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AG1 Clinical Trial Results - not what they promised

4 months ago (edited)

Just saw the results from AG1’s first clinical trial (published January 2025) and thought this was worth sharing.

The study showed AG1 does boost some vitamin levels (B12, folate, vitamin C), but that’s about it. No changes to gut microbiome composition and no metabolic improvements compared to placebo. So basically, you’re getting an expensive multivitamin at $79/month.

I get why people love it - the marketing is incredibly effective. But the science just isn’t backing up most of the health claims, especially around gut health and metabolism.

What’s interesting is there are alternatives with much stronger clinical evidence that cost a fraction of the price. Chicory inulin (20 euros /month) and resistant starch (35 euros/month) both have multiple studies showing real benefits for gut health and blood sugar regulation, not just nutrient supplementation.

Study link: https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-025-00656-3

Has anyone here tried these alternatives? Or are you still using AG1 and finding it works for you? Would love to hear different perspectives on this.

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· 4 months ago (edited)

Thanks for sharing this.

I remember a German science podcast that analysed AG1 in the lab, and the pattern was very similar: it was solid for basic vitamins, but many of the "fancy" ingredients were in such low doses that they were either below detection or far away from what's used in clinical trials .https://www.quarks.de/podcast/quarks-science-cops-der-fall-ag1-von-athletic-greens/

The more I read the literature, the more my own stack seems to get boring. When you look at chicory inulin or resistant starch, you see loads of RCTs with clear dose–response relationships: You can reliably shift the levels of bifidobacteria, stool patterns and even glucose/insulin dynamics by eating 3–20 g/day inulin or 15–30 g/day resistant starch, and the monthly cost is much lower. 

Actually, Medicom got the ball rolling on resistant corn starch (Fibersol-2) years ago. I took it regularly, but the market wasn't ready – there was no trend and no education. Now that things are finally moving on, we've brought s new fibre complex back with Fibersol 2, Inulin and Fibregum.

At the end of the day, greens powders like AG1 are probably fine as an expensive multivitamin for people who like the ritual. But if someone's after specific gut and metabolic effects, I'd rather see them start with simple, well-dosed fibres and whole foods – and save the money for labs, movement and sleep.

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