The Ozempic Side Effect That’s Changing America’s Morning Coffee

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As the GLP-1 train keeps on rolling, the 30 million adults taking weight loss medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, and Mounjaro face a serious struggle to maintain lean muscle mass as they drop the pounds. And to fill in the gaps, supplemental protein is suddenly popping up everywhere, in pasta, cereal, chips — and your morning coffee. 

“When you lose 20 or 30% of your body weight, you lose muscle mass,” University of Texas professor Dr. Ralph DeFronzo told “The Peter Attia Drive” podcast, referencing GLP-1s. Research shows that nearly half of the weight dropped with these drugs can come from vanishing muscle. So how do you hang onto those guns? By upping your exercise and getting more protein. 

Here’s where “proffee” enters as the internet’s buzziest protein bump. Just as delicious as other portmanteaus like brunch, cronuts, and pizzadillas, it involves adding a full serving of protein to your morning cup of joe. (We’re not waking up for less than 25 grams of anything.) 

“Adding protein powder to your coffee can be a convenient way to supplement your diet, especially if you’re someone that skips breakfast,” registered dietitian Dawn Menning says. “Depending on your nutrition needs, preferences, and goals, this may be an easy way to increase protein intake.”

If you’ve been hanging out on planet Earth for a minute, you may remember the ’90s low-fat era, the healthy-fat trend of the 2010s, and conflicting low-carb and high-carb schools of thought. Now we’ve entered the protein jungle as we shed our formerly thicc skins for mid-2020s “body-positive” skinniness. It’s all kinds of boneless skinless chicken-breasty up in here.

I’m not currently taking GLP-1s, but I definitely didn’t understand how much protein I was missing in my diet until I entered a nutrition challenge at my CrossFit gym a few years ago. (I know, protein plus CrossFit is like the “Inception” of wellness cults.) But balancing my daily macros throughout the day (carbs, fats, and protein — especially the last one) showed me I could sustain energy while preserving lean muscle mass and snatching extra fat. When I entered a bodybuilding competition, slightly adjusting those numbers completely transformed my body. (Also props to the insanely dark spray tan.)

Truth be told, building and maintaining lean muscle should be a priority for everyone, not just the workout crew. Don’t tell Gwyneth or Demi, but lean muscle is one of the greatest things your body has going for it. The more muscle you have, the higher your resting metabolic rate, which means your body easily burns calories to maintain a healthy weight. 

Muscle is also key for strength and mobility, increasing insulin sensitivity, lowering blood pressure, improving cognitive ability, and extending life span. Studies show it’s your muscle mass, not your BMI, that more accurately predicts how long you’ll live. Turns out six-pack abs and buns of steel are actually good for something other than thirst-trap selfies in the locker room. 

Okay, so let’s agree we need protein to, y’know, survive. How much do we actually need every day? Are you getting enough? Too much? Does Khloe Kardashian’s Khloud Protein Popcorn count as food? Literally everyone has an opinion on the ideal amount. 

Gym bros are over there doing tricep curls on 300 grams per day of the stuff, while your yoga-loving bestie’s going full Savasana on nothing more than a few raspberries. Officially, the Food and Drug Administration recommends 50 grams of protein daily for adults. That’s the rough equivalent of a five-ounce salmon filet and a cup of cooked lentils. 

“If we look at the recommended daily allowance right now, we see it’s around 0.8 kilograms of body weight,” physiologist and nutrition scientist Dr. Stacy Sims notes. “That, I want people to understand, is the bare minimum you need to consume to prevent malnutrition.”

Active and aging adults need more. “As we get older, our bodies, both men and women, become more resistant to the growth effects of protein, and growth effects of exercise,” Dr. Sims explains. “We need to look at dosing more of both.” 

For women, healthy macros can clock in at one gram of protein per pound of body weight. Active men might need two grams. Maybe you need more, or less. But this isn’t just about getting shredded at the gym. It’s about leveraging the amino acids in protein to preserve brain, bone, and muscle health.

“We’re going to have a stronger skeletal system, a stronger musculoskeletal system, and better brain health if we start looking at increasing our protein intake from that 0.8 grams per pound, trying to eek our way up to at least one gram per pound,” Dr. Sims says.

GLP-1 users need to be extra vigilant about getting enough nutrients since they may be eating less than half the amount of food they consumed before starting the weight loss medications.

I admit I’ve tried adding protein powder to coffee with limited success. That is, if you prefer coffee that’s not full of powdery clumps you have to chew. There’s boba, and then there’s whatever monster I created. 

Luckily, I’ve been following Dr. Sims as my protein guru. Not only is she an expert in balancing nutrition and exercise during all stages of life (pregnancy, peri-, and menopause), but she also offers a recipe for protein coffee that actually tastes good. Her strategy for letting it chill overnight eliminates unappealing textures. I especially love this method for fueling early morning workouts when I don’t have time to digest a meal. Plus, it legitimately tastes like a milkshake. You might even skip snoozing your alarm. 

Dr. Stacy Sims Protein Coffee

• 30 grams (two tablespoons) chocolate protein powder
• 4 ounces cold milk of choice
• 2 shots coffee or espresso (decaf works too!)
• Optional plant-based sweetener like Stevia

Mix the protein powder with the milk, then add the coffee and optional sweetener. Stir or shake to combine, and chill in the fridge overnight. You can also drink it on the spot. 

“Caffeine, good fat, carbohydrates, and 30 grams of protein? And you can put it in a cup to go?” Mel Robbins remarked after tasting the protein coffee on her podcast. “Dr. Stacy Sims, you’re a genius.” 

Don’t feel restricted to “proffee” if you’re not one of those “offee” types. Try the combo using matcha or chai instead of coffee, pairing these bold teas with vanilla or unflavored protein powder and your favorite milk. You can even pop a few shots of espresso into a pre-made protein shake to satisfy the assignment.  

With many of us trying our best to work a little more protein into the day (without having to tote around a zip-top bag full of grilled chicken breast — I can’t be that girl!), adopting the trendy protein coffee habit might be just the ritual your body has been craving. The best part of waking up is “proffee” in your cup.