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AG1 and Protocol X often end up in the same conversation. Both are daily powders. Both are premium-priced. And, as of 2025, both have released meaningful formula upgrades – AG1 with their Next Gen update (more ingredients, an overhauled probiotic system), and Protocol X® with V3 (deeper longevity stack, two new actives, and increased doses of NMN and Creatine).

So this isn't just a comparison of two products – it's a comparison of two upgraded products, both evolving with the science.

But they're still built for fundamentally different jobs, and understanding that difference is what makes this comparison useful.

The At-A-Glance Difference

AG1 (Next Gen) is a nutrition safety net:  83 ingredients covering greens, vitamins, minerals, and an overhauled gut support system in one scoop.

Protocol X® V3 is a targeted longevity + performance aging stack: cellular energy, recovery, resilience, and cognitive clarity in one daily sachet. Now upgraded with two new clinically-backed additions: Glycine and Cordyceps.

How To Choose (Based On Your Main Goal)

Pick AG1 if you want:

• Broad daily nutrition coverage (especially if your veggie intake is inconsistent)
• A significantly upgraded gut-support stack (five new probiotic strains, prebiotics, digestive enzymes)
• NSF Certified for Sport® peace of mind
• One daily "baseline health" habit, now backed by four clinical trials

Pick Protocol X® V3 if you want:

• A longevity-focused formula targeting energy, recovery, resilience, and cognitive clarity
• A performance-oriented foundation (NMN, creatine, taurine, Ca-AKG, CoQ10, glycine, cordyceps, and more) without the greens and probiotic focus
• Transparent, disclosed key doses – in a travel-friendly citrus sachet

Can you take both? Yes, if your budget allows and your goals are distinct (AG1 for nutrition and gut coverage; Protocol X® V3 for longevity and performance). Start with the one that matches your biggest bottleneck.

Now let’s do the deep dive into each product.

What Is AG1?

Let's be real: most of us don't eat enough veggies consistently.

AG1 positions itself as "foundational nutrition", and in early 2025, they released a big formula upgrade. The new iteration, AG1 Next Gen, is still built around vitamins, minerals, gut support, and a wide sweep of plant ingredients, adaptogens, and functional mushrooms, but the formula has evolved.

What's new in AG1 (2025 update)?

The headline changes:

• Ingredient count expanded from 75 to 83 – new additions include Boron, Choline, and Molybdenum
• Serving size increased to 13g (up from 8–10g), meaningfully higher than the industry standard
• Probiotic blend completely overhauled – five new strains added, now at 7.2 billion CFU
• Four new flavours launched – Original (Vanilla-Pineapple), Tropical, Berry, and Citrus
• Four randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials now support the formula – focused on closing nutrient gaps across diverse diets and lifestyles
• Some ingredients removed, including lycium berry fruit extract, green tea extract, and spinach leaf powder – streamlined for synergy and relevance

What hasn't changed: Vitamin D is still not included in the main AG1 powder (they sell D3+K2 separately). And most botanical and adaptogen doses remain inside proprietary blends, so you still can't verify whether every plant compound is at a clinically relevant dose.

What's inside AG1?

AG1's formula is built around vitamins and minerals (34 total), a completely revamped probiotic and prebiotic complex, digestive enzymes, superfoods, botanicals, and functional mushrooms. NSF Certified for Sport® – relevant if you're a competitive athlete subject to banned substance testing.

Does AG1 actually work?

It's most likely to feel "worth it" if your diet is inconsistent, you travel a lot, or you want gut support included in one daily habit. The new clinical data strengthens the case – particularly around nutrient gap coverage and gut microbiome support. 

If you already eat a nutrient-rich diet and take a basic multivit, the benefit may still feel more "nice to have" than transformative. Some people swear by it; others feel nothing. That's normal for foundational products.

What does it cost? AG1 is priced in USD globally. A 30-serving pouch is USD 99 one-time (about SGD 127) or USD 79/month on subscription (~SGD 101/month, ~$2.63/serving). Travel packs are USD 109 one-time (~SGD 140) or USD 89 on subscription (~SGD 114). 

Who should (and shouldn't) try AG1?

Good for: busy people who want an "all-in-one foundational nutrition" habit; athletes who need NSF Certified for Sport® assurance; anyone who wants an upgraded gut support system; people who struggle to hit consistent veggie intake.

Skip if: you already eat well and want targeted outcomes like cellular energy, NAD+ support, or performance aging; you want transparent, clinically-relevant dosing for specific longevity actives; you're on a tight budget.

AG1 isn't a scam – it's a premium foundational product, now with more science behind it. The real question is still whether it matches your goal.

What Is Protocol X® V3?

Aging can feel like a slow leak. Energy dips. Recovery gets harder. The little things start showing up more – issues with sleep, joints, focus, motivation.

Protocol X® V3 is Xandro Lab's all-in-one longevity + performance aging formula update. It's built around 20+ science-backed ingredients with disclosed key doses for all headline actives – in a daily natural citrus sachet.

What's new in Protocol X V3 (2025 upgrade)?

Protocol X® has always evolved with verified longevity science. V3 is the most meaningful upgrade to date – built to maximise bioactive synergy and deliver deeper repair, resilience, and daily vitality.

The full V3 stack at a glance:

Cellular energy + recovery foundation: NMN (400 mg) + Creatine (2000 mg) + Taurine (1000 mg) + Glycine (500 mg) + Cordyceps (400 mg) + Ca-AKG (500 mg) + CoQ10 (ubiquinol, 30 mg)

Antioxidant + longevity support layer: Quercetin (200 mg) + Ergothioneine (3 mg) + Vitamin C (400 mg) + TMG (200 mg) + Spermidine (1 mg)

Connective tissue + cognitive support: Phosphatidylcholine (100 mg) + Sialic Acid (25 mg) + VC-H1® Vegan Collagen Booster (1000 mg) + Sodium Hyaluronate (50 mg)

Foundational micronutrients: Vegan Vitamin D3 (1000 IU, lichen-sourced) + Whole Food Complex (1000 mg)

What does it cost? SGD 143.20 (about USD 112) for a single month (30 sachets). Bulk pricing drops the cost meaningfully: 2 months at SGD 268.50 total (~SGD 134/mo), or 3 months at SGD 343.68 total (~SGD 115/mo) – the best value option at 36% off.  Free shipping to Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong; international orders above SGD 250 ship free, with all taxes and duties covered by Xandro.

Who is Protocol X V3 for?

Try it if you're:

• 35+ and starting to notice the "recovery tax" on sleep, joints, energy, focus
• Already into longevity stacks but want to simplify into one daily sachet
• An athlete or biohacker focused on cellular energy, endurance, and faster recovery support
• More interested in cellular energy + recovery + resilience than greens and probiotics

Skip it if you:

• Want instant stimulant-like effects (this isn't caffeine)
• Need gut support and probiotics as a priority (AG1 Next Gen is the better fit)
• Prefer building your own single-ingredient stack

A Practical Comparison (Updated 2026)

What Both Upgrades Tell You

Both AG1 and Xandro have released meaningful formula upgrades in the same window.

AG1 Next Gen went broader – more ingredients, more gut strain diversity, more clinical evidence for nutritional coverage. Protocol X® V3 went deeper – more NMN, more creatine, two new longevity-targeted actives, and a streamlined stack built around cellular synergy.

Both are moving in the right direction, moving toward different goals.

Can You Take Both?

Yes – and many people do.

A common approach: AG1 Next Gen for daily nutrition and gut coverage; Protocol X® V3 for longevity, recovery, and performance aging support.

If you're choosing just one: match the product to your biggest bottleneck. 

Diet gaps and gut support → AG1 Next Gen. 

Energy, recovery, and longevity → Protocol X® V3.

A quick note on stacking: combining multiple all-in-one products can increase your total intake of certain vitamins (especially Vitamin C). If you're also taking a multivitamin or other fortified products, keep the bigger picture in mind – and check with your clinician if you have any conditions or take medications.

The Bottom Line

Neither AG1 Next Gen nor Protocol X® V3 replaces real food. Think of both as daily habit layers on top of a solid nutritional foundation.

Take AG1 Next Gen if you want broader foundational nutrition + significantly upgraded gut support – now with more clinical evidence behind it.

Take Protocol X® V3 if you want a targeted longevity + performance aging protocol built around cellular energy, recovery, and resilience – in the most comprehensive V3 formula yet.

Curious about what's behind the V3 upgrade? Read "Evolving With the Science: Protocol X® V3" on the Xandro blog.

FAQ

What's new in AG1 Next Gen vs the original AG1? 

AG1 Next Gen (launched January 2025) expanded from 75 to 83 ingredients, overhauled the probiotic blend with five new strains (now 7.2 billion CFU), increased the serving size to 13g, and added new minerals including Boron, Choline, and Molybdenum. It's also now backed by four clinical trials. Some ingredients were removed to streamline the formula, including lycium berry, green tea extract, and spinach leaf powder.

What's actually new in Protocol X® V3? 

Two new ingredients – Glycine (500 mg) and Ligno Cordyceps (400 mg) – plus increased NMN (400 mg, up from 250 mg) and doubled Creatine (2000 mg, up from 1000 mg). The formula was also streamlined to remove redundant ingredients and improve bioactive synergy.

Is Protocol X® V3 a greens powder? 

No. It includes a Whole Food Complex for phytonutrient diversity, but it's not designed as a greens and probiotics product. It's a longevity and performance aging stack.

Which is better for athletes? 

If you want performance and recovery support alongside longevity ingredients, Protocol X® V3 is typically the better fit. If you need NSF Certified for Sport® assurance for competition purposes, AG1 Next Gen has that covered.

Why were some ingredients removed from each formula? 

AG1 removed certain plant compounds (like lycium berry and green tea extract) to streamline for synergy. Protocol X® removed Citrusvel® Bioflavonoids, Lecithin, and Calcium Silicate for the same reason – to reduce redundancy and optimise the formula's bioactive profile.

If I already take creatine, do I still need Protocol X® V3? 

Protocol X® V3 includes creatine monohydrate, and the 2000mg (2g) contributes meaningfully to your daily intake and is well-suited for general longevity and cellular energy support. The widely studied maintenance dose for muscle performance and recovery is 3–5g per day, so if you're an athlete or training regularly and want to optimise for strength and recovery, you may want to top up with an additional 1–3g of creatine monohydrate separately to hit that target. If your goal is primarily longevity support rather than peak athletic performance, the 2g in Protocol X® V3 as part of the full formula is a solid daily foundation.