A Fact-Based AG1 [Athletic Greens] Review, Vetted by Dietitians (2024)

AG1 (Athletic Greens) has established itself as one of the top products in the greens powder market. But does the quality actually live up to the hype and its premium asking price? To find out, I conducted a deep dive into AG1, their greens powder, and all purported health benefits.

In this article, you’ll find everything you need to decide whether Athletic Greens is right for you, what you could expect while taking it, and how it compares to some of the best AG1 alternatives.

The Lowdown

Athletic Greens (AG1) is easily one of the most recognizable, trusted greens powders on the market. With 75+ ingredients and a high-performance formula designed with athletes in mind, this product has helped countless people improve their everyday health. Even so, different greens powders may be right for different people, so it’s always best to look at the pros and cons of a product before making a decision.

Pros

● Excellent ingredient quality
● Athlete-focused formula
● Thousands of satisfied customers
● Great customer service and support
● Packed with potent superfoods

Cons

● More expensive than most competitors
● May have less than effective doses of some ingredients
● May contain trace amounts of soy or caffeine

Bottom Line

AG1 is unquestionably an excellent product for athletes and highly active individuals. Still, its price point and inclusion of non-organic ingredients may make it less than ideal for some customers.

AG1 Athletic Greens vs. Top Competitors

AG1 is often compared to other top products in the space in terms of quality, superfood content, and price. Here’s how they stack up at a glance to some of our other favorites.

Overall, AG1 sticks to its positioning as a greens powder designed for athletes. That said, some other products like Ensō Supergreens may be better for those taking a greens powder for less sports-driven concerns.

What Is Athletic Greens (AG1)?

Get to know the company behind the product and all the details our research could dig up on this proprietary blend.

How It Started

Originally, Athletic Greens was founded in 2010 by Chris Ashenden, a New Zealander and self-proclaimed “serial entrepreneur” who wanted to create an alternative to the countless pill-based supplements doctors suggested he take to address gut health issues, help low energy levels, and fill the nutritional gaps left by an on-the-go diet. In creating Athletic Greens, he sought to provide comprehensive nutrition in a single supplement.

Since 2010, the company’s flagship product, AG1, has become one of the most widely recognized greens powders on the market. What’s more, the company’s mix of high-quality products and impressive advertising strategy has made it the standard to beat for other greens powder brands.

Core Ingredients

When it comes to choosing ingredients, AG1 could best be described as a “maximalist” formula. With more than 75 distinct ingredients, AG1 attempts to pack more into each scoop than almost any other greens powder available.

That said, more isn’t always better. Even in powder form, there’s only so much space in each scoop, and such a complex formula means that individual ingredients may be included in less-than-effective doses. While being able to say “75 superfoods” on their label may seem impressive to new customers, the product would actually be more potent if Athletic Greens were to dial back their formula and focus on supplying larger amounts of the most impactful superfoods.

Still, AG1 incorporates some fantastic superfoods in its formula, with heavy hitters such as:

Alkaline, Nutrient-Dense Raw Superfood Complex

Alongside its vitamins and minerals, AG1 breaks their formula down into four proprietary blends of ingredients, each with its own intended purpose. The first of these is its “superfood complex,” which uses powerhouse ingredients such as spirulina and pineapple concentrate to supposedly boost everything from immune health to exercise recovery.

Important to note is that while some ingredients, such as AG1’s organic chlorella powder, are indeed certified organic, the formula as a whole is not fully organic. While the company’s selection of ingredients is still intelligent and effective, those who value a blend made with a larger percentage of organic vegetables may want to choose a product like Ensō Supergreens.

Finally, this superfood complex does include both green tea extract and cocoa extract, both of which potentially contain trace amounts of caffeine. Although the company claims that these ingredients are used primarily for their antioxidant qualities, they currently do not claim to be caffeine-free on their labels. For that reason, those looking to avoid caffeine or stimulants may want to think twice before ordering AG1.

Nutrient-Dense Extracts, Herbs, and Antioxidants

Coming in at 2732 mg is AG1’s herb and antioxidant complex, which includes several potentially beneficial ingredients such as citrus bioflavonoids extract, milk thistle seed extract, and CoQ10, the last of which has been linked in some studies to potential neuroprotective and heart health benefits. This plays directly into AG1’s positioning as an “athletic” greens powder meant for active individuals, as antioxidants have been shown to play a role in promoting exercise recovery and reducing muscle soreness.

One potentially problematic ingredient in this compound is AG1’s use of stevia. While many soft drinks and sugar-free products have opted for stevia in the recent past, some modern studies have linked the sugar alternative to symptoms such as bloating, nausea, and even hormone disruption. While these reactions are relatively rare among most people, those with a history of adverse reactions to stevia or similar sugar replacements may want to opt for a product with natural sweeteners, such as monk fruit extract.

Digestive Enzyme and Super Mushroom Complex

Unlike other products that feature two or more digestive enzymes, AG1’s digestive enzyme complex contains only a single enzyme: bromelain. Although bromelain, which is taken from pineapple, has been linked to solid gut health benefits, the formula could be significantly improved through the inclusion of a second enzyme, such as papain from papaya.

Still, AG1 currently doesn’t offer exact quantities of each ingredient in its supergreens formula, so it’s hard for us to say exactly how effective each might be, especially considering the number of individual ingredients packed into a single complex. While the overall formula and reviews indicate that AG1 has helped countless customers, we do wish that clearer numbers were included on the packaging.

Dairy-Free Probiotics

AG1’s probiotics blend is relatively more straightforward than the other categories of ingredients. The formula includes a combined 7.2 billion CFU of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum, both of which are among the more commonly used probiotic strains among nutritional supplements. While some individuals may still want to supplement with additional strains depending on the type of gut health symptoms or goals they may have, AG1’s probiotic blend does a good job of covering your major probiotic bases.

Vitamins and Minerals

One of the key points of contention regarding AG1’s formula is its vitamin and mineral content. While it’s true that the product contains drastically more vitamins and minerals than most other greens powders, it offers this feature at least partially through the use of synthetic vitamins rather than natural sources. Nonetheless, those looking for a boost of vitamin C or other essential nutrients (such as performance athletes) may opt for AG1 over a traditional multivitamin or other dietary supplements.

Just like athletes often need more protein or calories than less active people, they typically benefit from consuming a greater amount of micronutrients to fuel muscle growth and performance. In these instances, a vitamin and mineral-packed formula like AG1 may be the perfect addition to a training program.

Certifications

AG1 includes several certifications, arguably the most valuable of which is its coveted NSF certification for sports. Overseen by the National Science Foundation, this certification ensures that what you see on AG1’s label is exactly what you get in each scoop.

Additionally, AG1 is certified as gluten-, nut-, and dairy-free. As we mentioned earlier, Athletic Greens supposedly contains only negligible amounts of caffeine from its green tea and cocoa extracts but is not certified as caffeine-free. Finally, AG1 does contain ingredients derived from soy, although its labeling argues that it contains zero soy proteins. Nonetheless, AG1 is not certified soy-free.

AG1’s Benefits and Health Claims

Because no greens powders are currently FDA-verified, making health claims about them can be a delicate undertaking for even the most careful company. Because of this, the “Ingredients and Benefits” page of AG1’s website is understandably cautious about the health claims it makes.

Nutritional Powerhouse

Taken directly from its founder’s mouth, AG1 advertises itself as a way to replace several other dietary supplements with a single product. Rather than having to take multiple capsules, pills, or powders each day, AG1 offers a way to square away the bulk of your supplementation with a single product.

It’s important to note, however, that this approach to supplements may come at the cost of truly effective doses. While having multiple supplements in a single greens powder may be convenient, it can mean that you get less of each component than you would if you supplemented with them individually.

Proposed Health Benefits

All greens powders claim to offer various potential health advantages depending on the ingredients they choose to include, but these are the claims advertised by Athletic Greens.

Aids Gut Health

Like most greens powders, AG1 purports to improve nutrient absorption and gut health through the inclusion of probiotics, prebiotics, and digestive enzymes. That said, AG1 could potentially be improved through the addition of one or more other enzymes.

Supports Immunity

AG1 also claims to support your immune health through a substantial dose of vitamin C and adaptogenic mushrooms. While the product’s vitamin and mineral complex is extremely thorough, we have some concerns about the doses of adaptogenic mushrooms included and whether they constitute an effective dose.

Boosts Energy

AG1’s energy-balancing qualities come largely from its inclusion of magnesium. While it is true that magnesium has been linked to improved energy levels and sleep, most of these benefits are for magnesium-deficient individuals. Still, many experts argue that many Americans fail to consume enough magnesium, so this claim may be useful for many AG1 customers and athletes who deplete their electrolyte stores more quickly.

Helps Recovery

Compared to many other products on the market, AG1 includes an impressive antioxidant complex. Because this aspect of the greens powder is tailored specifically for athletic recovery, it may very well be the strongest element of the product’s formula.

How to Use Athletic Greens AG1

Here’s what to expect if you decide to start drinking greens by AG1.

Recommended Dosage

Per their website, AG1 suggests taking a single scoop or one of its travel pouches each day with eight ounces of water or some other liquid. Although the company also advises that their greens powder is best taken on an empty stomach, many customers prefer to take the product with food or in a shake.

Additionally, AG1 says that some customers may prefer to double their dose during times of high stress or especially intense exercise.

Mixing and Consumption

While AG1 can be mixed with water, milk, juices, or smoothies, the company recommends avoiding very hot or acidic liquids in order to avoid denaturing some of the powder’s active ingredients.

Pricing and Availability

For any supplement you plan on taking every day, it’s essential to consider how it fits into your budget.

Current Prices

In an objective, side-by-side comparison, AG1 is one of the most expensive greens powders on the market today, with the average package costing $99 for thirty servings. This means that customers can expect to spend $3.30 each day or $6.60 on days of high-stress or physical exertion.

Compared to other premium greens powders, such as Ensō Supergreens, that cost around $1.30 per serving, this is a substantially higher price point.

Still, this $99 price tag is for a one-time purchase of the base pouch. Subscribers enjoy $20 off repeat orders, which brings the price to about $2.66 per serving. Alternatively, customers have the choice to buy 30 individually wrapped travel pouches of AG1 for $109.99 for a one-time purchase or $89.99 for a subscription. This on-the-go format may be attractive to especially busy individuals or frequent travelers.

Finally, AG1 offers a “starter kit” for those who subscribe for repeat deliveries. This kit includes perks such as a shaker bottle, additional travel packets, or extra vitamins to supplement your greens powder.

Where to Buy

AG1 is available both on the company’s website and on Amazon, which is convenient for those with an existing Amazon Prime account.

What Is an “Effective Dose” and Why Is It Important?

If you’ve done any research into different greens powders, you’ve likely come across the term “effective dose.” While it may seem like industry jargon, it’s actually one of the most important ways we evaluate a supplement. Simply put, the effective dose of an ingredient is the amount required to provide meaningful benefits, and this amount varies from ingredient to ingredient.

For example, the commonly accepted effective dose of reishi mushroom powder, a popular adaptogenic mushroom, is between 1,400 and 5,400 mg per day to enjoy any of its potential benefits. For that reason, it’s crucial to double-check any product that claims to include certain popular ingredients in order to make sure they include enough to actually make a difference.

While this can be difficult with products that don’t list exact amounts of each ingredient, it’s still possible to roughly gauge how much of an ingredient is in a given formula by looking at the overall list. Remember: companies are required to list ingredients in order of amount from greatest to least, which can help when doing your own research.

Finally, consumers wanting specific benefits from certain ingredients, such as chlorella or spirulina, may want to opt for greens powders with fewer ingredients overall. That way, you know that the product has dedicated more of its volume to each ingredient rather than a smaller volume of many more ingredients.

Personal Experience and Testimonials

Though everyone’s personal experience is unique, we’ve compiled what customers are most commonly saying.

Taste and Texture

Among customers, the general consensus is that Athletic Greens’ taste is, more or less, what you would expect from a greens powder. Earthy and slightly bitter with hints of the vegetables and herbs in its formula, AG1 has a “natural” taste sweetened by the use of stevia. Because of this flavor, many users suggest adding other juices, whole fruits, or nut milks to improve AG1’s flavor.

That said, most customers report that AG1 blends impressively well with most liquids, avoiding the gritty or chalky texture common among some competitors.

Effects and Results

Overall, AG1’s customer reviews are very positive, with many individuals recounting personal stories of improved digestion, energy levels, or decreased symptoms such as brain fog or bloating.

That said, some reviews mention AG1’s high price, their use of non-organic ingredients, and the inclusion of synthetic vitamins. Finally, a minority of customers experienced negative interactions with prescription medications, though this is possible with many greens powders.

Would-be buyers who are currently taking blood thinners, hormone medication, or other prescriptions would be wise to check with their health care provider before beginning any greens powder or other dietary supplement.

Conclusion

When it first hit the market in 2010, AG1 took the greens powder industry by storm with a combination of sleek branding and an impressive focus on ingredient quality. Specifically, AG1 never hesitates to say exactly who it was made for: athletes. With supercharged doses of vitamins and an impressive recovery complex based on proven antioxidants, AG1 is an excellent choice for professional athletes, amateurs, and other highly active individuals.

That said, other brands, such as Ensō Supergreens or Organifi Green Juice, may be a more affordable alternative for general consumers while still offering comprehensive nutrition.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you’re considering trying AG1, we’ve included some commonly asked questions. It’s always important to look thoroughly into any new dietary supplement before introducing it to your routine.

Can anyone take AG1?

Whether AG1 is right for you depends largely on your goals and medical history. Before beginning AG1 (or any other supplement), make sure to check with your doctor.

Does AG1 have any side effects?

While side effects are rare, some users have reported complications with prescription medications. Additionally, AG1’s inclusion of stevia and caffeinated ingredients may cause negative effects in some people.

How much do greens powders cost?

Typically, greens powders will cost between $1.30 and $3.30 per serving. That said, price rarely determines quality when it comes to the greens powder industry, and it’s often true that less expensive products can provide similar or even superior benefits depending on a person’s specific needs.

Does AG1 expire?

While experts agree that greens powders are not a replacement for whole fruits and vegetables in an overall diet, they do offer certain advantages. Specifically, most greens powders remain shelf-stable for much longer than fresh produce. With AG1, users can expect the product to maintain its potency for up to two years if stored correctly.

Where can I buy AG1?

Currently, AG1 is available through either the company’s website or Amazon. It’s unclear whether the brand intends to expand into brick-and-mortar locations.

The opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Las Vegas Review-Journal and you should consult your doctor before beginning any new health related practice.

Members of the editorial and news staff of the Las Vegas Review-Journal were not involved in the creation of this content.