How can insulin help
The role of insulin in the body is to help move blood sugar from your blood stream into your cells.
This gives your cells energy. Everyone’s body needs insulin. But when you have diabetes, your body doesn’t make any or enough insulin and/or your body does not properly use the insulin it makes.
Insulin has been an essential part of treatment for people whose bodies cannot produce insulin on their own or are not producing enough. It’s proven to lower blood sugar levels when used as part of an overall diabetes treatment plan, which includes diet, exercise, and other diabetes medications. In fact, insulin is the most effective way to control blood sugar. It’s proven to give people a greater percentage point decrease in A1C than any other diabetes medication alone.
If you have uncontrolled blood sugar, or if your current diabetes treatment plan is not helping you reach your blood sugar goals, you should talk to your doctor right away. Not only is it beneficial to you, it’s important to those who depend on you. You and your doctor can decide if insulin will help you achieve better blood sugar control.
Some quick facts to know about insulin:
- Over 5 million people take insulin every day.
- Blood sugar monitoring is important for anyone taking insulin.
- Many people lead active, independent lives with insulin.
Insulin in Your Body
How do our bodies make and use insulin? What happens when insulin can’t do its job? Take a trip inside the body in this fascinating animated video, “Insulin in Your Body” and see for yourself.
How can insulin help
Insulin plays an important
role in the body
Different types of insulin
Everyone has different needs. So there are different types of insulin. What’s the best choice for your lifestyle and schedule? Talk to your doctor. He or she can help you find the insulin treatment that’s right for you.
| Insulin Type | How it works |
|---|---|
| Rapid-acting | Starts to work in about 5 minutes and continues to work for 2 to 4 hours |
| Regular or short-acting | Begins to work within 30 minutes and continues working up to 6 hours |
| Intermediate-acting | Usually begins to work in 2 to 4 hours and continues to work for about 12 to 18 hours |
| Long-acting | Begins to work in 2 to 4 hours and can work for 24 hours |
| Premix | A mixture of two insulins in predetermined proportions. It combines an intermediate-acting insulin and a rapid- or short-acting insulin in one dose |
Exercise, diet, and other diabetes treatments are all part of diabetes therapy. Speak with your healthcare provider to understand the appropriate treatment for controlling your blood sugar.
Why are people afraid of insulin?
How can insulin help
For a long time now, there have been misperceptions about insulin. Many people are afraid of insulin. Maybe you or your loved ones grew up with a relative who hated taking insulin. It could have been because the needles that were used to take insulin were large and had to be boiled. Or maybe because it was inconvenient since the medication always had to be refrigerated. Or even that the dosage scale on the syringe was difficult to read because the writing was too small. But that has changed.
Today, there are options, including easy-to-use insulin pens. Insulin pens are compact, discreet, and have fine needles. Also, many don’t require refrigeration once opened. Insulin pens are preferred by 74% of people who are prescribed by their doctor.
Important Safety Information About Insulin
The most common side effect of insulin is low blood sugar. Some people may experience symptoms such as shaking, sweating, fast heartbeat, and blurred vision, while some experience no symptoms at all. That’s why it’s important to check your blood sugar often.