Athletic Greens Review (2024) | BarBend (2024)

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Over the past decade, AG1 has staked its claim as one of the best greens powders on the market. Its formula features a diverse range of ingredients to help support nearly all areas of wellness. This supplement aims to help support energy, immunity, gut health, liver function, hormone function, brain function, and the body’s natural detoxification process. After scooping and mixing 57 greens powders over the years, AG1’s 75 whole food-sourced ingredients make it one of the most comprehensive our team has used.

While you’ll be forking over more green — a lot more green — at checkout compared to other options, we think AG1 is a solid supp for anyone struggling to get enough fruits and vegetables in their normal diet. If you’re leery of getting health advice from influencers, check out our Athletic Greens review and see what our team of certified personal trainers, registered dietitian nutritionists, and fitness fanatics had to say about the greens powder that’s taken social media by storm. For more information on how we test supplements, check out BarBend’s Supplement Testing Methodology.

Editor’s note: The content on BarBend is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. The opinions and articles on this site are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. It’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor before beginning a new fitness, nutritional, and/or supplement routine. Individual needs for vitamins and minerals will vary.

Athletic Greens

Athletic Greens

This nutritious greens powder is NSF certified for sport and includes 75 absorbable ingredients and is free of gluten, sugar, dairy, eggs, and peanuts. It is compatible with vegan, keto, and paleo diets.

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Athletic Greens Video Review

In my in-depth breakdown, I talk about AG1’s benefits, drawbacks, taste, pricing, ingredients list, and more. While most of what I cover in the video is still relevant, some vitamins and dosages in the new formula have changed since my review.

Main Takeaways

• Athletic Greens is a highly comprehensive formula with a full vitamin and mineral complex and four nutritional blends for total body support.
• While Athletic Greens is NSF Certified for Sport, the amounts of ingredients in its proprietary blends are not disclosed.
• Unlike most greens powders, AG1 tastes slightly sweet, using the natural essence of pineapple core and vanilla bean instead of artificial flavors or sweeteners.

Athletic Greens Specs

AG1 is rich in micronutrients, with each serving featuring a blend of vitamins, minerals, superfoods, antioxidants, probiotics, digestive enzymes, adaptogens, and more. After forcing down some truly awful-tasting and suspect powders, I really think the unusually high amounts of vitamins and minerals in Athletic Greens makes it one of the best all-around options out there.

Two other members of our team — both certified personal trainers — agreed with me. “AG1’s lineup has so many quality ingredients — vitamins, probiotics, minerals, adaptogens — I can’t really see a downside to using it,” one said. Each serving provides 467 percent of your daily value of vitamin C, along with 553 percent of the recommended daily amount of vitamin B.

Our expert reviewer, Chelsea Rae Bourgeois. was also impressed with the rundown. “AG1 Athletic Greens provide a concentrated source of nutrients, along with beneficial probiotics.” We also like the formulation’s inclusion of rhodiola rosea and ashwagandha, nootropics that aim to support focus and overall mental health. (1)(2)

AG1’s plentiful antioxidants help make it one of the best fruit and vegetable supplements we’ve tried. Whole-food raw greens — spirulina, wheatgrass, chlorella, and more — contribute to the 12 servings of vegetables per scoop. To aid digestion, AG1 also includes 7.2 billion CFUs of probiotics. The formula is suitable for just about every dietary restriction since it’s vegan, paleo, keto, and low-carb.

What AG1 doesn’t include is just as impressive — there are no added sugars, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, colors, flavors, GMOs, eggs, or peanuts.

In lieu of artificial sweeteners like sucralose or aspartame, AG1 derives flavor from pineapple core and vanilla bean. Many greens powders that I’ve tried honestly taste like a cup of dirt, so the stevia-driven sweetness in Athletics Greens was an added bonus. “The flavor is a bit subtle, but it is easily the best-tasting greens powder I’ve had,” said one of our testers. “It’s tough to make these powders taste like anything, so using natural sources of pineapple and vanilla is really going the extra mile.”

Greens powders like AG1 can’t replace a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables, but they can be a nice addition for those struggling to consume enough greens day to day. According to a USDA study, the average adult in the U.S. eats just 0.9 cups of fruit and 1.4 cups of vegetables per day. (USDA) That’s only about half of the daily recommended amount.

As such, AG1 is certainly worth a look for those on a restrictive diet, athletes with demanding nutrient needs, or anybody struggling to get enough fruits and vegetables. But at $79 per 30-day serving, you’ll certainly want to consider whether your budget will be better served by a more affordable greens powder (or one of the best multivitamins).

Who Should Use / Who Shouldn’t Use Athletic Greens

AG1 is one of the most comprehensive greens powders that we’ve put to the test. Here’s a quick look at who may (or may not) benefit from its impressive formula.

Recommended for:

• Those looking for an all-around greens powder with a robust formula to support many areas of wellness.
• Anyone looking for enzymes and probiotics to aid digestion and help absorb essential nutrients. (3)
• Athletes seeking an energy boost from natural ingredients, like reishi mushroom, vitamin B12, and magnesium. (4)

Not Recommended for:

• People who can’t afford to spend $79 or more a month on a greens powder.
• Those needing to precisely track the amount of micronutrients in their supplements.
• Anyone that prefers unflavored greens powders or doesn’t enjoy the taste of pineapple or vanilla.

Our Experience Using Athletic Greens

After taking a glance at AG1’s supplement facts, the most impressive thing about it may be that they crammed all that text into such a small label. Squeezing in 75 ingredients is no small task, but the dosing of those vitamins, minerals, probiotics, and adaptogens easily exceeds many of the greens powders I’ve personally tried.

[Related: Greens Powders Vs. Multivitamins]

All told, BarBend’s team of certified personal trainers, CrossFit coaches, and gym owners has tested nearly 60 different greens powders. Several of us, including our expert reviewer, Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, have tested AG1. For all supplements we test, we use a multi-point system to provide ratings from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) across multiple categories, including formulation, solubility, and taste.

Taste

With so many unsweetened, unadorned greens powders out there that taste like literal dirt, I like AG1’s pineapple and vanilla notes that border on “tropical.” I still get a bit too much of an earthy and grassy taste, so I rated its overall taste a 4 out of 5. Two other team members — both certified personal trainers — agreed on a 4.5 out of 5 rating and thought that, compared to most greens powders, it was actually quite pleasant.

“AG1 certainly has a ‘healthy’ taste, but it’s superior to even other flavored powders,” one tester said when comparing Athletic Greens vs. Macro Greens. “You still need to temper expectations, but there’s a decent amount of sweetness to it thanks to the stevia and natural pineapple and vanilla flavoring.”

Solubility

After mixing the 12-gram serving with cold water in our shaker cups, we thought AG1 blended up rather smoothly and we landed on a 4 out of 5 for solubility. “It initially mixes up pretty well, but does start to settle pretty quickly,” one tester said. “I usually like to just down a greens powder, but if you were sipping on it, you’d just need to re-shake fairly often.”

Price Per Serving

Our expert reviewer, Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, was impressed by the number of ingredients in AG1. But at $2.67 per serving, this greens powder is one of the more expensive we have tried, which garnered just a 2 out of 5 from our team. “AG1 Athletic Greens may help boost your intake of important nutrients, but it definitely comes at a cost — and the cost ain’t cheap,” Bourgeois said.

Most greens powders come in around $1 to $1.50 per serving, so comparatively speaking, AG1 is expensive. For instance, two other greens powders we like, Transparent Labs Prebiotic Greens and Nested Naturals Super Greens, cost $1.53 and $1.07 per serving, respectively.

Third-Party Testing

When any supplement lists multiple proprietary blends, it gives our team a bit of pause. Companies often list the ingredients within those blends, but omit the amounts so other brands can’t replicate their formulas. From a business standpoint, this is understandable, but it’s not ideal for tracking exactly how much of each ingredient you’re consuming.

One way AG1 attempts to instill confidence in their formula is having it NSF Certified for Sport, which helped it earn a 5 out of 5 for third-party testing. “Since the research behind greens powders is lacking, I like that this product is third-party tested for safety,” says our expert reviewer, Chelsea Rae Bourgeois.

AG1 Ingredients

AG1 packs in over 75 ingredients in its formula — aka a ton of ingredients. When our expert reviewer Chelsea Rae Bourgeois scrutinized its label, she had one major callout. “AG1 Athletic Greens gets a 3 out of 5 for its formulation, with major deductions for its proprietary blends and cost. For many, the cost doesn’t match the purported benefits.”

While we liked seeing many of these ingredients, the presence of so many blends means we can’t know for sure just how much of each you’ll get in each serving. Below, we’ll break down these ingredients based on the blends, plus the separate vitamins and minerals that you’ll find on the label.

Vitamins and Minerals

AG1’s formulation contains many of the same vitamins and minerals you’d find in a multivitamin. Each serving will net you 555 micrograms RAE of vitamin A, 420 milligrams of vitamin C, 83 milligrams of vitamin E, and a blend of B vitamins. Except for vitamin A, all of these dosages exceed 100 percent of your recommended daily intake. The mineral content includes calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium, but vitamin K and vitamin D are notably absent.

Alkaline, Nutrient-Dense, Raw Superfood Complex

The point of this blend is to provide phytonutrients beyond traditional vitamins and minerals. In this complex, you’ll find potentially beneficial greens, like spirulina, wheat grass, chlorella, and kelp, along with fan favorites like ginger, green tea extract, and beetroot powder, among many others. AG1 includes all of these and then some to potentially deliver antioxidants and a host of other nutrients meant to help keep your body functioning at top levels.

Nutrient-Dense Natural Extracts, Herbs, and Antioxidants

If you’re looking for adaptogens, this complex may pique your interest. It features ingredients intended to provide mood support, like rhodiola rosea, ashwagandha, and beta-glucans, which could help boost the immune system. (1)(2)(5) CoQ10 is also included for potential heart health. (6) You’ll also find other herbs and antioxidants, including milk thistle and dandelion root, which have been shown to support liver health. (7)(8)

Digestive Enzyme & Super Mushroom Complex

AG1 claims the naturally-occurring enzymes in the astragalus root powder, bromelain, and burdock root powder in this blend can support digestion and help absorb nutrients. While more research is needed on these ingredients, the adaptogenic mushrooms — reishi and shiitake mushroom powder, specifically — have been shown to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and prebiotic properties. (9)

Dairy-Free Probiotics

With only two ingredients, the probiotic complex is the most straightforward blend of the bunch, but don’t let that fool you. AG1 has a potent dose of 7.2 billion Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Bifidobacterium Bifidum probiotics intended to aid digestive health. (3)

Dietary Considerations

Not only is AG1’s formula one of the most comprehensive we’ve seen, it’s also gluten-free, vegan-friendly, and non-GMO. It contains no dairy, corn, egg, peanuts, animal byproducts, lactose, sucrose, dextrose, herbicides, pesticides, or preservatives. You also won’t find any artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners.

There is technically some soy, but AG1 notes that it doesn’t contain any trypsin inhibitors or other soy proteins. Perhaps it goes without saying, but this supplement is compatible with the keto and paleo diets.

Antioxidants

A benefit of many greens powders is the antioxidants that work to slow particular kinds of cellular damage and fight inflammation. (10) Vitamins A, C, and E — regarded as antioxidants — would make a fine “antioxidant supplement” on their own, but many of the whole food ingredients — like spirulina and chlorella — in this product are also marketed as antioxidants.

It’s important to remember that, despite Athletic Greens’ good reputation, many of these antioxidants are part of proprietary blends. That means we can’t be sure just how much of each ingredient is present.

What to Consider Before Buying Athletic Greens

After putting 57 different greens powders through the wringer, our team thinks AG1 is the top pick for most people. However, before adding any supplement to your routine, it’s important to consider what exactly you’re, well, supplementing. Do you need help with digestion or more antioxidants? What does the research say about all those ingredients? Is this even worth the money? Here are a few factors to consider before committing to AG1.

• Greens Powder Research: Because research on the potential health benefits of greens powders is limited, consider whether you’d prefer a supplement with more scientific backing. Based on the studies that do exist, greens powders can potentially help lower blood pressure, improve heart health, and boost the immune system. (10)(11)(12)(13)
• Proprietary Blends: Even though AG1’s formula has been NSF Certified for Sport, consider that the amounts of many of its impressive ingredients — like its antioxidants — are not disclosed. If you like to know exactly what you’re putting in your body, that may be a dealbreaker.
• Taste: While our team enjoyed the tropical taste of the natural pineapple and vanilla flavors in AG1, think about whether you’d prefer more options or an unflavored greens powder that’s more conducive to stacking.
• Digestive Health: If digestive health is a concern, you may benefit from the two strains of dairy-free probiotics in AG1. (3) If digestion is your only concern, consider whether one of the best probiotic supplements is better suited to your needs.
• Price: Most greens powders cost around $1 to $1.50 per serving, so consider how AG1 — one of the priciest greens powders we’ve seen at $2.63 per serving — might fit into your budget.

Athletic Greens Vs. Competitors

While AG1 is our team’s top pick among greens powders, there are certainly other good options out there. In fact, we’ve tried 57 of them ourselves and stacked up two other quality powders to see how AG1 compares. There are a few standout differences here, including the row your eyes will likely be drawn to — the price per serving.

While AG1 costs more than $1 more per serving than Transparent Labs Prebiotic Greens and more than double the cost of Nested Naturals Super Greens, its robust 75-ingredient lineup may help it offer a wider variety of benefits. For example, Transparent Labs lacks some of the micronutrients and adaptogens found in AG1. AG1’s 7.2 billion CFUs are also a standout, besting Nested Naturals CFUs by over 75 percent.

That said, this Transparent Labs offering is still plenty impressive, offering a wider range of flavor options and evidence of third-party testing. Nested Naturals, meanwhile, has a leaner macro profile than both of its competitors and a solid 1.67 billion CFUs of probiotics. And did we mention how much more affordable they are? Well, you can see for yourself in the chart below.

AG1 Alternative

Pro Health Longevity Greens Powder

Pro Health Longevity Greens Powder

Start your day with this impressive greens powder that can be ideal for immune health, cellular health, and digestion. Plus, included servings of moringa leaf, ginger, broccoli, kale, berries, and cabbage can potentially be helpful for liver detoxification.

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Greens powders can also function as some of the best fiber supplements to support digestion. For example, the prebiotics and probiotics — 500 million CFUs from seven bacterial strains — in Pro Health Longevity Greens fit the bill. (3) Plus, multiple blends in its formula work to support cellular health, liver detoxification, immune health, and more.

When our expert reviewer Chelsea Rae Bourgeois took a look at the label, she rated its overall formula 3 out of 5, highlighting one important vitamin. “If you’re deficient in vitamin B12 or prone to anemia, Pro Health Longevity Greens Powder may be a valuable addition to your treatment under the guidance of your healthcare provider.”

While she sees lots of positives — plant enzymes, fiber, antioxidants, and more — on the label, she does have one major bone to pick. “It also contains multiple proprietary blends, so you can’t know how much of each ingredient you’re consuming.”

Like AG1, this is a bit of an expensive option. “You’re paying a little more than $2 per serving to get anywhere from 3 to 50 percent of your daily value for various nutrients,” says Bourgeois. For anyone looking for a GI boost with a great-tasting Apple Banana flavor — a 4 out of 5 from our team — Pro Health Longevity Greens may be worth a look.

Places to Buy Athletic Greens

You can purchase Athletic Greens directly from their website or major retailers like Amazon and Walmart.

Customer Experience and Brand Reputation

Athletic Greens carries a well-earned reputation as a trustworthy brand that cares about their customers. After interacting with their customer care team ourselves, we scored their overall customer service 5 out of 5.

Other reviews we’ve seen online tell a similar story. “My product did not arrive the first time I ordered but when I contacted the seller they were so friendly, helpful and quick to send me a replacement for the original order,” reads one five-star review. “I was very happy to know the seller was reliable and wanted to help me.”

Athletic Greens also offers a 90-day money-back guarantee. All you need to do is reach out to the customer care team and request a refund. Shipping costs added another $9 to my order, but what I liked most was that AG1 was FSA and HSA eligible. Just double check to make sure your plan can cover it.

Our Final Verdict on Athletic Greens

The AG1 nutrition label may not quite be encyclopedia-level, but its 75 ingredients make for one of the most robust formulas we’ve tested. While you still shouldn’t ditch your green vegetables, its vitamin content is through the roof and it boasts an impressive roster of important minerals that can help you fill nutritional gaps. Another area where AG1 shines is the 7.2 billion CFUs of probiotics it provides, which work to help improve gut health. (3)(10)

However, with so many proprietary blends masking the amounts of those antioxidants and other important ingredients, our expert reviewer Chelsea Rae Bourgeois would have liked to see exactly how much goes into each serving. For such a popular greens powder, we wish there was a bit more transparency in those blends, along with a (much) smaller price tag. But if you’re keen on investing in a well-rounded greens powder to support your overall health, AG1 provides a lot of bang for that buck.

Athletic Greens FAQs

References

1. Ivanova Stojcheva, E., & Quintela, J. C. (2022). The Effectiveness of Rhodiola rosea L. Preparations in Alleviating Various Aspects of Life-Stress Symptoms and Stress-Induced Conditions-Encouraging Clinical Evidence. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 27(12), 3902.
2. Gopukumar, K., Thanawala, S., Somepalli, V., Rao, T. S. S., Thamatam, V. B., & Chauhan, S. (2021). Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha Root Extract on Cognitive Functions in Healthy, Stressed Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2021, 8254344.
3. Quigley E. M. M. (2019). Prebiotics and Probiotics in Digestive Health. Clinical gastroenterology and hepatology : the official clinical practice journal of the American Gastroenterological Association, 17(2), 333–344.
4. Zhang, Y., Xun, P., Wang, R., Mao, L., & He, K. (2017). Can Magnesium Enhance Exercise Performance?. Nutrients, 9(9), 946.
5. Akramiene, D., Kondrotas, A., Didziapetriene, J., & Kevelaitis, E. (2007). Effects of beta-glucans on the immune system. Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania), 43(8), 597–606.
6. Rabanal-Ruiz, Y., Llanos-González, E., & Alcain, F. J. (2021). The Use of Coenzyme Q10 in Cardiovascular Diseases. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland), 10(5), 755.
7. Abenavoli, L., Capasso, R., Milic, N., & Capasso, F. (2010). Milk thistle in liver diseases: past, present, future. Phytotherapy research : PTR, 24(10), 1423–1432.
8. Pfingstgraf, I. O., Taulescu, M., Pop, R. M., Orăsan, R., Vlase, L., Uifalean, A., Todea, D., Alexescu, T., Toma, C., & Pârvu, A. E. (2021). Protective Effects of Taraxacum officinale L. (Dandelion) Root Extract in Experimental Acute on Chronic Liver Failure. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland), 10(4), 504.
9. Venturella, G., Ferraro, V., Cirlincione, F., & Gargano, M. L. (2021). Medicinal Mushrooms: Bioactive Compounds, Use, and Clinical Trials. International journal of molecular sciences, 22(2), 634.
10. Janciauskiene S. (2020). The Beneficial Effects of Antioxidants in Health And Diseases. Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (Miami, Fla.), 7(3), 182–202.
11. Zhang, J et al. Taking nutritional supplements for three months reduced blood pressure but not blood lipid levels in students. J Chiropr Med. 2006 Summer; 5(2): 53–59.
12. Zhang, J et al. The effect of fruit and vegetable powder mix on hypertensive subjects: a pilot study. J Chiropr Med. 2009 Sep; 8(3): 101–106.
13. Lorenzoni, G., Minto, C., Vecchio, M. G., Zec, S., Paolin, I., Lamprecht, M., Mestroni, L., & Gregori, D. (2019). Fruit and Vegetable Concentrate Supplementation and Cardiovascular Health: A Systematic Review from a Public Health Perspective. Journal of clinical medicine, 8(11), 1914.
14. Kechagia, M., Basoulis, D., Konstantopoulou, S., Dimitriadi, D., Gyftopoulou, K., Skarmoutsou, N., & Fakiri, E. M. (2013). Health benefits of probiotics: a review. ISRN nutrition, 2013, 481651.