Athletic Greens (AG1): Elixir of Health or Scam?

by | Apr 19, 2026 | Supplements

Athletic Greens is one of the most successful supplement companies in the world, reportedly valued at over $1.2 billion and projected to grow to $1.83 billion by 2032. [1]  A quick visit to their site is undeniably compelling—sleek design, confident claims, scientific-looking graphics, and an extensive list of studies. It promises improved health and well-being by filling nutrient gaps, boosting energy, supporting digestion and gut health, and enhancing brain function and mood. All for $79 per month with a subscription ($99 otherwise).

So, does it live up to the fanfare, or is there a faint whiff of “Show me great wealth, and I’ll show you a great scam.” As is often the case in the intersection of health and commerce, the truth likely lies somewhere in between. I’ll leave the final judgment to you.

Part 1: The Founder

AG1 was founded by fitness enthusiast Chris Ashenden. Public reporting has documented legal issues tied to earlier business ventures in New Zealand, including 47 violations of New Zealand’s Fair Trading Act. He subsequently declared bankruptcy, thereby avoiding $200,000 in fines, and fled the country, landing in Phoenix, Arizona. [2] While this doesn’t make the supplement inherently suspect, it does demonstrate Ashenden’s willingness to lie and exploit people for his own advantage. In October 2024, amid criticism following investigations into those past business dealings, Ashenden stepped down as CEO of AG1, though he has remained involved as an owner and board member. [2,3]

Part 2: The Marketing Machine

 AG1 has executed one of the most effective marketing strategies in the supplement industry—leveraging podcasts, influencers, athletes, and celebrities at scale. According to the analytics platform Podscribe, AG1 has been promoted on over 700 podcasts in recent years, and the company has spent tens of millions on podcast advertising since 2022. [1] This does not render the product questionable, but as Kerry Howley noted in a New York Magazine profile, “It is one thing to hear Athletic Greens promoted by Joe Rogan: it is another to hear someone who sells himself as a Stanford University scientist just back from the lab proclaim that this powder ‘covers all of your foundational nutritional needs’.” [4] Ironically, to quote a piece in Fortune magazine, “In the lucrative, lightly regulated Wild West of nutritional supplements, reputation is everything: A brand that builds its clout via influencers could lose it the same way.” [1]

Part 3: The Ingredients

 AG1 contains a sweeping list of 75+ ingredients, including fruits and vegetables (e.g., bilberries, acerola cherries, broccoli), plant compounds (matcha, cocoa, spirulina), enzymes and extracts (bromelain, mushroom blends), added nutrients (vitamins A, B, C, E, K2, magnesium, zinc), and pro- and prebiotics. (Although, given its name, I would have expected more leafy greens; alas, they are conspicuously absent.) On paper, these are largely health-promoting compounds. However, the exact quantities of many of these ingredients are proprietary, raising a key question. Are the doses meaningful, or are they too minuscule to have an impact? For example, to derive cognitive benefits from berries, the recommended intake is 0.5 to 1 cup daily. [11] Reduce that same amount to powder, and you are left with 3-4 tablespoons, which is more than a token sprinkle.

Some added vitamins are provided in amounts far exceeding daily requirements. For example, vitamin C is 556% of the RDA, vitamin B12 is 16667% of the RDA, and vitamin B6 is 294% of the RDA. While this is often dismissed as harmless (especially for water-soluble vitamins), that isn’t always the case. For example, high doses of supplemental vitamin C (but not food sources) may blunt exercise adaptations in certain contexts. [5] Chronic high doses of vitamin B6 have been linked to peripheral neuropathy. [6] (Although, to my knowledge, there have been no reported cases as a result of taking AG1.) Thus, more is not always better, especially in supplemental form.  

Part 4: The Studies vs. The Claims

 AG1’s website highlights a range of studies supporting its claims. However, a closer look reveals that many references are conference abstracts (lower evidentiary rigor) with only a small number of peer-reviewed human studies. All were funded by AG1. Industry funding does not necessarily invalidate the findings, but it does warrant careful interpretations.  

In support of the gut-health claims, a couple of studies used the SHIME model, a mechanical simulation, to test whether AG1 was fermentable. The findings showed that AG1 increased bacterial short-chain fatty acid production. This is expected and relevant, but it has serious limitations, as it does not replicate human physiology, including immune responses, nutrient absorption, and real-world dietary context. It simply showed that it was fermentable compared to a blank. [7]

Several randomized controlled trials have compared AG1 to a placebo (often maltodextrin) in humans. These found modest, but very selective shifts in microbiome composition. There were no changes in stool frequency or GI outcomes, nor were there meaningful improvements in clinical health or performance markers. Notably, short-chain fatty acid production (through which healthy bacteria exert health benefits) was either not reported or not measured.

The strongest finding from these studies was that AG1 did not adversely affect blood safety biomarkers. [8,9]

Key limitations include relatively small sample sizes, short durations (2 to 12 weeks), no comparisons with whole-food dietary patterns, and findings that were at best pilot-level. One study found that circulating markers of folate, vitamin C, and zinc were higher in the AG1 group (supporting its “fills nutrient gaps” claims). [10] However, this is not surprising given that supplemental forms of these nutrients are in the powder. It is also notable that these studies used subjects who consumed a standard Western diet, in which intakes of foods rich in these nutrients were already low.

In Conclusion

 AG1 may offer a convenient vehicle for delivering vitamins and other bioactive compounds, but convenience should not be mistaken for necessity—and marketing, no matter how polished, is not a substitute for evidence. If individuals notice improvements in GI function, mood, or energy with its use—whether physiological or placebo—there’s value in that experience. Importantly, it appears to be safe, at least in the short term. A potential concern is the “licensing effect”—the tendency to believe that taking AG1 compensates for poor dietary habits. While future, longer-term studies on larger cohorts may yet demonstrate more tangible benefits, the current data remain limited. AG1 is more evidence-informed than many supplements, but the evidence to date supports modest effects rather than the sweeping health claims implied by its marketing. That said, the most reliable and evidence-based approach to closing nutrient gaps, supporting gut health, improving recovery and physical performance, and enhancing cognitive function remains a plant-forward, fiber-rich diet, combined with consistent healthy lifestyle practices, as we outline in Staying in the Game.

My biggest concern is the amplification of sweeping health claims by so-called experts when the evidence simply doesn’t support them. When you’re offering guidance that affects people’s health, due diligence isn’t a courtesy—it’s an obligation. Yet too often, objectivity gives way when the paycheck depends on the message. 

 

 

 

References

 

  1. Austin E. The battle over AG1-the influencer-famous, $100-a-month green supplement-is coming to a vending machine or grocery store near you. Fortune. Available at: https://fortune.com/2025/01/24/ag1-athletic-greens-supplements-green-powder-bryan-johnson/. Accessed April 10, 2026.
  2. Carney S. AG1 Tried to Kill this Video…but it didin’t work. Available at: https://sgcarney.substack.com/p/ag1-tried-to-kill-this-video-but. Accessed April 10, 2026.
  3. Carney S. The True Story of Athletic Greens (and the Real Estate Scam that Started it All). Scott Carney Investigates: YouTube; 2025.
  4. Howley K. Andrew Huberman’s Mechanisms of Control. New Yorker Magazine. New York; 2024.
  5. Braakhuis AJ. Effect of vitamin C supplements on physical performance. Curr Sports Med Rep. Jul-Aug 2012;11(4):180-184.
  6. Muhamad R, Akrivaki A, Papagiannopoulou G, Zavridis P, Zis P. The role of vitamin B6 in peripheral neuropathy: A systematic review. Nutrients. Jun 21 2023;15(13).
  7. Kirby TO, Townsend JR, Sapp PA, et al. The novel synbiotic, AG1®, increases short-chained fatty acid production in the Simulator of Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME) model®. Nutraceuticals. 2023;3(4):489-498.
  8. Townsend J, Gonzalez AM, Kirby T, et al. AG1® supplementation improves gut microbiome composition and function in highly active adults. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2025/09/30 2025;22(sup2):2550154.
  9. Wood A, Sapp PA, Townsend JR, et al. AG1®, a multi-ingredient nutrition supplement, does not negatively impact blood safety biomarkers in healthy adults: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2025/09/30 2025;22(sup2):2550153.
  10. Sapp PA, Townsend JR, Edwards C, et al. AG1, a foundational nutrition supplement, closes nutrient gaps in healthy adults: A randomized controlled trial. Current Developments in Nutrition. 2025;9.
  11. Stull AJ, Cassidy A, Djousse L, et al. The state of the science on the health benefits of blueberries: a perspective. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2024-June-11 2024; Volume 11 – 2024.