Insulin FAQs

What is insulin?

When you hear the word “insulin,” you may think of a drug taken by people who have diabetes. While this is true, what you may not know is that insulin is one of the many natural hormones created in the human body.

What does insulin do?

Insulin allows blood sugar (or blood glucose) to get into cells to provide them with energy. When you eat, your body breaks down food, producing glucose. This is your body's source of energy for everything it does, from working and thinking to exercising. For glucose to get into the cells, it requires insulin.

How does insulin work with glucose?

Insulin is the key that unlocks cells for glucose to enter and deliver energy to the body. Insulin signals the cell to pull glucose through cell walls. When glucose moves into the cell, it delivers energy.

What is an insulin deficiency?

Insulin deficiency is when the body doesn't make enough insulin needed to use blood sugar effectively.

What is insulin resistance?

Sometimes cells build up a resistance to insulin. Even though there isn't a deficiency, insulin has difficulty unlocking cells to allow glucose to enter.

Why do some people with type 2 diabetes take insulin?

Insulin can be a valuable tool for blood sugar control when used as part of an overall diabetes treatment plan, which includes diet, exercise, and oral medications. With their doctor's approval, some patients with type 2 diabetes choose to add insulin to help manage their blood sugar, replacing something the body once made naturally.

Are there any side effects from taking insulin?

Possible side effects may include injection site reactions, and allergic reactions, including itching and rash. The most common side effect is low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Some people may experience symptoms such as shaking, sweating, fast heartbeat, and blurred vision, while others may experience no symptoms at all. That's why it's important to check your blood sugar often. It's important to tell your doctor if you're taking other medications and supplements, as they can alter the way insulin works.

Does having blood sugar control reduce my risk for long-term complications?

Yes. Decreasing your A1C by even 1 percentage point (for example from 8% to 7%) can significantly reduce your risk for diabetes-related long term complications.

Shouldn't I give diet, exercise, and pills more time to work before adding insulin?

If you're checking and keeping a log of your levels and you find that you're meeting the blood sugar goals you and your doctor agreed to, your doctor may determine that you don't need insulin right now. But if your levels are uncontrolled, you should discuss with your doctor about adding insulin to your treatment plan of diet, exercise, and oral medications sooner rather than later.

Why do I need to suddenly change my treatment?

Since type 2 diabetes typically gets harder to manage over time, your treatment plan may change, too. This may include adding insulin to your regimen of diet, exercise, and oral medications. To make sure you get the right amount, your doctor will adjust the dosage as you start on insulin and make further adjustments as needed, so that you get your blood sugar under control.