Type 1 Diabetes: Insulin
What is it?
Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas. All people with type 1 diabetes and many with type 2 take insulin. Most people now use “human” insulin – manufactured insulin but has the same “make-up” as human insulin. Insulin cannot be taken as a pill because the stomach acid destroys it. There is ongoing research to find better ways to give insulin but for now it must be taken by an injection (shot).
What does insulin do?
Insulin allows the sugar to pass from the blood into the cells where it is burned for energy. Without insulin, the body cannot turn sugar into energy. And the sugar builds up in the blood. There are different types of insulin. Each type has an onset (when it starts to work), peak (when it works the strongest) and a duration or finish (how long it is in the body). These times vary depending upon the individual and where they injected the insulin.
There are 5 common types of insulin:
When is insulin taken?
Most people take multiple injections of insulin each day –a combination of rapid/short acting insulin and intermediate/longer acting insulin. You should discuss the various options for insulin therapy with your medical team. The more injections you take, the more flexibility you have in your lifestyle and your meal plan.
What is Intensive Diabetes Management?
Intensive diabetes management is when you take 3 or more injections per day. It includes frequent blood glucose monitoring and careful adjustment of insulin for food intake. It usually helps keep the blood sugars closer to normal than can be done with one or 2 injections per day. Intensive management takes extra time and effort, especially at first. But it usually pays off in flexibility and better blood sugar control!
