving bag. See the issue here?
Bottom Line: AG1 and the Total Living Drink cost the exact same price, but the Total Living Drink is 50% more potent. In other words, for the same amount of money, you get 5,000 milligrams more per serving with the TLD. That’s the biggest AG1 con…the value just isn’t there. Why would you choose a 50% less potent supplement if the price is the same? Again, as a NASM Certified Nutrition Coach, I simply can not in good conscience recommend such a comparatively weak greens supplement.
You can learn more about my top recommended greens powder here: Total Living Drink Review.
My Personal Experience And Results With AG1
My AG1 review so far has been entirely based on the supplement facts panel and scientific analysis, which is all very useful information. However, as a Certified Nutrition Coach, I feel obligated to personally test every supplement I review in order to be able to give my clients the most accurate answer I can when they ask about the product. AG1 has become very popular as of late, and many of my clients have asked me the question: Does AG1 work? So I figured I’d find out by testing it myself for 30 days, and here’s what I found…
I bought a one month supply of the AG1 greens powder and took the product every day for 30 days exactly as directed on the nutrition label. My personal experience with it was overall not very good. I would say the most noticeable effect is that it did improve my energy levels a bit, which I suspect is a result of some of the ingredients containing caffeine. However, I have to say, AG1 really did not produce any other benefits for me.
My body is used to taking a green powder that’s 50% more potent (the Total Living Drink), so maybe that’s why…but regardless, AG1 just didn’t do anything for me personally other than give me an energy boost. If I wanted an energy boost, I’d go buy a cup of coffee for $2…why would I pay the $99 AG1 price just for an energy boost? I was extremely disappointed with my personal lack of results and pretty upset about the money I wasted on the supplement.
The bottom line for me as a Nutrition Coach: I could NEVER in good conscience recommend the AG1 greens powder to any of my clients after having such a negative personal experience with the product. To be honest, I wouldn’t recommend AG1 anyways because of the supplement facts panel, but my awful personal experience didn’t help either. This stuff is all hype.
What Does AG1 Do?
The AG1 greens powder serves the purpose of replacing your daily need to consume fruits and vegetables. It is quite literally fruits and veggies ground up into powder form. All you have to do is take one scoop of the greens powder, mix it in with some water, and boom! You don’t have to worry about eating vegetables anymore because you already got your daily requirement met.
Again, my problem with it is that it’s not potent enough, especially considering the price you are paying at $99 per bag. However, let’s talk about what greens supplements can do for you in general. The main purpose they serve is to eliminate fruits and vegetables from your diet, but since these supplements can be very powerful, there’s a lot of other health benefits they can provide as well…
Some of the results people can expect to get from taking greens powders (again, I wouldn’t recommend AG1, but this is if you pick a better option) can potentially include: improved immunity, better digestion, increased energy levels, optimized gastrointestinal function, enhanced brain function, better mental clarity, and so much more. I LOVE greens powders…just not AG1. It simply can not live up the health claims the company makes in my opinion.
AG1 Vs Athletic Greens: What’s the difference?
Athletic Greens and AG1 refer to the same greens powder. Athletic Greens is often referred to as AG1, and they are interchangeable terms for the same product. Essentially, there is no difference whatsoever aside from a bit of a switch up in terms of marketing. The company that created Athletic Greens just wanted something simpler and catchier, so they started calling Athletic Greens AG1. However, rest assured, they are the exact same greens powder. There is no difference between Athletic Greens and AG1.
Athletic Greens, also known as AG1, is a popular all-in-one nutritional supplement designed to provide a comprehensive source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other beneficial compounds. It is the company’s flagship product and is often marketed as a convenient way to support overall health and well-being by delivering a wide range of nutrients that may be lacking in one’s regular diet.
If there have been any changes or developments since I wrote this review, I recommend checking the official website of Athletic Greens or contacting the company directly for the most current and accurate information about their product lineup. Keep in mind that product names and formulations can sometimes evolve, and the company’s website is a reliable source for the latest details.
AG1 Ingredient List
Here is a list of all the primary AG1 ingredients and plant compounds:
- Spirulina
- Wheat Grass
- Alfalfa Grass
- Chlorella
- Spinach leaf powder
- Barley leaf
- Broccoli flower powder
- Papaya fruit powder
- Pineapple
- Licorice root powder
- Apple powder
- Carrot
- Grape seed extract
- Green tea extract
- Milk thistle seed extract
- Reishi mushroom powder
- Kelp
- Alkaline pea protein isolate
- Vitamins and minerals (see all vitamins and minerals listed below)
Alkaline Nutrient Dense Raw Superfood Complex
The AG1 formula is broken down into two separate superfood blends containing a vast array of plant compounds. The first blend is called the alkaline nutrient dense raw superfood complex, which contains a total of about 25 superfoods including Spirulina, organic Chlorella powder, Alfalfa powder, and Wheat Grass juice powder. I have to admit…that’s a pretty impressive list of ingredients. So what’s the issue? Well, the issue is the blend is only dosed at a total of about 7,300 milligrams. Therefore, in my personal opinion, there is simply no way you are getting sufficient dosages of these ingredients. The blend just lacks potency compared to the top greens powders on the market.
Nutrient Dense Extracts, Herbs, and Antioxidants
The second superfood blend in AG1 is called the nutrient dense extracts, herbs, and antioxidants blend. This blend of plant extracts has another impressive long list of ingredients including pea protein isolate, rhodiola rosea, rosemary leaf extract, milk thistle seed extract, artichoke leaf extract, and ashwagandha root. However, the total potency of this second blend is unfortunately dramatically worse than the first blend. This superfood blend only has about 2,300 milligrams total per serving…yikes. Top shelf greens powders contain much larger blends of plant extracts.
Digestive Enzyme and Super Mushroom Complex
As I stated in my video review, AG1 does contain digestive enzymes, which is a nice bonus specifically for your gut health. Don’t be fooled by the title of the blend though. I known “super mushroom complex” makes it sound like a super advanced formula, but I’ll explain why that’s not the case right now. First off, it only contains six ingredients: astragalus, bromelain, burdock root powder, reishi mushroom powder, and shiitake mushroom powder.
More importantly, the total dosage of the blend is exactly 154 milligrams per serving…and no, that’s not a typo. In my personal opinion, this blend is incredibly weak and not capable of producing the health benefits you might think it could because the dosage size is so low. The blend is proprietary, so we don’t know what the dosage is for each ingredient. However, let’s say that hypothetically, all six ingredients are dosed equally…that would mean you are only getting 25 MG of each ingredient. Big yikes! Top shelf greens powders provide way more digestive enzymes.
Dairy Free Probiotics 7.2 Billion CFU
Every serving of AG1 contains 7.2 billion CFU of prebiotics and probiotics, which is a pretty solid serving size when it comes to probiotics specifically. I actually don’t have much to complain about with this particular aspect of the formula. The only thing I would note is that there is not a wide variety of probiotics. There are only two strains of probiotics in the blend: lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidobacterium bifidum. I’d prefer to see a wider variety, but this is still a pretty solid amount of probiotics that should help improve your gut health.
Vitamins and Minerals
The specific formulation of the AG1 (Athletic Greens) supplement includes a wide range of vitamins and minerals. According to their website and commercials, every scoop of AG1 contains a total of 75 vitamins and minerals. Does it really contain 75 vitamins/minerals? Let’s have a look at the exact formulation…
Here is a detailed breakdown of the key vitamins and minerals that Athletic Greens AG1 contains:
Vitamins:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K2
B Vitamins:
- B1 (Thiamine)
- B2 (Riboflavin)
- B3 (Niacin)
- B5 (Pantothenic Acid)
- B6 (Pyridoxine)
- B7 (Biotin)
- B9 (Folate)
- B12 (Methylcobalamin)
Minerals:
- Calcium
- Iron
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
- Zinc
- Selenium
- Manganese
- Chromium
AG1 Dosage
Now that we have established how many superfoods you get per serving and broken down each of the individual blends, let’s talk about the dosage. When should you take it AG1 and how much should you take? I’ll answer these questions, but I’d first like to state that you shouldn’t take it at all in my opinion (lol). Anyways, let’s get into it…
According to the supplement facts panel and directions, you should take one scoop of AG1 first thing in the morning. So all you have to do is take the scooper they provide you with, measure out one scoop of AG1, and mix it in with a glass of water or juice.
With greens powders, I always personally recommend taking them in the morning because then you get to experience the benefits throughout the day. Also, some of them (not this one) can serve as an effective meal replacement, so you can take your green drink in the morning instead of eating a high calorie breakfast. That’s a major bonus of the higher end greens powders in my opinion.
AG1 Pros and Cons
Here are the benefits and side effects of AG1 Greens…
AG1 Benefits
The benefits of potent green drinks can be truly amazing. Some of the key health benefits people can potentially experience as a result of supplementing with greens supplements may include improved immune health and overall immune system function, digestive health, gastrointestinal health, brain function, bone health, energy levels, bowel movements, and gut health (also known as your microbiome). It’s also nice that it is dairy free. Another pro is that there are AG1 travel packs. Travel packs just make it easier to use AG1 on the go, which is convenient. It’s even more convenient that your oder also comes with a free water bottle that you can use to mix the powder in.
Now, I’m not saying all of these are AG1 benefits specifically. In fact, I’m not confident AG1 can produce these benefits due to my perceived lack of potency, but that’s just my opinion. The company just makes a LOT of health claims, and I did not feel that the product lived up to the health claims in my personal experience taking AG1.
AG1 Side Effects
Does AG1 cause side effects? Based on the fact that the ingredients are really just powder forms of various fruits and vegetables, it’s pretty unlikely for users to experience any side effects from taking AG1. With that said, some people do report stomach discomfort when they first start taking a greens supplement. The primary reason for that is just your body trying to adjust to the amount of nutrients you are feeding it. The stomach pain side effect generally goes away after a few days.
Other AG1 Cons
In my personal opinion, these are the three biggest AG1 cons…
- Lack of potency compared to the top shelf green drinks. As I said in the intro, 10,000 milligrams of superfoods per serving is not a bad dosage by any means. However, it’s still 50% less potent than my top ranked green drink, and that’s a problem for me. I am upset about getting 5,000 MG less superfoods per serving with AG1 than I would get with the top ranked green supplement, but I am even more upset about the second major con…
- Value. The price point is $99 for a 30 day supply of AG1, which is the EXACT same cost for a 30 day supply of my top ranked green drink (which again is 50% more potent). Why would you pay the $99 price point for AG1 when you can get the Total Living Drink for the exact same price? It just doesn’t make sense. The value isn’t there in my personal opinion.
- NOT made in the United States. Some people don’t care about this issue, but its a problem for me. I do not trust any supplement that is not manufactured in the United States, and AG1 is manufactured in New Zealand. Again, that’s a personal issue I have with it. Some people don’t mind.
AG1 Complaints & Praise (info from other AG1 reviews I have read)
In my supplement reviews, I always try to stay focused on the supplement facts panel so that we can get an objective view of the product. However, it never hurts to take a look at what actual customers are saying in their AG1 reviews. Therefore, I generally like to include a section in my review where I analyze other people’s reviews. Here’s the problem…
The reviews have to come from a third party source in order for me to find them trustworthy. I usually look on Amazon because Amazon ONLY allows verified customers to submit reviews. Therefore, there can’t be any fake reviews. You can generally trust the consumer feedback you find on Amazon. AG1 is now listed on Amazon, so let’s take a look at the customer reviews…
AG1 (listed as Athletic Greens on Amazon) has over 3,300 customer reviews, and it received Ana average rating of 4.4 stars out of 5. That’s a pretty impressive mark, which is an encouraging sign for fans of AG1. There are also a signifiant amount of negative reviews however, which is something to take into account. Also, positive reviews can’t change the fact that the Supplement Facts Panel (SFP) is subpar compared to the top shelf greens powders.
The only other place you can find other AG1 reviews is on their website…I have very mixed feelings about that to say the least. You just never know whether or not you can trust the reviews if the only place they are posted is directly on the company’s website. I am NOT saying that they use fake reviews or anything like that. I’m simply saying I don’t like it when there is no third party website I can check to analyze complaints and praise.
Is AG1 Good or Bad? My Conclusion
At the end of the day, AG1 is just an average supplement in my opinion. It’s good that it has 10,000 MG of superfoods per serving, digestive enzymes, and probiotics, but it’s bad that it’s overpriced compared to its peers. In my opinion, it is priced like a top shelf greens powder, but it isn’t actually top shelf…I have a problem with that. There is also a lot of sponsored social media content promoting AG1, which can be misleading. It’s usually a red flag to my when a supplement blows up on social media. My personal recommendation would be to avoid AG1 and search for a truly top shelf option.
If you want to learn about the greens powder I actually take myself, you can see my review for it here: Total Living Drink Review.
References
- Healthline
- Medical News Today
- Forbes
- AG1 Greens Reviews on Amazon
- The Effect of Fruit And Vegetable Powder Mix on Hypertensive subjects: a pilot study
- The Impact of a dried fruit and vegetable supplement and fiber rich shake on gut and health parameters in female healthcare workers: a placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized clinical trial
- Fruit and vegetable concentrate supplementation and cardiovascular health: a systematic review from a public health perspective
I’m not just a supplement analyst. I’m an extremely qualified one! I am a Certified Nutrition Coach (CNC) and actually received my certification directly from the National Academy of Sports Medicine. I am also a Nutrition & Wellness Consultant, certified by the American Fitness Professionals Association (AFPA).
