With the high rise of diabetes cases worldwide, insulin is a widely used word. It is associated with diabetes and control the blood sugar level in those who are suffering from diabetes. So, it’s very essential to understand it. Hence, in this post, we are giving you details about what is insulin, how it works, different types of insulin treatment, and many more.
# What is Insulin?
Insulin is a hormone that is produced in the pancreas (this is a gland behind the stomach). It allows the body to absorb glucose and use it for energy. Glucose is a sort of sugar that is available in many carbohydrates.
# Importance of Insulin
When you eat food then the digestive system of the body breaks it down the carbohydrates through a process and changes them into glucose. After that, glucose is absorbed by the bloodstream in the small intestine. Then, insulin plays an important role in absorbing sugar throughout the body and use it for energy. Moreover, it also balances blood glucose levels by giving signals to the body for storing the excess glucose in your liver. The glucose that is stored doesn’t release until the level of blood glucose decreases.
# Role or importance of insulin in treatment for diabetes
The problems of diabetes occur when the body doesn’t use insulin or it is not produced. Besides, there are two types of diabetes type 1 and type 2.
- Type 1 diabetes- This is an autoimmune disease and in this problem, the body is unable to make insulin. This happens because the immune system of the body destroys all the cells that produce insulin in the pancreas. Furthermore, type 1 diabetes is commonly diagnosed in young people, but it can develop in adulthood as well.
- Type 2 diabetes- In this disease, the body becomes unaffected by the effects of insulin. It means, forgetting the same effects a body requires more insulin. Thus, the body produces excessive insulin for keeping the level of blood glucose normal. On the other hand, after its overproduction for many years, the cells responsible for producing insulin in the pancreas burn out. Moreover, this type of diabetes may affect people of any age but generally develop after the age of 45.
There are many people who are suffering from type 2 diabetes and manage their blood sugar levels with oral medication and change in lifestyle. Also, insulin injections help in treating both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The injections of insulin act as a supplement to the insulin in the body. Type 1 diabetic patients don’t make insulin; so for controlling their blood sugar level they should inject insulin regularly.
# List of various types of insulin treatments
Generally, all types of insulin treatments equally affect the body but they determine for how long or how fast they work in an efficient manner.These are as follows:
- Long acting insulin-
This insulin starts working in two hours after it is injected into the body. The effect of this insulin treatment may last up to 24 hours or more.
- Short acting insulin-
This insulin is mainly injected before having a meal. Moreover, after you inject, it starts working in 30 to 60 minutes and typically lasts up to 5 to 8 hours.
- Intermediate acting insulin-
After insulin is injected, it begins working in 1 to 2 hours and usually lasts up to 14 to 15 hours. Moreover, this insulin treatment controls the blood sugar overnight, in addition to fasting as well as between meals.
- Fast acting insulin-
After injection, this insulin starts working within 5 to 15 minutes. In this treatment, the insulin is quickly absorbed from fat tissue into the bloodstream. Besides, it is used before having food its duration of action lasts between 3 to 4 hours.
# How to take insulin?
Many diabetic patients get insulin into their blood using a syringe, pre-filled pen systems, or a cartridge system. The type of insulin injection you use is totally based on the personal preference of the patient and health needs as well. It really matters that on which body part you shot the insulin injection. If you choose to inject it into your belly then you will absorb insulin well. The other best places for injecting insulin are arms, buttocks, and thighs. So, it’s good to make a habit of injecting insulin at the same area of the body but you should change up the exact injection spot to reduce scarring in the skin.
The use of insulin varies by person as per their blood sugar levels and diabetes management objectives too. The amount of insulin needed by a patient on a daily basis depends on various factors like diet, the severity of your diabetes, level of physical activity, and others. Furthermore, some diabetic patients need only one insulin shot per day but some may need it 3 or even 4.
# Insulin reactions and their treatment
Sometimes, the blood glucose levels can be very low, because of the insulin you take and it is called an insulin reaction. Also, when a person exercises too much or doesn’t take enough food, the glucose level could drop very low and insulin reaction is triggered. Additionally, some of the insulin reactions symptoms are as follows:
- Lumps or scars
- Loss of consciousness
- Tiredness
- Confusion
- Muscle twitching
- Inability to speak
- Seizures
So, for stopping the effects of an insulin reaction, you must carry 15 grams of a fast-acting carbohydrate at all times. In addition, you can also ask the doctor about a special pen known as a glucagon pen because it helps in resolving an insulin reaction efficiently.
# Final Words
Insulin keeps blood glucose level in the body within a good range and further reduce the risk of other diabetes complications such as loss of limbs, blindness, and others. Also, for preventing the blood sugar level from getting too high it’s important to make lifestyle changes. On the other hand, after reading this post, we hope you will understand well regarding what is insulin, its importance, types of insulin treatments, and many more.
