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Types Of Insulin

There are many types of insulin in diabetes management and treatment. And, each of these types differs on how fast they work, and how long their effects last. Some of the different types of insulin available today are rapid-acting, short-acting, intermediate-acting, long-acting, and pre-mixed insulin.

Based on your doctor’s advice, you can choose the right type of insulin, and this will vary from individual to individual. It depends on many factors like how long it takes for the body to absorb the insulin and remain active in the body. Your lifestyle, including the food you eat, and the types and duration of exercises that you do will determine the right type of insulin for you. Other factors are the number of insulin shots that you are comfortable with in a day, how frequent you check your blood glucose levels in a day, and of course your age.

Every insulin type has a different onset period, peak period and duration period, and these differ from individual to individual. Onset period is the time before the insulin reaches the bloodstream and responds to lower your blood sugar levels. Peak period is the high point when the insulin is most effective in lowering blood glucose levels. And, duration is the length of time the insulin continues to impact your blood sugar.

Rapid-acting insulin takes approximately 15 to 30 minutes for onset, stays at peak for 30-90 minutes, and lasts for 3 to 5 hours in lowering your blood sugar levels. Usually rapid-acting insulin is used with longer-acting insulin, and is needed for meals eaten at the same time as the injection.

Short-acting insulin takes 30 to 1 hour for onset, peaks between 2 to 5 hours, and lasts for 5 to 8 hours. Typically, this type of insulin is required for meals taken within 30 minutes to 1 hour time.

Intermediate-acting insulin requires 1 to 2 hours for onset, stays at peak for 4 to 12 hours, and lasts for 8 hours to as long as 1 day. This type of insulin is combined with rapid-acting or short-acting insulin, and provides the insulin for half the day or overnight.

Long-acting insulin takes 30 minutes to 3 hours for onset, peaks between 10 to 20 hours, and stays for 20 to 36 hours. This type of insulin covers the insulin requirement for a full day.

The onset time for pre-mixed insulin is approximately 30 minutes. It peaks between 2 and 4 hours, and stays on for 14 to 24 hours. This type of insulin is generally taken twice everyday before the meals.

More Articles :

• Insulin Resistance Symptoms
• Pathophysiology Of Insulin In Diabetes
• Traveling With Insulin And Diabetes
• Types Of Insulin
• What Are Normal Insulin Levels ?
• Who Invented Insulin ?

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