My grandfather always said a few words that have guided and haunted me throughout my life: “You have to try something 12 times before you are sure you don’t like it”. Although exact numbers vary, there are some science to back up the adage. He expected this to apply to seafood, wine, and anything else considered an acquired taste. But I was surprised to find that it also described my experiment with the wellness supplement du jour: AG1, of the Athletic Greens.
While I’m not one to fall prey to influencer marketing, I must say that Athletic Greens association with all my favorite social media personalities did its strategic magic. If they were hooked, I would have to imagine that I could also benefit from the thing.
So, with too many aesthetically pleasing Reels of beautiful people whipping up green stuff, a few five-star recommendations from friends, and a podcast promo code, Athletic Greens had destroyed me. I, too, was curious if this science-backed, seemingly miraculous blend of 75 vitamins and minerals could give my mind and body some much-needed good.
I placed my order and dove in, prepared to be blown away or potentially disappointed. This is my honest review.
What is Athletic Greens?
To start, let’s look at the history of Athletic Greens. Founded in 2010, Athletic Greens is best known for its flagship product, AG1. Vegetable powder combines vitamins, minerals and nutrients designed to promote gut healthsupports immunity, increases energy, and helps you recover faster from workouts and physical activity.
According to CEO Chris Ashendenthe brand’s focus is on “fundamental nutrition.” I guess this speaks to the product’s role in complementing a healthy lifestyle, helping to meet nutritional needs that our daily diet might not meet.
Anecdotally, I started taking note of the brand a couple of years ago, when it seemed like every health site and wellness influencer was taking AG1 on a daily basis. I can pinpoint the exact moment when my interest was fully piqued, and I followed up with the brand on social media. I was deep into one of my favorite podcasts, The Blonde Files, when the host ariel lorre (whom I can thank for my promo code) called AG1 one of his “wellness non-negotiables.” And though I felt the power of influence at play, I held on to the memory of that one-minute ad. If all you had to do was buy, mix, and drink blended powder for enviable energy, maybe you were being naive, but you wanted to in.
How is AG1 different from other green powders?
While I refer to the supplement as a vegetable powder throughout this article, Athletic Greens insists on being much more than just a substitute for your dark green leafy vegetables. The recommended daily serving, a single tablespoon, provides:
- vitamins and minerals to support immune health and strengthen the nervous system
- prebiotics Y probiotics to provide digestive support
- phytonutrients derived from superfoods that support the microbiome
- mushrooms that support the immune system
- adaptogenic herbs and antioxidants to relieve stress and provide metabolic and energy support
My ritual AG1
AG1 is expensive. I purchased the 30-day one-time subscription for $79. With your order, you get a month’s supply of AG1, a storage jar and shaker, and five “free” travel packs. On top of that, my shipping cost was $9. While it may not sound like much, I had to grit my teeth in this heyday of free shipping. Fortunately, you can cancel your subscription at any time, so the commitment was relatively minimal.
I set out to see how AG1 would fare with my wellness routine already in place. That meant working out at the same times I always do, aiming for the same amount of sleep, and not making any major changes to my diet. While my week with GA1 was by no means a deeply scientific study, I wanted to know if I would feel any different simply by adding the supplement to my daily habits.
Day 1
As suggested, AG1 was the first thing I had in the morning. Before my coffee and avocado toast, I mixed one scoop of AG1 with eight ounces of water. My package came with a brand name wide mouth water bottle designed exclusively to get my veggies in liquid form. After securing and shaking the bottle, I opened the cap to reveal a frothy, mossy green drink.
Doubtful but curious to consume the claimed vanilla flavor reviews, I took a sip. My first thought? There is no way this will end. In my opinion, the taste was too sweet. Although it had a slightly fruity tropical flavor, the dominant flavor was unmistakably artificial and, frankly, it gave me a headache. In all, it took me about two hours to finish everything (sips baby, folks).
I continued with my training as planned. Since this was my first day, I didn’t notice any change in my energy or how I felt in general. My main conclusion from the beginning of my experiment was: How the hell am I going to get through this week?
Day 2
I woke up feeling a little more determined to discover the delicious flavor of AG1 that everyone has been hyping. Taking a different approach, I shook my shovel with water Y ice. That temperature drop made a significant difference. When I drank the AG1 this time, it had a clearer, sharper taste and mouthfeel. It was less muddy than the day before. (Although I swear, I shook it as hard as I could.)
Feeling like a wellness girl, I put my AG1 down next to my laptop as I started my day checking my inbox. While the placebo effect was obviously in play, something about having that green bottle next to me made me feel a little more productive. There are worse things.
Day 3
At the end of my period today, I woke up to notice that my skin was significantly lighter than the day before. It was brighter than it usually is at this point in my cycle. I went to the kitchen, stirred my AG1 and found that I was already starting to get used to the taste. My initial impression was of a slightly thinner green juice. It felt like the taste had been designed to mask something particularly unpleasant. But it was getting to that. At this point, I may have even liked it.
That morning, I texted some friends who had tried Athletic Greens. They confirmed that it takes a bit of time to get used to the taste. For most, they started to look forward to their daily dose of GA1 between the third and seventh days, which is supportive to me for being at the end early.
Day 4
Athletic Greens’ Instagram is full of ideas for consuming their product beyond the old H20 standby. So I tried your Ultimate Summer Smoothie Bowl Recipe mix things up in the middle of my test. I found that the previous offending flavor was completely masked by adding almond butter, banana, apple, dates, and oat milk. I could see that this would become a breakfast to go. And while blood sugar balance enthusiasts might protest the glucose overloadcombining your fruits with the healthy fats of almond butter is a solid way to mitigate the rush.
This was the first day that I noticed a subtle physiological change. I had more energy during my afternoon barbell workout and, spoiler for day five, I wasn’t sore at all when I woke up the next day.
Day 5
Waking up this morning was one of the best I can tell in recent memory. With little effort, I was immediately up on my 6:30 am alarm and went straight to do some morning stretches and a short meditation. While I would consider myself a morning person, this level of alertness was unusual. Mentally, I felt strong, aligned, and motivated to transition onto my to-do list.
I made the same AG1-infused smoothie I made the day before and discovered an extra burst of energy after finishing my glass. I did my morning to-dos while staying focused on the task. Thank you AG1.
day 6
While my wake up call wasn’t as miraculous as yesterday’s, I slept soundly and woke up feeling rested. Craving my usual savory breakfast (a slice of avocado toast with a poached egg), I opted for AG1 and ice water. Interestingly, it took me until today to realize that my desire for a second mid-morning coffee had completely disappeared. Instead, my one cup was enough both in terms of my energy levels and feeling full after breakfast.
I’m often a victim of the dreaded 3pm blues, but today I managed to get all of my end-of-day tasks done and even enjoyed a 45-minute workout. To say that my energy levels remained constant throughout the day would be an understatement. I am not a wellness evangelist (meditation aside), but when something solves my dwindling energy, I have to shout it from the rooftops. I noticed that I relaxed easily after dinner and was able to fall asleep quickly and soundly. That’s a lot to say for someone dealing with occasional bouts of insomnia.
day 7
I started this journey not knowing how I would get to this point. However, in retrospect, things improved on the third day. By now, my daily rhythms expected the AG1 above all else, and I have to admit: there is something comforting and ritual about drinking it first thing in the morning.
While I said I wouldn’t make any significant changes to my diet, I found that the supplement naturally inspired me to make nutrient-rich choices. I kept to a consistent pattern of veggies throughout the day: a protein-packed salad for lunch, a green smoothie for a snack, and a big stack of roasted broccoli to go with dinner that night. Something about doing good things for my body in the morning inspired me to keep the momentum going throughout the day. Can AG1 inspire a change in mindset? The correlation is probably not strong enough to call it a given, but after a week with the green powder, I can confidently confirm: the results I saw this week were enough to keep me going.
Food to go
I still have about 20 servings left on my first AG1 shipment, and I’ll see it through to the end. Admittedly, a week is not enough time to feel the long-term benefits accrue. Of course, price is a huge barrier to entry, and as many nutritionists will confirm, you don’t need a fancy supplement to meet your daily vitamin and mineral needs. But with the positive results I have experienced, I can confirm that it is worth it.
Ultimately, this is a convenient product that messed with my brain’s positive reward centers, and that’s not a bad thing! The routine of preparing AG1 every morning before breakfast (or as part of my breakfast) indicated that I was doing something good for my body. It helped lay the groundwork for those habits to continue throughout the day. A transformed perspective Y more energy? That’s what we like to call a win-win.
