Insulin: What it is, how it works and more details

The importance of insulin

Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas, a gland located behind the stomach. It allows your body to use glucose for energy. Glucose is a type of sugar found in many carbohydrates.

After a meal or snack, the digestive tract breaks down carbohydrates into glucose. The glucose then enters the bloodstream through the lining of the small intestine. Once glucose is in the bloodstream, insulin causes cells throughout the body to absorb the sugar and use it for energy.

Insulin also helps balance your blood glucose levels. When too much glucose in the bloodstream, insulin signals the body to store the excess in the liver. Stored glucose is not released until your blood glucose levels drop, such as between meals or when your body is stressed or needs an extra energy boost.

understanding diabetes

Diabetes occurs when the body does not use insulin properly or produces enough of it. There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2.

Type 1 diabetes is a form of autoimmune disease. These are diseases that cause the body to attack itself. If you have type 1 diabetes, your body cannot produce insulin. This is because your immune system has destroyed all the insulin-producing cells in your pancreas. This disease is commonly diagnosed in young people, although it can develop in adulthood.

In type 2 diabetes, your body has become resistant to the effects of insulin. This means that your body needs more insulin to get the same impact. Therefore, your body produces excess insulin to maintain normal blood glucose levels. However, after many years of overproduction, the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas are depleted. Type 2 diabetes affects people of any age, but it usually develops later in life.

Insulin as a treatment for diabetes

Insulin injections can help treat both types of diabetes. Injected insulin acts as a substitute or supplement for your body's insulin. People with type 1 diabetes cannot produce insulin, so they must take insulin injections to control their blood glucose levels.

Many people with type 2 diabetes can control their blood glucose levels by making lifestyle changes and taking medication. However, if these treatments don't help control glucose levels, people with the condition may also need insulin to help control their blood glucose levels.

Types of insulin treatments

All types of insulin produce the same effect. They mimic the natural rise and fall of insulin levels in the body during the day. The composition of the different types of insulin affects how quickly and how long they act.

• Rapid-acting insulins: This type of insulin begins to work about 15 minutes after injection. Its effects can last between three and four hours. It is usually used before a meal.
• Short-acting insulin: This insulin is injected before you eat. It starts working 30 to 60 minutes later, and its effect lasts for five to eight hours.
• Intermediate-acting insulin: This type of insulin begins to work one to two hours after injection, and its effects can last 14 to 16 hours.
• Long-acting insulins: This insulin probably doesn't start to work until about two hours after you inject it. Its effect can last 24 hours or more.

Administration and dose

You cannot take insulin orally. It would help if you injected it with a syringe, insulin pen, or insulin pump. The type of insulin injection you use will be based on your personal preference, medical needs, and insurance coverage.

Your doctor or diabetes educator will teach you how to give yourself the injections.

• the thighs
• buttocks
• upper arms
• abdomen

Don't inject insulin within two inches of your belly button because your body won't absorb it as well. You must vary the site of injections to avoid thickening of the skin from constant exposure to insulin.

Insulin use varies from person to person based on their blood glucose levels and diabetes management goals. Your doctor may direct you to take insulin 60 minutes before a meal or just before eating. The amount of insulin you'll need each day depends on factors such as your diet, level of physical activity, and the severity of your diabetes.

Some people only need one injection of insulin a day. Others need three or four. Your doctor may also direct you to use rapid-acting insulin and long-acting insulin.

Insulin reactions

Hypoglycemia, or blood glucose levels that are too low can sometimes occur when using insulin. This is called an insulin reaction. If you exercise too much or don't eat enough, your glucose level can drop too low and trigger an insulin reaction. It would help to balance the insulin you take with food or calories. Symptoms of insulin reactions include:

• fatigue
• inability to speak
• sweating
• confusion
• loss of consciousness
• seizures
• muscle cramps
• pale skin

Treatment

To stop the effects of an insulin reaction, carry at least 15 grams of fast-acting carbohydrates with you at all times. That almost equates to any of the following:

• 1/2 cup non-diet soda
• 1/2 cup fruit juice
• Five candies
• Two tablespoons of raisins

Also, ask your doctor about a special pen called a glucagon pen. It can help resolve an insulin reaction.

Check with your doctor

If appropriately used, insulin helps keep blood glucose levels in a healthy range Healthy blood glucose levels help reduce the risk of diabetes complications, such as blindness and loss of limbs. It is essential to check your blood glucose level regularly if you have diabetes.

It would help if you also made lifestyle changes to prevent your blood glucose level from getting too high. And talk to your doctor about ways to make your insulin treatment as effective as possible.