The True Story of Athletic Greens (and the Real Estate Scam that Started it All)
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- Опубліковано 27 тра 2024
- If you’ve listened to just about any podcast in the last few years you’ve probably come across a green slurry macro-nutrient shake called AG1 (formerly Athletic Greens). The supplement shake has garnered endorsements from the most influential people in science communications-from Andrew Huberman and Peter Attia-and just about every health and wellness influencer open to an affiliate deal.
AG1’s popularity stems from the simplicity of its marketing: claiming that one delicious powder-based smoothie can sort out all of your hidden nutrient deficiencies. For just three dollars a day you can start your morning right and thrive where you used to falter. Who wouldn’t want that?
AG1 recently achieved a $1.2 billion valuation, but has experiences a bit of a backlash as experts and scientist have started to wonder if its claims of being the best formulated bio-available nutrient shake in the world really check out.
The criticisms are fair and to some degree expected, with everyone from the Today Show to the New York Times (as well as a battalion of UA-cam videos and blogs) digging into the company’s specific claims.
But there is one story that they all missed. No one looked into the background of AG1’s founder. . .
2011 Judgement: comcom.govt.nz/__data/assets/...
2010 judgement: drive.google.com/file/d/1_iZG...
#ag1 #hubermanlab #supplements
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Are those D&D books in the background?
all that stuff about regulatory hurdles sounds kinda funny juxtapositioned against how shit went down with the pandemic.
Yes technically you have a point but also lol.
The fear of death creates great business opportunities.
it does!
I wish that people would see right through it going forward
I worked for them sadly because there wasn't any jobs in 2022 for adolescent since 2008, whatever... can they even be held accountable because that have like a monopoly of different companies they use to scheme with..... l was about to take pictures of everything because I saw it was all wrong... I felt bad for the famous people like Steve o and others that got conned for their image... they were mis branding everything just like the Chinese would do. It's soo j boma office cabinet policies... Sadly. Like good luck finding their money 💰
im NOT worried about death i just want to feel better until death lol im editing thos comment because utube changed it the original one had "not" but in lower case wtf is wrong with the algos lol
@@a1isrising ugh thats what lead me to alcohol, lol
I am a physician practicing integrative medicine and I was concerned when my patients first started showing up drinking this stuff for their morning appointments. Every company should be completely forthcoming with details of heavy metal and mold testing. It's part of the expense of producing high-quality supplements that will above all do no harm other than perhaps being overpriced. But part of the reason high quality supplements cost more than others is because, those companies are willing to do their due diligence and test their products on a regular basis. Thank you for not being afraid of litigation. As a doctor that is the stuff of my nightmares! If Pieter Atia promoted this stuff, then I'm gonna be really disappointed in him for not doing his own due diligence 😒
Wow, I almost bought the montly AG1 pac on Hubberman's site. Never occurred to me Hubberman would be questionable - naive, lol...thanks for your reporting on him. While I may not agree with every point you make on Hubbey (and of course, there is no need to)...there is much value in your reporting and enough smoke to shake me out of my previous blind devotion, lol. Cheer's Scott!
Huberman is naive about supplements.
This can’t be true. All the trendiest influenzas told me to drink this stuff.
Influenzas 🤣🤣
Lead?? Lead in AG1 is a big deal. There should be ZERO lead.
Great video! This is the type of information people need to know. I would NEVER buy a product from someone who has shown to have such low morals and integrity.
Unfortunately most large companies behave in this manner, it’s just harder to point to one person as the culprit
I've always had a good diet, so I've never had a need for any supplements, but after seeing so many influencers marketing AG1 I was starting to get a little curious... so thank you for killing my curiosity.
I tried ag1 couple years ago because of andrew Huberman. It made me feel terrible. And now that I’ve seen your Huberman video I know why this and other red flags were making me uneasy
AlsoVitamin D is toxic the way that they have people taking it every day
I also bought a supplement that Huberman recommended. It was just an amino acid so I didn't think it could be that bad. It made me really sleepy in the middle of the day and then I got hit with massive sadness and the next night I had insomnia. Tried it again the next week and the same thing happened. Then I checked the study he cited about it and the study had said it was ineffective! He lied and I bought an expensive supplement and reaped the side effects. There was never any chance it was going to work.
That's when I started reading his citations and realising they often don't say what he says they say
Does people who advertise it take any reposnibility? No, but they should if they saying its good for your health and it not then sue them.
@@michadolatowski3164 AG1 sends them a script to read out where they say they drank it and felt better etc. The best you can hope is that the creator makes it clear they're reading a script. UA-cam puts ads for scam products on the same videos, I don't hold the creators more responsible than UA-cam.
Makes you wonder if the negative stuff people are saying about Huberman are more true- walks like a duck- talks like a duck-
When I first started listening to huberman, I looked into subscribing to AG1 because he raved about so much. I’m a health nut and I buy a lot of wellness products and supplements but I just couldn’t get myself to pay for $80 a month for a greens powder. I have a green smoothie almost daily and eat plenty of salads. I take a good multivitamin everyday so I didn’t think I needed it. I’m so glad I went with my instinct and didn’t waste my money on that crap. It’s literally all marketing. Also, the fact that huberman doesn’t disclose that he’s an advisor, and maybe even an investor. Huberman has lost all his credibility and respectability.
Good for you for standing up to that nasty looking lawyer. Always disrespect those types.
Get a bag of dried ground up kale for $5 if you really want to drink a green liquid for breakfast.
I buy 3 kale plants for the garden each spring. I end up with so much I supply every "Maria" in my predominately Azorean immigrant neighborhood(town, state, entire SE New England). Then I give bag after bag to the food pantry, eat it in foods & smoothies. I still have plenty to dry before I give up & watch them continue to produce through the first few snowfalls before tossing them into the compost pile
On this day, today, 6/1/24, i seen a UA-cam video being 'sponsored' by this drink. Stuck in my mind. Went to look for it and stumbled upon this video.
Glad i 'stumbled' upon this video ! Thanks !!
I tried this for a month because of a runfluencer. I followed their "protocol" and never noticed anything different from my usual glass of water in the morning.
That is when I asked myself the real questions you should ask yourself when dealing with your health and couldn't find any real answers outside of paid testimonials.
It ended up in the bin, with a feeling of being a naive s*cker. 🤷🏻♂️
All supplements are worthless unless a blood test shows you have a deficiency
25:39 Nice one .
To be fair there are plenty of proven, safe and effective real medications where you’ll never feel different although your health outcomes are improved. Regardless, only 4 weeks of any protocol (diet, sleep, etc.) is only going to have a small effect at best unless your starting point was terrible.
That being said, it’s a part of the misleading marketing that AG1 sets the expectation that a basic nutritional supplement will have an immediate noticeable effect.
A while ago I stopped following any influencer hawking ag1. It just seemed like such a money grab. Their credibility went to zero. Then when I learned how much they were making…….WOWZA
Loved this video. I'm glad the algorithm brought me to you, you have a new sub!
Welcome aboard!
This sounds very intriguing. Thanks for all good work you putting out there.
People constantly send me links to this product asking if it's legit. I swear --- any benefit anyone has ever experienced from drinking this is simply the same benefits you'd feel from being slightly more hydrated. More energy? You're a bit hydrated. Focused? You're hydrated. Better digestion? HYDRATED. And the fact that so many people are willing to partner with this brand and convince people to not only spend money on it but risk their HEALTH by consuming it is absolutely wild. Enjoy the benefits of hydration by drinking water + eating plants. Save your money for a nice, sunny vacation. Going to share this on my Substack this week. Thanks for the reporting, Scott!
Great reporting. I remember the NZ scheme. It was devastating to so many.
It's no surprise that he found a new...and more successful grift.
Thank you for the investigation into this.
I'm ashamed to admit it but I purchased a bag of AG1 over a year ago...didn't help one ounce but sure made me feel like I was in the cool club with all the health & fitness gurus. Thanks for sharing this information, definitely feel like I was duped.
THANK YOU... I believe I speak for many, when I say we truly appreciate your work. please keep it up.👍🏾👍🔥
Thank you, I will
Wow, thanks for the warning, so appreciated your hard work with this one.
Great work, even better is your shirt and tie. I expect this sartorial level every time now.
It might happen. But I only have so many formal clothes. Colorado is more of a t-shirt and fleece kind of place.
Tie does not have a proper knot but is lopsided. The knot should be small and exactly triangular to look good. Otherwise white shirt and tie would look good.
I tried to learn a full Windsor and failed.
AG1 and Huberman are basically ignoring your videos. It shows how much sway you have. You need to have your work put out by bigger names
I used to have panic attacks and tried all types of supplements to help and I can say AG1 helped me tremendously. I am not denying that maybe I had a placebo effect but coming from a typical bad American diet I can say I felt physically and mentally better. My only complaint is it’s too expensive.
it helped my mental health, sleep, and skin so much!
Love this work!
Keep up the great work!!
I think your points are well taken and concerning. I have been using AG1 for seven months. Have I noticed a change? Well, yes. All through the winter up to this point I have not shared in any of the varied colds, flu's etc that my many family members have brought home. That is not usual. Is it due to AG1? Maybe not, maybe so. Am I eating lead and mold? Possibly, and that is concerning. Just giving one person's anecdotal experience. By the way, I'm a physician...
Proprietary means the primary ingredient is the cheapest "green whatever" stuff and maybe a pinch of "other stuff". I'm surprised nobody has done an analysis of this product. There are a few companies will run tests for under $500 or so.
Proprietary also means ashden can change the recipie and let's say add turmeric to it.real issue as 2 big wigs have differing opinions on supplementing with it.
I don’t think they can test which speck of green is spinach and which is kale or whatever.
great reporting
Why doesn’t someone do an independent analysis on the product to see if what’s in there is actually what they advertise?
They're are loads on yt. Ag1 doesnt even have vit d3 in it. It's a very, very, costly, less than stellar multivitamin
Great work ! You have definitely found your niche !!
Given how many supplement manufacturees are out there, it is beyond me why people would chose one that 1) doesn't disclose its ingredients and 2) charges that much for unknown content. Take another Kiwi, Brad Stanfield. He also sells supplements (Microvitamins) but is very clear about every ingredient and the dosing.
Well… I couldn’t even afford that overpriced green stuff before ….
Thank you for your thorough reporting.
impressive work! I can't even guess how many hours it took to put this altogether, but appreciate it
Thank you for covering Atheltic Greens. I knew it had to be the usual bullshit but so many creators were doing testimonials I didn’t know how to combat it. Also congratulations on working in “slurry” the most times I have ever heard in one video.
It is quite a slurry.
Outstanding work!
Thank you for this story.
Tim Ferriss’s first entrepreneurial endeavor was, you got it, supplements which he detailed in his first book,” The Four Hour Work Week.” There is no question the AG1 greens dude read that book.
AG1 was IN the book.
@@sgcarney just searched my copy of The 4 Hour Work Week ( searched for AG1 and Athletic Greens) and nothing came up. My copy is on a server and has been “expanded and updated” so maybe all references got deleted? Are you sure it wasn’t in “Tools for Titan,” or some other book by Ferriss? Regardless, enjoy your stuff. Came to it because I could see the Huberman edifice starting to crumble when Rhonda Patrick equivocated about the wonderfulness of AG 1. Your back story on the founders background was illuminating. Good reporting. Cheers.
Maybe it was on his show at the same time that book came out. Did you search Ashenden’s name?
@@sgcarney Ashenden is given, “sincere thanks…(for helping) hone the end product.” Page 370 “The 4-Hour Work Week”
You did a decent job talking about the scam that is the product. I would have liked to hear more on this. But I think the fact that the founder was a grifter in the past is the follow, not the lead. Hank Green is so right. There is no single Theranos of the supplement industry. An interesting question is which are the outliers that are NOT the Theranos? And which founders are the outliers and NOT an Elizabeth Holmes?
Keep up the good work.
Good job!
Thank you for this. I will cancel my subscription immediately and spread the word.
Outstanding work Scott
Thanks Rohin!
Good work
This is an incredible video. Thank you 🙏 I have been super keen to try it since Tim Ferris and Rich Roll started promoting it. I found it odd you couldn’t get it in NZ although it’s supposedly made here. I started deep diving on Chris but your video did all the hard work for me. So informative. Thank you for exposing this
curious to see what you dug up, the deeper i went the worse it got
I tried AG1 and it did nothing for me. These influencers speak highly of this product. I received a nice bottle and a nice green tin can and canceled my subscription. A waste of money 💰 😅
There’s similar pish to this being sold by other companies but their products aren’t priced anywhere near what AG1 are charging.
I dont know what they pay Rogan, Attia, Huberman, and many others, Lex Fridman, etc. but I hope they charge a pretty penny for it.....
Dr Rhonda Patrick summed it up by saying she is not impressed by ag1 and its expensive multivitamin.
She was being polite because the reality of the internet is there is a troll mafia and access mafia,
Should she cock punch ag1 she wont get invited to many podcasts.
And still trash
Thanks for your efforts. I use supplements if I know for sure that I need them such as Vitamin D3 and magnesium. I have not seen or read any harmful substance in AG1 except it is an expensive multi vitamin. As far as Huberman or other influencers, I take whatever works for me and leave the rest, especially commercials. Huberman puts out a great deal of useful information.
Thank you for these videos. What i need to analyze at this point is how seriously to take some scientists, like Peter Attia, whose work on longevity, etc, seems pretty credible to me. He seems like a serious guy (not referring to the fact that he seems humorless). But how to trust someone who seems willing to sacrifice this credibility by pushing stuff like this. I don't expect multimillion dollar athletes who promote unhealthy foods, etc, to really think these things true. And i feel pretty silly for succumbing to this ag1 hype. This video was the last straw for me, and i cancelled my subscription. Damn - my last order just arrived today. I'll likely finish it. i don't mind the taste, lol
I did a video on Attia!
@@sgcarney thanks. will have to find that later.
I was considering buying it because of all the hype by influencers but ended up getting the greens from Laird Superfood. He mentioned that his mix did not have "natural flavors" and I checked the ingredients of AG1, and now enjoy Laird's greens.
I’ve been taking AG for 5 months now. I thought I felt better and had more focus. On the back of my mind I’ve always thought, could this just be a placebo? And the. I would think, well, placebo or not, the focus I’m experiencing is worth the money. But there is so much speculation around this, and now after seeing this video it’s sad to know I’m supporting a low morale type. So I’ve been looking to see what else is there that’s honest. It’s truly info overload. I don’t make time to make sure I’m eating what my body needs so I really want a supplement that’s honest and helpful. That can fill in the gaps. I’m basically saying all of this to thank you for giving an alternative suggestion to look in to. I’m excited to look in to Laird’s.
I would’ve guessed he’d be from Utah.
No AG ads while I watched the video, but love the books in the bookcase.
I should post a shelf-list. I wonder if there's an AI app that you can take a picture of a book case and then get the bibliography.
@@sgcarney it would then profile you based on the books and adjust your algorithm for what you see and who will see you! Well done work...
I gave it a shot for about 3 months because it was hyped by many influencers from Rogan on down and them telling me all the great benefits from intestinal health to energy. Nothing changed then I began consider its claims from a critical thinking view…that’s when it didn’t add up. Live and learn, if it sounds to good to be true it usually is.🤷♂️
It’s just expensive urine with pesticides in it.
sponsored by threads, a subsidiary monopoly called facebook or meta! A la!
yeah. That "threads is the place" lie is enough for me to know who this guy is.
Great video! Really seeing the development here in your channel. If you continue in this vein, I think it will be successful, and you’re getting important info out there!
Good job ! You are amazing thanks ! What great investigative work !!
Well well well, I’ve been waiting for this!
Thank you 😊
I’ve recently switched over to the FGS honestly a game changer! Nothing else like it. I totally understand the hype! Literally changed my life
AG1 -your chance to drink the entire periodic table in one sitting!
Even Tim Ferris, who I've always considered practically a genius, has been promoting this scam for years. Can't imagine how much the company pays for the promotion and advertising from top influences. Probably millions.
People should not base anything on influencers' recommendations.
Wow. Thank you. I had no idea what criminals these guys were or that their products were dangerous and full of heavy metals which could actually in the long run be deadly.
If someone could design a way for "vulnerable people" to discover the reality of the scams they are faced with on a daily basis, it would be helpful, and change the face of industry.
So many YTubers recommended this supplement saying they were doing this. One said it was no better than a multivitamin disgusting
It was basically a BNPL (buy now pay later) scheme with all the shenanigans around it, but for property. Jeez.
They weren’t even organic and I got organic green powders of amazing quality for less. I smelled a scam when I saw it plugged in Huberman’s podcast. I even commented on one of his videos about why I wouldn’t be buying it.
Thank you for your work!
I received a box as a gift.. never used it
Keep this kind of work happening brother.
Great reporting here get this man a medal 🥉
I think there are lot of possible follow-up videos or discussions here.
(a) What is in it ?
To me its unethical for people to promote things with unknown ingredients and also the ingredient list and amount can change on a consumer without them being informed.
(b) What does foundational nutrition mean, this is a particular question to Huberman Attia type people promoting it, AFAIK both are on some kind of board of AG1.
Well is one to be a lumper or a splitter here ?
Either way a definition of foundational nutrition is needed
(c) Did Tim Ferris make the list of ingredients for Brain Quicken in 4 hours ? Perhaps afterwards he got soo tired that he had to lay down on a bar floor.
It's amazing to think that if Tim Ferris would have stayed a silent Hamptons rich kid and Joe Rogan nothing more than an unfunny lowlife comedian - the course of modern history of the Western world would legit have changed .......... and probably for the better ! 😂
I’m looking at 3rd party test results from ConsumerLab and I’m not seeing anything wrong with AG1, in terms of quality and content and the label matches what was found in the supplement. The founder may be a dick with a shady past, but I’m not at all comfortable with the media and influencers suddenly turning against a supplement company and bringing up “problems with lack of regulation in the supplement industry”. Given the fact that the FDA still allows certain experimental medical interventions to be pushed on everyone right down to babies as young as 6 months old, it’s clear they are in the pockets of big pharma and have been for many years. Big pharma would love to see three industries taken down: the nutritional supplement industry, medical marijuana and compounding pharmacies. Essentially, big pharma is more like the “Theranos of the industry”
Can you share the results from lab My question I will be more specific how much ashwagandha does it have.
Re trials to consumers under 6 months usually the dose is known. As far as I know no one sold a pill with ingredients subject to change on next refill?
Getting FDA approval is far from easy, you can look up a whole range of drugs that were hyped at some point and didn't get approval because Phase III trials found them to be ineffective or even harmful. These failed attempts cost drug manufacturers billions.
I checked the ingredient list, and I was surprised that it is so low on minerals. Wasn't the whole idea to have everything in one scoop? 😅 The only good thing about it seems to be all the greens and herbs. But as a supplement nerd, I just think I would pick other products that does the job better, since I still would have to by minerals elsewhere.
Of course this not the first green powder company and probably won't be the last. But if people tried to do what I tried to do, ie. ask themselves the question if I take heathy whole greens and dry them out is there any nutrition left ? If so show me the proof .. nobody has yet. Until maybe now.
I tried AG1, and it gave me the vim and vigor I needed to cheat on my six girlfriends simultaneously! It is the cornerstone of my daily protocols.
Cop and property manager... says it all 😂
Supplement companies can make claims about research results and possible benefits that are highly debatable, but they can't lie about what's in their product. That's still illegal. Some companies do, and they're breaking the law.
Of course, the "proprietary blend" escape hatch makes it possible to "not lie" while being misleading. This applies to food labels, as well, though.
Consumers just have to be informed. Under the current regulatory regime, that's the best defense. There's an old Latin phrase, I think.
When it is ad all of internet. It is impossible that to be that good. Good stuff is hard to get and should only be a limited amount. People need to have 2 cents.
And the thing is this modern colloquialism is too thingy for me .
the probly use a synthedic B12 instead of a food based B12 i say this because i noticed a diff when i use products with the synthedic it depletes your body of nutrients instead of a food derived B12
"It depletes your body of nutrients."
Wrong. Cyanocobalamin is less efficient at increasing B12 levels, but it functions as B12, period.
@@kenhaze5230 it has been a negitive for me as i have messured it with blood work and while on it my other levels are lower when on it than when on the food based b12 and i feel better too so thats what i go by , less efficient is still less effiecient no thank you on cynocobalamin
I dont understand paying $100 a month for essentially a multivitamin.
but what s the difference between AG1 vs other supplement producers? all of them have the same * because they should do it by law, to state that it was not validated by FDA
It's mostly a matter of scale. And criminal history.
Putting Calcium Carbonate in your product should be crimminal
You can buy calcium carbonate. Should it be criminal to have calcium carbonate in the calcium carbonate?
i like the counter points but people you cannot trust anyone on the internet, do your own research!
The judgements are linked below. Read them and make up your own mind.
Been watching this little at a time as it makes my blood boil can’t handle too much. Freakin grifters.
freaking grifters is right.
Actual journalism instead of the Huberman obsession. Good.
Damn , got to get me some AG to go with my juiceroo
Commenting to push this in the algo
The "health" supplement business has more than its fair share of well intentioned bad people.
I keep my distances 😅
Hear hear
No it doesnt play, but i have adblocker. i put your video in the comments of some known travel youtuber , where i always felt that the fell in to a AG1 trap
Big pharma is not as regulated as you think.
Want a good supplement? Morenga has an incredible amount of nutrients and vitamins and it's just leaves from a tree.
Stuff like this has been around in one form or another for decades. It's designed for people who think they can eat garbage loaded with sugar and chemicals, and as long as they drink whatever the flavor of the day is, it will be fine. Unfortunately, there is no replacement for a sensible diet. None.
I find it more annoying that you tubers I watch and even sometimes respect push this nonsense powder. Aren't there any socially responsible sponsors?
There are a few. But people really like money.
Nothing new here, most supp company's do the same
these are all rental agreement terms, what you failed to mention is that they were able to lock in a purchase price with a down payment. All it is is a rental agreement plus an option to purchase. The terms you listed are on your rental agreement as well lol
I’m just quoting the court’s assessment. Do you have their entire agreements on hand? I’d love to read them. Or are you just inventing evidence?
@@sgcarney What you are doing is muckraking for sensationalism and views. Journalism has lost its way. Go your read your own rental agreement. You will see the same terms.
I have read the court documents and the citations to the contracts that Ashenden employed. If you watched the video you would have seen them gone over very explicitly.
You’re better off making your own “greens” drink out of spirulina, chlorella and Hemp protien.
Only if people were to learn more about the truths of what will make us prosper as humans in our health. That is why I eat carnivore and have been thriving more than I have ever on any other diet or any "magic pill" supplement. It's all a way for grifters to "profit off our misfortunes."
75 ingredients .. problem is how much of each ingredient ?? ..... its kinda obvouis, you put 75 ingredients of any meaniful amount in a pile, you have a huge pile .. not a tablespoon worth ... as for huberman, he is meant to be all about data, disappointing to say the least