“Although not a substitute for whole foods, such supplements can provide concentrated sources of micronutrients, phytonutrients and microbiome-targeted compounds that help address dietary inadequacies, even among active individuals who strive to maintain a well-rounded and healthy diet,” wrote the research team affiliated with AG1. “Supplementation strategies that deliver a blend of nutritional components may help promote adequate intake of key micronutrients, close nutrient gaps, improve overall diet quality and support gut microbial function.”
The study’s primary outcome was nutritional adequacy based on repeated 24-hour dietary recalls. Secondary outcomes included gut microbiome composition and function, measured using shotgun metagenomics and fecal metabolomics, as well as digestion-related quality-of-life questionnaires.
Launched in 2010, the AG1 formula is now in its 52nd iteration—combining 83 micronutrients, prebiotics, probiotics, phytonutrients and adaptogenic botanicals—and was projected to generate $600 million in revenue in 2025, up from $160 million in 2021.
This most recent study folds into AG1’s commitment to spend more than $20 million over the next three years to support peer-reviewed independent research on its full formula rather than individual ingredients.
Addressing micronutrient gaps
Despite being young, physically active and health‑conscious, participants in the AG1 study exhibited baseline micronutrient gaps—defined as the difference between an individual’s reported dietary intake and the Estimated Average Requirements (EARs) for dietary targets for specific nutrients.
The study complements recently published AG-1 funded research examining the sex differences in nutrient gaps among active adults, which identified common inadequacies including calcium, folate, magnesium, and vitamins A, C, D, and E among females, and vitamins C, D and E among males.
“A central finding of this investigation was that AG1 supplementation significantly improved dietary micronutrient adequacy, as evidenced by an increase in the total number of EARs met compared with placebo,” the researchers on the current study reported.
Vitamins A, C and E were the most frequently corrected inadequacies, which the researchers noted play critical roles in immune function, antioxidant defense and cellular health. They highlighted that improvements in micronutrient sufficiency occurred without significant changes in caloric intake, macronutrient distribution or dietary patterns.
Targeted microbiome effects
The study also investigated the connection of nutrient adequacy to downstream benefits, building on previous investigations into AG1’s effects on microbial taxa and functional pathways, as well as its digestibility and bioavailability, in an in vitro gastrointestinal model.
It follows a 2024 paper published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition that explored the effects of four weeks of AG1 supplementation on probiotic taxa and microbial functional pathways in healthy adults.
“Many gut microbes rely on vitamins and minerals to fuel growth and carry out essential metabolic processes,” the curent study noted. “Accordingly, micronutrients such as B-complex vitamins, vitamins C, D and E, as well as minerals including calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium and phosphorus, can influence microbial composition and activity. Prebiotics are substrates that are selectively utilized by host microorganisms conferring a health benefit.”
While AG1 did not appear to induce broad changes in overall gut microbial alpha or beta diversity, biomarker discovery analyses revealed selective enrichment of several taxa including Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, Lacticaseibacillus casei and Bifidobacterium animalis—widely studied for their roles in gut barrier function, immune modulation and metabolic activity.
Untargeted fecal metabolomics also identified changes in several metabolites associated with microbial and host metabolic pathways following AG1 supplementation.
“Overall, the metabolomic and metagenomic data together indicate that AG1 supplementation shifted the gut ecosystem toward fiber-fermenting taxa, which in turn led to measurable changes in metabolites,” the study reported. “Many of these shifts (e.g., more polyphenols like genistein, fewer harmful protein metabolites) are consistent with improved gut health, whereas others (e.g., increased DHOME) highlight areas requiring further study to determine the role of these metabolites in human models.”
The researchers noted limitations including the small sample size, the short nature of the intervention and the use of maltodextrin as a placebo, which can impact the microbiome. They called for future studies to incorporate longer intervention periods, larger cohorts and integrated multi‑omics approaches to better define the durability and clinical relevance of these findings.
Source: Frontiers in Nutrition. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2026.1783951. “Effect of AG1 supplementation on nutritional adequacy and gut microbial composition in trained adults”. Authors: Adam Gonzalez et al.
