Is Athletic Greens (AG1) Clean?

The Short Answer

AG1 (formerly Athletic Greens) is exceptionally clean from a safety standpoint. It carries the gold-standard NSF Certified for Sport badge, meaning it is rigorously third-party tested for heavy metals, pesticides, and over 280 banned substances.

However, AG1 hides its actual recipe behind proprietary blends. While you can see exactly how much Vitamin C or Zinc is in the pouch, you have no idea if you're getting a clinically effective dose of expensive ingredients like ashwagandha or reishi mushroom.

Why This Matters

When a company uses proprietary blends, they only have to list the total weight of the blend, not the individual ingredients. This is a massive loophole that allows brands to sprinkle in a tiny, useless amount of a trendy ingredient just to legally put it on the label.

This is especially frustrating given AG1 costs up to $99 a month. If you are paying a premium price for a supplement, you deserve to know exactly what you are paying for. We know Do Greens Powders Work|Greens Powders Have Benefits, but only if the active ingredients are present in high enough amounts to actually do something in your body.

Furthermore, just because a powder has 75 ingredients doesn't mean your body can absorb them all. Mixing massive doses of vitamins with competing minerals and Do Probiotics Survive Stomach Acid|Probiotics That May Not Survive Stomach Acid makes the actual nutritional value of the powder highly debatable. You cannot simply Greens Powder Replace Vegetables|Replace Real Vegetables With A Powder and expect the same results.

What's Actually In AG1

AG1 breaks its 75 ingredients down into a standard vitamin profile and several proprietary complexes. Here is what you are actually drinking:

• Added Vitamins and Minerals — AG1 acts like a heavy-duty multivitamin. It contains massive doses of synthetically added nutrients, like 2,083% of your daily Vitamin B12.
• Alkaline, Nutrient-Dense Raw Superfood Complex (7,388mg) — This is the main base, containing spirulina, chlorella, and wheatgrass. Because it's a blend, we don't know the exact ratio of these greens.
• Nutrient Dense Extracts, Herbs & Antioxidants (2,732mg) — This contains trendy ingredients like ashwagandha, rhodiola, and milk thistle. Do Adaptogens Work|Adaptogens Require Specific Clinical Doses to be effective, which AG1 does not disclose.
• Digestive Enzyme & Super Mushroom Complex (154mg) — This incredibly small blend contains reishi and shiitake mushrooms. At 154mg total, it is virtually impossible that you are getting an effective dose of these mushrooms.
• Dairy-Free Probiotics (38mg) — Contains Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum.

What to Look For

Green Flags:

• NSF Certified for Sport — This is the absolute best certification a supplement can get. It guarantees the product is free of Heavy Metals In Greens Powder|Dangerous Levels Of Heavy Metals and banned substances. Nsf Certified Meaning|Learn More About NSF Certification Here.
• No Artificial Sweeteners — AG1 uses stevia instead of sucralose or aspartame, making it a better choice for your gut microbiome.
• Comprehensive Testing — The company actively screens for over 500 pesticides and herbicides, which is incredibly rare in the supplement industry.

Red Flags:

• Proprietary Blends — This is the biggest red flag in the supplement industry. It prevents consumers from knowing if they are getting ripped off on expensive ingredients. Supplements Contain Claims|Learn Why Label Claims Can Be Misleading.
• Prop 65 Warning — AG1 carries a lead warning in California. While the company proves their levels are below strict USP limits, any plant-based powder will contain trace heavy metals from the soil.
• Overdosed Vitamins — Massive doses of certain vitamins (like B12 and Biotin) aren't necessarily better and can cause skin breakouts or mild discomfort in some people.

The Best Options

If you are deciding whether to spend your money on AG1, it helps to compare it to the wider market. Best Greens Powder|See Our Full Ranking Of The Best Greens Powders.

The Bottom Line

1. AG1 is completely safe to drink. Their Third Party Tested Meaning|Third Party Testing standards are among the best in the entire supplement industry.

2. You are overpaying for proprietary blends. At nearly $3 a serving, you should demand full transparency on how much of each adaptogen and superfood you are actually consuming.

3. It's a multivitamin in disguise. The most effective part of AG1 is the added synthetic vitamins, not the tiny pinches of 75 different plant extracts. Are Greens Powders Worth It|Consider If A Standard Multivitamin Is A Better Value.

FAQ

Does AG1 contain heavy metals?

AG1 contains trace amounts of heavy metals, but well below dangerous limits. Because it is made from plants grown in soil, it will always contain microscopic amounts of lead and arsenic, but its NSF certification proves it is safe for daily consumption.

Is AG1 better than Bloom?

Yes, AG1 is significantly better than Bloom. While both use frustrating proprietary blends, AG1 has much stricter third-party testing, higher quality ingredients, and a robust vitamin profile. Athletic Greens Vs Bloom|Read Our Full Comparison Here.

Is the ashwagandha in AG1 safe?

Yes, but you likely aren't getting enough of it to matter. Because it is hidden in a 2,732mg proprietary blend alongside a dozen other ingredients, the dose of ashwagandha is likely far below the clinical threshold needed to actually reduce stress. Is Ashwagandha Safe|Read More About Ashwagandha Safety Here.

---

References (9)

1. 1. flawlessbloom.com
2. 2. innerbody.com
3. 3. drinkag1.com
4. 4. wikipedia.org
5. 5. previnex.com
6. 6. drinkag1.com
7. 7. healthline.com
8. 8. toppicking.com
9. 9. vibranthealth.com