Does Your Multivitamin & Mineral Measure Up?

“The deficiencies I experienced in childhood made me explore nutrition in depth. I earned two degrees in it, searching for wisdom on optimal health, nutrition, and clean eating. 

I ended up with a master herbalist certification, chiropractic degree, and functional medicine know-how. To use supplements as a secret weapon in getting patients better, hundreds of hours were spent reading studies while fueling my body with the good stuff. 

I’ve tried both professional and OTC multivitamins with patients. As new brands pop up on the market all the time, many are seriously lacking. A small proportion of them have much to offer today’s consumers looking for optimal health. 

AG1 is one of the companies in that select bunch to consider if you are looking for an excellent multivitamin or need an upgrade. Read on for my full review of their product, Foundational Nutrition.

Deficiencies are What You NEVER Want

You’ve felt these things and you don’t like them. You want them gone forever:

• Low energy levels that make even simple tasks feel like climbing Mt. McKinley.
• Feeling vulnerable to every passing bug
• Digestive upsets at the worst possible time when you’re with that special someone. 
• Mood changes, even though you aren’t on your period. 
• And forget about focusing when your brain is going in 10 different directions.
• Brain fog clouds your thoughts, interfering with decision making.

All these are real challenges. You aren’t making them up. But what they could be related to is your nutrient status. Something your regular doc doesn’t address.  

Deficiencies are Everywhere

Yep, vitamin and mineral deficiencies are prevalent, even in those in their 20s to 30s. Every study on deficiencies in different age groups always finds that a significant part of the population has them. 

Take vitamin D; 50 to 75% of people have this deficiency. Magnesium deficiency too. Iron deficiency is common in menstruating women. Vitamin A and C are low in those who don’t eat fruit. Zinc deficiency is common in vegetarians. And so on…

Why? These studies have been done since the 1950s, and hundreds of new ones are reported every year. Why aren’t docs testing you for them? Still traditional doctors say: You can get all your nutrients from a good diet. You don’t need supplements. 

Well, things are different now. Does anyone eat a good enough diet on a regular basis without consuming something to “eat up” nutrients? (alcohol, drugs, stress) What about glyphosate in pesticides that wipes out your manganese levels. It interferes with gut health so you can’t absorb many nutrients from food.

Clearly, this extra challenge is something we have to deal with. When there’s not enough, deficiency signs and symptoms will result. 

Why It Matters

You may wonder how this has anything to do with multivitamins. Well, you need a multivitamin that’s good enough to offset these issues. 

Callout

Once your body has exactly what it needs in the right amounts, a new you emerges without typical issues that everyone else is experiencing. To do this, you need a multivitamin supplement designed to reap the best health rewards.

The consequences of not having what you need often lead to symptoms like these:

• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Problems with periods
• Lack of endurance
• Mood swings
• Acting and feeling sub-par often

But there is good news: AG1’s approach to creating the optimal multivitamin is one that can make it unlikely that these symptoms will be part of your personality.

Getting to Know Foundational Nutrition

Here’s how these issues are solved with AG1 in their science-driven nutrition supplement:

They utilize 75 different high-quality ingredients in three categories:

The vitamins and minerals in Foundational Nutrition are not in such high amounts that they are unbalanced. Micronutrients have to stay in balance with each other. And they have to come from wholesome food.

Did you know:

• High levels of zinc antagonize and deplete copper levels.
• High levels of vitamin D deplete vitamin K.

Each vitamin and mineral has a list of agonists, nutrients it works with, and antagonists, nutrients it works against. Disrupting the balance causes new health problems, notably deficiencies.

It’s a big deal that micronutrients are in balance with each other in a supplement. As a clinical nutritionist, I ask my patients to bring in their supplements so we can analyze them for this balance. Each time I find high levels of a nutrient, I look at that nutrient’s antagonist list. I always find deficiencies when this aspect of nutrition is ignored.

If a multivitamin stays within a certain range of dosage, these new deficiencies are less likely to occur. In the AG1 supplement, the levels are not too high to start creating imbalances. So you can start fueling your hustle with this morning drink.

Another thing to consider when choosing a multivitamin is the forms of the vitamins and minerals. One example is using methylated forms of vitamin B12 and folate. If this form is not used and someone has the MTHFR polymorphism - common in about 40% of the population – toxic levels of the bad form accumulate and could cause depression.

AG1 uses the methylated forms. Good choice, AG1. Everyone benefits from the methylated forms.

• adaptogen herbs like rhodiola, eleuthero, and ashwagandha
• superfoods such as spirulina, beet root, chlorella, lecithin, and wheatgrass
• pineapple and papaya
• Spinach and carrot
• green tea, ginger, and alfalfa.

Phytonutrients that include nutrients found in plant parts of foods and herbs.

The medicinal mushrooms include reishi and shiitake. They include digestive support – enzymes. Digestion is also boosted with the herbs milk thistle and dandelion.

Synbiotics are the prebiotics and probiotics which prioritize gut health so that nutrients can be absorbed. There’s no long list of different strains in Foundational Nutrition. Only 2 – Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium lactis.

Why? It’s simple. These two won’t throw off anyone’s gut into diarrhea or constipation. They keep gut bacteria in check and help the gut heal itself.

It also includes gut healing herbs such as slippery elm and aloe vera.

Overall, I’m quite impressed with the range of ingredients and the potential positive effects they will have on the body systems, especially in improving moods, digestion, focus, energy, and immunity. It’s gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, non-GMO, and has no artificial sweeteners or sugar. You gotta fuel your body with the good stuff!

Many supplements that are made in subpar conditions and contaminated with mold, heavy metals, and other harmful chemicals that do more harm than good. But not with AG1’s supplement. They stand behind their products and make sure to conform to GMP standards. Products are manufactured at TGA-registered facilities.

They also test for 950 contaminants. Why so many? They don’t want you to have to battle against these nutrient and health robbers. 

You can fuel your workouts with something great. Finally.

So - Is It Worth the Hype?

When you can find a company that is so dedicated to bettering their product? I mean, to the point where they are practically aiming for Six Sigma benefits to their customers. That’s “worth it!” Plus, they outshine their competitors in quality, transparency, accountability, and convenience. 

Their customers consistently rate their product at 5.0 out of 5 points.

The only limitations I see with this product are the following:

• If someone is sensitive to soy or any of the ingredients, they won’t be able to use it.
• If someone is sensitive to mold, they may not be able to tolerate the mushroom products in the ingredients.

And these don’t affect a whole lot of people reviewing the product!

If you’re struggling with a lack of concentration or energy, tend to have GI upsets, and are more likely to catch every bug going around the neighborhood, consider AG1. 

AG1 is well worth a trial. Give yourself a good 60 days.

Feel the Difference with AG1

The price for Foundational Nutrition is $79/month for 30 pouches. That’s about $2.60 per day – less than the cost of a cup of coffee at Starbucks – for insurance that your body is getting closer to its own optimal health. 

While you’re taking it, monitor these things:

• Your ability to focus
• Immunity
• Digestion
• Moods
• Energy levels 

Have they improved? If so, you’re like most of their customers.

Foundational Nutrition
Multivitamin. Multimineral. Antioxidants. Medicinal Mushrooms. Adaptogens. Phytonutrients. Prebiotics. Probiotics. Ingredients that work together for stress and mood balance, immunity, gut health, focus and energy, and a better you!

Q: If I have other supplements, do I still need to take them?

A: Your trusted health professional will have to answer this because everyone’s body is different.

If you're interested in adding Ag1 to your daily regime, ask your doctor if it’s a safe choice for you. Depending on your health, medical history, and current supplement intake, your doc can provide personalized advice on dosage or potential medication interactions.

Q: Basically, who is this supplement good for?

A: If you have ignored nutritional needs because life got in the way. If you have gut issues and need to absorb nutrients quickly and bypass the gut. If you notice deficiency symptoms have been stacking up in you.

With 75 high-quality ingredients that work synergistically, you get the best multivitamin that is out there. It’s an upgrade for a lot of supplements containing only basic ingredients.

AG1 is superb for those who are on the go all the time and suitable for those on any special diet as well. But if you are under 18, pregnant, or nursing, always contact your doctor before taking any dietary supplement.

Q: What will this product replace that I’m taking now?

A: Because of the three-prong approach to nutrition, one daily serving of AG1 will eliminate the need for digestive enzymes, adaptogens, superfood blends, phytonutrients, synbiotics, and a multivitamin.

Q: When will I see the results?

A: As soon as your body starts filling in the gaps of what you have been missing, your results will come. For some people, that’s a few days and for others, it’s a few weeks.

Q: Will I be able to handle the taste?

Many AG1 fans sing their praises for the delicious flavors of pineapple, papaya, and cherry.

Q: Many supplements contain hidden harmful ingredients. How do I know this one is safe?

A: AG1 tests for 270+ ingredients that contaminate a lot of sports products. This is why Foundational Nutrition proudly bears the "NSF Certified for Sport(R)" badge. With no sports deception, athletes can rely on the trustworthiness of this product.