What are Nutrient Gaps and How Can AG1 Help Close Them?

What is a Nutritional Gap?

In its most basic definition, a nutrient gap is the discrepancy between the levels of nutrients the average person obtains from their diet and the levels of nutrients recommended to maintain nutritional adequacy. More technically speaking, nutrient gaps are defined as “gaps” between reported dietary intake and predefined dietary intake goals, usually derived from the Estimated Average Requirements (EARs) for a particular nutrient.¹ Nutrient gaps are common and data actually shows that most Americans fall short in many key nutrients.²

There are various underconsumed food groups in the United States, including fruits, vegetables, legumes, dairy, and whole grains. These are also some of the most nutrient-dense food and a lack of consumption is a likely reason why nutrient gaps are faced by a significant proportion of US adults.^{3 4} (Harvard and Bird et al., 2017)

Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for individuals one year of age and older also suggests that Americans are consuming inadequate intakes of many nutrients—particularly vitamins A, C, D, E, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and choline. ^{5 6} (USDA ARS, 2023)

Nutrient Gaps and Supplementation

Many Americans are aware that their diets may be sub-optimal and explore supplementation to help close these gaps. The 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that 57.6% of US adults over 20 had taken a supplement in the last year—an increase from 48.4% during the 2007-2008 cycle.⁷ The most common form of supplementation is the multivitamin and mineral (MVM) which accounts for 24% between the ages of 20-39, 29.8% for ages 40-59, and 39.4% for ages 60+.⁸

While nutrient gaps are variable based on someone's day-to-day diet, and the nutrient gaps of today are not always the same of tomorrow, we found that out of 157 total participants across four different clinical trials, 87% of individuals had at least one dietary nutrient gap and most participants had at least 4. Positively, adding on a supplement like AG1 Next Gen was clinically shown to help fill key nutritional gaps across these healthy individuals despite their day-to-day diets. [4]

AG1 and Nutrient Gaps

At AG1, we believe in taking a food-first approach to nutrition. There is no replacement for the micronutrients, functional nutrients, phytonutrients, and botanical extracts, and the interplay with the gastrointestinal tract and microbiome. But we know that even healthy eaters have gaps in their diets and current nutrient recommendations don’t account for all specific age groups, genetics, or gut health.

Our research aims to highlight the amount of nutrient gaps healthy people still have despite their efforts to consume a healthy diet. When we talk about “healthy people” enrolled in our studies (chosen because they represent our average consumer) we refer to:

• Healthy individuals with an average diet
• Healthy individuals with a busy lifestyle
• Highly active people with increased nutritional demands
• Healthy individuals with occasional GI distress

Clinical Trials and Nutrient Gaps

In four randomized controlled trials, including participants of varying baseline health, age, and activity levels, AG1 was shown to fill common nutrient gaps using the validated gold standard tool for dietary assessment called the ASA24®. [1-4] Replicating results across four clinical trials not only demonstrates validity of the findings but also accounts for the variability of dietary patterns and lifestyles across multiple populations. This leads to more confident conclusions in our research and a better understanding of how AG1 fills nutrient gaps in healthy people.

AG1, our daily greens supplement, is trusted by professional athletes, world-renowned health experts, and those just starting out on their health journey. We pride ourselves on helping to supplement their daily diet, with 83 vitamins, minerals, and whole food sourced ingredients to help fill key nutrient gaps they may be experiencing.