By Dr. Kathryn Dundas, MD, CCFP
Sublime Life | The Journal
Most people think insulin resistance is about weight.
It’s not.
It’s about signal distortion.
Insulin is a communication hormone.
It tells your cells: energy is here.
When that signal becomes blunted, the body compensates.
And compensation is where symptoms begin.
How Insulin Resistance Shows Up in the Mind
It doesn’t just show up on labs.
It can look like:
- Brain fog
- Afternoon crashes
- Sugar cravings
- Irritability
- Low motivation
- “Wired but tired” anxiety
- Reactive mood swings
- Poor focus
The brain is extremely sensitive to glucose signaling.
When it becomes unstable, your nervous system feels it first.
You may think you’re just stressed.
But sometimes you’re metabolically dysregulated.
How It Shows Up in the Body
- Weight gain around the abdomen
- Difficulty losing weight
- Strong hunger soon after eating
- Energy dips between meals
- Skin tags
- Darkened skin folds
- Elevated triglycerides
- Rising fasting glucose
- Subtle inflammatory markers creeping up
It’s rarely dramatic at first.
It’s subtle.
Compensatory.
Creeping.
Until it isn’t.
The Nervous System Link
When glucose swings → cortisol rises.
When cortisol rises → anxiety rises.
When insulin spikes → adrenaline can spike.
Blood sugar instability can feel like:
- Racing heart
- Shakiness
- Sudden overwhelm
- Edginess
Sometimes that’s anxiety.
Sometimes it’s metabolic volatility.
Using GLP-1 for Weight Loss?
Support the System — Don’t Just Suppress Appetite.
GLP-1 medications reduce appetite and slow gastric emptying.
That can help with weight loss.
But if you simply eat less without supporting the system, you can:
- Lose muscle
- Lower metabolic rate
- Increase fatigue
- Trigger anxiety in sensitive individuals
- Create micronutrient gaps
Weight loss should not mean metabolic down-regulation.
It should mean metabolic refinement.
Here’s how to protect the system while improving body composition.
Protein: Protect Muscle. Protect Metabolism.
When appetite drops, protein intake often drops first.
Muscle is your largest metabolic organ.
It regulates glucose disposal.
It protects insulin sensitivity.
It stabilizes mood and energy.
Aim for adequate daily protein (individualized by weight and goals).
Without it, GLP use can lead to:
- Muscle loss
- Metabolic slowdown
- Increased fatigue
- Mood instability
Protein is not optional during weight loss.
Creatine: Cognitive + Muscle Insurance
Creatine supports:
- Muscle preservation
- Brain energy metabolism
- Mitochondrial function
- ATP buffering
- Neuroprotection
During caloric reduction, cellular energy can dip.
Creatine helps stabilize that.
It often improves:
- Brain clarity
- Mood
- Physical strength
- Resilience
It is not just a gym supplement.
It’s metabolic support.
B Vitamins: The Spark Plugs of Metabolism
Lower intake = lower micronutrient supply.
B vitamins are essential for:
- Glucose metabolism
- Mitochondrial ATP production
- Neurotransmitter synthesis
- Stress buffering
Deficiency can look like:
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Low drive
- Fatigue
- Brain fog
If you are suppressing appetite, you must support nutrient density.
Omega-3s: Improve Insulin Signaling + Lower Inflammation
Omega-3 fatty acids:
- Improve membrane fluidity
- Support insulin receptor sensitivity
- Lower inflammatory cytokines
- Stabilize neuronal signaling
- Reduce triglycerides
Inflammation worsens insulin resistance.
Omega-3s help refine signaling.
They are foundational during any fat-loss or longevity phase.
Strength Training: Non-Negotiable
GLP reduces appetite.
It does not build muscle.
Without resistance training, muscle loss is likely.
Muscle improves:
- Glucose disposal
- Basal metabolic rate
- Insulin sensitivity
- Longevity trajectory
Two to three sessions per week changes outcomes dramatically.
What If You’re Microdosing GLP-1 for Longevity?
Not everyone uses GLP for weight loss.
Some use it in low doses for:
- Cognitive support
- Decreased neuroinflammation
- Immune modulation
- Reduced systemic inflammation
- Cardiometabolic optimization
If you are microdosing for these benefits:
You still need to follow the same metabolic principles.
Even small doses can:
- Reduce appetite subtly
- Alter glucose variability
- Shift sympathetic tone
Which means:
- Prioritize protein
- Preserve muscle
- Support micronutrients
- Maintain resistance training
- Monitor mood and sleep
GLP is a tool.
It is not a replacement for metabolic architecture.
About GLP and Anxiety
If someone reports anxiety on GLP, ask:
- Are they under-eating?
- Has protein dropped?
- Is blood sugar dipping too low between meals?
- Is titration too fast?
- Is baseline cortisol already elevated?
Sometimes lowering the dose solves it.
Sometimes improving protein intake does.
Sometimes stabilizing micronutrients does.
Rarely is it just “the medication.”
It’s the ecosystem.
The Reframe
You don’t treat numbers.
You treat systems.
Insulin resistance is not just about weight.
GLP is not just about appetite.
Anxiety is not always psychological.
Metabolism, mood, and inflammation are intertwined.
Support the architecture — not just the outcome.
That’s how you slow age with intention.
Practitioner Pick
Vital Creatine
Clinical-grade creatine monohydrate + HMB + acetyl-L-carnitine
If you are using GLP-1 — for weight loss or longevity — muscle preservation is non-negotiable.
Vital Creatine is the only formula of its kind on the market combining:
- The most bioavailable form of creatine monohydrate
- HMB (β-hydroxy β-methylbutyrate)
- Acetyl-L-carnitine
This isn’t a gym supplement.
It’s metabolic protection.
HMB
HMB is a metabolite of leucine that helps reduce muscle protein breakdown.
It supports:
- Lean mass preservation during caloric deficit
- Anti-catabolic protection
- Muscle recovery
- Strength maintenance
When weight loss occurs too quickly, muscle loss can accelerate.
HMB acts as protective metabolic scaffolding.
Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALCAR)
ALCAR supports mitochondrial fatty acid transport.
It helps:
- Shuttle fatty acids into mitochondria for energy production
- Improve mental clarity
- Support mood stability
- Enhance metabolic flexibility
It bridges muscle metabolism and brain metabolism.
Why this matters on GLP-1
GLP reduces appetite.
It does not preserve muscle.
Without metabolic support, weight loss can mean:
- Muscle loss
- Lower resting metabolic rate
- Increased fatigue
- Mood instability
Vital Creatine protects the architecture while the signal shifts.
Because sustainable fat loss should improve longevity — not accelerate metabolic aging.
Muscle is your longevity organ. Protect it.
Cellular Nutrient Assay
Test. Don’t guess.
If insulin resistance, fatigue, anxiety, or plateaus are present — it’s rarely just calories.
It’s signaling.
A Cellular Nutrient Assay evaluates:
- Intracellular micronutrient status
- Mitochondrial cofactors
- B vitamin sufficiency
- Mineral balance
- Antioxidant capacity
- Cellular metabolic efficiency
This goes beyond standard blood work.
It assesses how your cells are functioning — not just what is circulating.
Following your results, you can book a personalized consultation with me.
I will create a tailored:
Systems Optimization Protocol
Based on your unique cellular data.
Not trends. Not general advice.
Architecture.
Dr. Kathryn Dundas, MD, CCFP
Founder & Medical Director, Sublime Life