What’s the role of insulin in your health?

10 minutes read.  

Insulin is an essential hormone. It helps your body turn food into energy and controls your blood sugar levels.

Insulin plays a major role in regulating how your body uses digested food for energy. With the help of insulin, glucose is absorbed by the cells of your body and used for energy.

If you have diabetes, your body can’t make enough insulin or can’t use it properly.

I wrote this article to help you understand the role insulin play in your health and how you can utilize human insulin if you’re already diabetic.

Feel free to skip ahead to any of the topics:

• What’s insulin?
• Role of insulin in health
• Types of human insulin
• How to use insulin in Diabetes
• Side Effect  of Synthetic insulin
• Reaction treatment
• How to store insulin
• Synthetic Insulin alternative drugs
• Conclusion

What’s insulin?

Insulin is a naturally occurring hormone made by your pancreas that helps your body use sugar for energy. If your pancreas doesn’t work as it should, it may not make or release the insulin you need to control your blood sugars, resulting in diabetes. (1)

Diabetes is a condition in which your body doesn’t make enough insulin or your body doesn’t use the insulin produced by your pancreas correctly. (2)

Pancreas (Ryukyu) is a gland behind the stomach packed with beta cells which is the only cell in our body capable of producing and secreting (separating) insulin to instruct the insulin-sensitive cells and tissues of our bodies to absorb nutrients after a meal. (3)

Accurate control of insulin release by the pancreas is of critical importance, because too little insulin leads to diabetes, while an excess of insulin can cause potentially fatal hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). (3, 1, 4)

Role of insulin in health

What are the functions of a healthy person?

Insulin moves glucose from your blood into cells all over your body. Glucose comes from both food and your body’s own natural release of stored glucose.

Insulin maintains normal blood glucose levels by facilitating cellular glucose uptake, regulating carbohydrate (starch), lipid (fat and oil), and protein metabolism (breaking down and building up), and promoting cell division and growth through its mitogenic (division) effects. (5)

Think of insulin as the “key” that opens the “doors” of the cells in your body. Once insulin opens your cell doors, glucose can leave your bloodstream and move into your cells where you use it for energy.

Without enough insulin, glucose can’t get into your cells and builds up in your blood (hyperglycemia-high blood sugar) (1)

What’s the role of insulin in disease conditions?

Many health conditions can affect your body’s ability to produce and release insulin. They include:

• Gestational diabetes is diabetes that begins during pregnancy. (6)

• Prediabetes; is when your body is resistant to insulin (can’t use insulin as it should), but blood sugar levels aren’t high enough for a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis. (7, 8)

• Obesity and overweight; is an abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health. This can lead to type 1 diabetes.

• Type 1 diabetes; is when your pancreas doesn’t make insulin or doesn’t make enough to control blood sugar. (9)

• Type 2 diabetes,

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), one of the most common metabolic disorders, is caused by a combination of two primary factors: defective insulin secretion by pancreatic β-cells and the inability of insulin-sensitive tissues to respond appropriately to insulin. (10)

Type 2 occurs when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin, or your body can’t use the insulin as it should.

• Metabolic syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is an accumulation of several disorders, which together raise the risk of an individual developing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus, and vascular and neurological complications such as a cerebrovascular accident. (12)

Metabolic syndrome (insulin resistance syndrome), is a group of risk factors (including insulin resistance) that increase the risk of diabetes and heart disease.  (1, 11)

Insulin resistance means that the cells in your body can’t use glucose from your blood as energy.

There are typically no symptoms of insulin resistance, and it can go on for years.  (5)

Types of human insulin

Over the years Scientists have been able to develop synthetic (artificial) insulin that mimics the natural one the human body produces. Such insulin is injectable and inhalable, while some are used orally.

What are the different types of injectable human insulin?

Some types of insulin start to work quickly and wear off after a few hours. Healthcare providers call these types bolus or mealtime insulin because you may take them before a meal.

Other types take longer to reach your bloodstream and work for as long as a day or two. Healthcare calls these types basal or background insulin. Your doctor may also prescribe a combination of basal and bolus called premixed insulin

The types of injectable insulin are:

• Rapid-acting insulin: This kind of insulin begins to work within five to 20 minutes and keeps working for three to five hours.

• Peaks (is most effective) about an hour or two after you inject it. Types of rapid-acting insulin include insulin glulisine. Inhaled insulin is also considered rapid-acting and you should take it before meals.

• Regular insulin (or short-acting insulin): These kinds of insulin include Novolin R® and Humulin R®. They begin working about 30 to 45 minutes after injection and wear off after about five to eight hours. Regular insulin peaks about two to four hours after injection.

• Intermediate-acting insulin: This type begins working in about two hours and is most effective between four and 12 hours after injection. It wears off in 14 to 24 hours. Types include isophane insulin (NPH).

• Long-lasting insulin: It takes about an hour for this type of insulin to reach your bloodstream and start working. It peaks between three and 14 hours after injection. It lasts up to a day. Types include insulin glargine.

• Ultra-long-acting insulin: Reaching the bloodstream in about six hours, this type of insulin has the same level of effectiveness for several hours (it does not peak). It can last up to two days. Types include insulin degludec. (13, 14)

Most types of insulin are injectable, either through a needle, pen, or pump.

Your doctor will work with you to prescribe the right type for you and adjust the dosage if your needs change.

They will give you detailed instructions for giving yourself an insulin injection. A diabetes educator can help teach you how to take your insulin and guide you through the process.

But are you aware that diabetes can be cured permanently both type 1 and type 2? However, doctors and pharmacists may tell you the opposite. If you want to cure diabetes permanently use simple natural steps.

I hope you’re getting value. Let’s go down a bit to understand more about insulin.

How to use insulin in Diabetes?

If you’re diabetic, here is how you can take insulin.

You can take insulin in a variety of ways based on your needs and lifestyle. Your healthcare team will work with you to determine which is best for you. You may:

• Give yourself a shot using an insulin pen or a vial and syringe.
• Receive doses through an insulin pump. The pump attaches to your body with a small catheter under your skin and delivers the insulin.
• Inhale it as a powder. (15, 16, 17)

Your healthcare provider may prescribe insulin to lower your blood glucose and keep you healthy. We refer to the insulin available now as human insulin because it’s made to act just like the insulin that’s naturally produced.

Insulin Side Effect

What are the side effects of human insulin?

Some possible side effects of insulin include:

• Lumps, pits, swelling, redness, or itching at the injection site.
• Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) which may lead to unconsciousness
• Weight gain.
• Sweating
• Confusion
• Sudden muscle spasm
• Fatigue
• Pale skin. (17)

Human insulin works by regulating glucose levels in the bloodstream and induces glucose storage in the liver, muscles, and adipose tissue, resulting in overall weight gain.

But in a healthy person, natural insulin produced by your pancreas does not induce storage of glucose in the liver (injury), muscle, and adipose tissue (body fat)

This is why individuals taking insulin medication normally look fat or gain extra weight.

Typically, a blood glucose reading of fewer than 70 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl) is considered too low for almost anyone using insulin, but you should talk with your doctor about what is too low for you.

Synthetic Insulin Reaction treatment

How to hypoglycemia result from insulin supplementing side effects?

To treat hypoglycemia (less than 70mg/dl, although your doctor tells you the level that is too low for you).

Carry at least one fast-acting carbohydrate with you at all times. Snacks like;

• 4 to 5 dates fruits
• 1/2 cup of non-diet soda
• 1/2 cup of fruit juice
• 5 Life Saver candies
• 2 tablespoons of raisins
• 3 to 4 glucose tablets.  (18   19)

How to store insulin (synthetic)

How should I store my insulin?

Like food, insulin doesn’t have a forever shelf life. It’s recommended that you store any insulin you’re not using in the fridge.

However, injecting cold insulin may make the injection feel more painful. Because of this, the best practice is to keep the bottle of insulin you’re currently using in a safe, cool, and dry place, away from direct heat and sunlight. Insulin kept at room temperature can last about a month.

Do not store insulin in the freezer, and always check the expiration date before using it.

Synthetic Insulin alternative drugs

There are some medications that can be used as alternatives to insulin in managing type 2 diabetes. Though your healthcare will advise you better.

The six types of non-insulin medicines used to treat type 2 diabetes include:

• Metformin: Pills that reduce sugar production from the liver.
• Thiazolidinediones (glitazones)
• Insulin-releasing pills (secretagogues)
• Starch blockers
• Incretin based therapies
• Amylin analogs.  (20)

Before prescribing any of these oral medications, your doctor will talk with you about your medical history and any additional medications you take.

Those living with type 2 diabetes may be able to use oral medications to help manage their blood sugar instead of injections.

Oral medication is typically prescribed along with lifestyle changes, such as increased activity, weight loss (if applicable), and diet changes

Medications for type 2 diabetes are designed to lower blood glucose levels, but they may not work for everyone. Typically, they work best for people who have recently developed diabetes and do not use supplemental insulin.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between insulin and glucagon?

Answer;

Insulin acts via an anabolic (building up energy) pathway, while glucagon performs catabolic (breaking down energy-glucose) functions of the body energy. Glucagon alerts your liver to raise your blood sugar if it gets too low. Insulin opens the doors of your cells for glucose to enter so that your body can use them for energy.

In simple terms, Glucagon increases blood sugar levels, whereas insulin decreases blood sugar levels. (21)

Is it dangerous to take an insulin shot at the wrong time?

Answer:

Timing of a rapid-acting or short-acting insulin shot is important. If you do not eat the meal or snack you planned to eat when you injected your pre-meal insulin dose, then your blood sugar could drop quickly and risk a hypoglycemic event that may lead to unconsciousness.

Can everyone take insulin?

Answer:

No, human insulin is used to control blood sugar in people who have type 1 diabetes (a condition in which the body does not make insulin and therefore cannot control the amount of sugar in the blood) or in people who have type 2 diabetes (a condition in which the blood sugar is too high because the body does not produce or use insulin normally) that cannot be controlled with oral medications alone. (22)

Conclusion

Insulin plays a major role in regulating how your body uses digested food for energy. With the help of insulin, glucose is absorbed by the cells of your body and used for energy.

Many health conditions such as gestational (pregnancy) diabetes, obesity, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndromes can affect your body’s ability to produce and release insulin, which then leads to diabetes.

Over the years scientists have developed synthetic insulin that can mimic the natural insulin our body produces.

They include Rapid-acting insulin, Peaks, Regular insulin, Intermediate-acting insulin, Long-lasting insulin, and Ultra-long-acting insulin. They’re called human insulin because they can behave like humans.

But do you know diabetes can be cured? If you want to cure diabetes permanently using simple natural steps, click here to find out.

You can take insulin through a shot using an insulin pen or a vial and syringe, through an insulin pump, or inhale it as a powder. But be sure to talk to your doctor to advise you on how to do this.

This insulin come with side effects such as hypoglycemia, lump, swelling, weight gain, sweating, fatigue, etc.

You can treat hypoglycemia side effects that result from taking insulin by taking any fast-acting carbohydrates like fruit juice, date fruits, glucose tablets, candies, raisins, etc.

Other drugs used for treating type 2 diabetes that is not insulin include; metformin, thiazolidinediones, secretagogues, starch blockers, incretin-based therapies, and amylin analogs. Please before taking any of these drugs be sure to talk to your doctor for a proper prescription.

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