Types Of Insulin And Their Differences

Have you ever wondered what makes rapid-acting insulin different from long-acting insulin? Or why your doctor may have suggested a switch in insulin types? Well, all types of insulin work to lower and maintain the blood sugar level, but the main difference between various types of insulin is in their action time, onset, duration, and how they are administered into the body. Also choosing the best type of insulin is crucial for proper diabetes management. In this blog article, we will navigate through different types of insulin and their unique properties. So, let's dive in!

What is insulin?

Insulin, a polypeptide hormone produced by beta cells of the pancreas, regulates blood sugar levels. It enables the cell to absorb glucose from the bloodstream and use it for energy. It plays a crucial role in keeping blood sugar levels balanced. 

Importance of insulin in managing diabetes

Insulin is a lifeline for diabetic patients and acts as a superhero in managing blood sugar levels and preventing further complications. Without sufficient insulin or proper insulin utilization, the blood sugar level can skyrocket, causing a rollercoaster of symptoms and potential health risks.

Characteristics of insulin

Insulin is classified based on following characteristics.

• Onset( how fast they act in the body)
• Peak(how long it requires to attain highest yield)
• Duration( how long they work)
• Concentration
• Route of delivery (how the insulin is given into the body either through a vein or injected under the skin) 

Types of insulin

Many types of insulin are available in the market and they are mainly sorted into three main categories.

1. Fast-acting insulin
2. Intermediate-acting
3. Long-acting insulin

Fast-acting insulin (Bolus insulin)

This type of insulin gets absorbed rapidly by the body from the fat tissue under the skin into the bloodstream. This is used to manage the level of blood sugar during meals and snacks as well as to correct high blood sugar levels. Fast-acting insulin is of two types.

Rapid-acting insulin

As the name indicates, this type of insulin lowers the blood sugar level very quickly after a meal. It typically starts working after 5-15 minutes of injecting the insulin into the body and it attains its maximum yield within 1 hour and lasts for almost 2-4 hours. A rapid-acting insulin is taken before or after the meal to prevent spikes in the level of blood sugar. Common examples of rapid-acting insulin available in the market are Insulin aspart, Insulin glulisine, and Insulin lispro. 

Short-acting insulin

This type of insulin has a slower onset period than rapid-acting insulin and takes almost 30 minutes to start working, but it is still pretty quick. It reaches its maximum effectiveness in 2-3 hours and lasts for almost 3-6 hours. See, it is more like a marathon runner than a sprinter. This type of insulin is usually given before meals to manage blood sugar levels caused by eating the meal. Common examples of short-acting insulin are Regular insulin and Insulin aspart, which have been present in the market for ages and come in injectable form.

Intermediate-acting insulin (basal insulin)

This type of insulin takes delayed action to start working usually within 2-4 hours and attains its maximum yield in about 4-12 hours. It is effective for almost 12-18 hours, thus helping for overnight blood sugar management, and keeping things steady for longer periods. NPH insulin is the star of the intermediate-acting insulin. 

Long-acting insulin (basal insulin)

Long-acting insulin is absorbed slowly by the body over an extended period. This type of insulin has a slow onset time, typically takes 2 hours to start action, reaches its maximum peak effectiveness within hours, and lasts up to 24 hours or more than that. insulin glargine, insulin detemir and degludec. 

Pre-mixed insulin

This type of insulin is a combination of two types insulin-usually short-acting insulin and intermediate-acting insulin. It takes 5-60 minutes to start action and remains in action for almost 10-16 hours. The peak time varies as per specific formulation. The benefit of this insulin is that two different types of insulin are combined and available in only 1 injection. This is usually taken 10-30 minutes before meal.

Factors influencing insulin choice

Insulin is chosen or prescribed based on these factors.

• Body activity
• Diet meal
• The body’s ability to manage sugar levels
• Age factor
• The body’s ability to absorb insulin

Insulin delivery methods

Insulin can be administered into the body through the following methods.

• Insulin syringes
• Insulin pens
• Insulin pump
• Insulin inhaler

Insulin syringes

Administration of insulin into the body through insulin syringes is the most common method. Insulin syringes, currently available in the market are of three different sizes and can hold up to 30,50, and 100 units of insulin, and insulin is injected into the fatty layer under the skin.

Insulin pens

This is a convenient alternative to insulin syringes. They are disposable insulin cartridges and have replaceable needles to puncture the skin and are injected into the fatty layer under the skin.

Insulin pumps

Insulin pumps are of very small sizes attached to the body and deliver insulin through a very thin tube semi-permanently attached under the skin. It provides greater flexibility with the insulin dosing.

Insulin inhalers

This type of delivery is the needle-free administration of insulin. Insulin is taken through very small size oral inhalers. This option may be expensive and dosing may not be accurate.

Common side effects

Diabetic people may experience any side effects due to the type of insulin they are using. Following are the common side effects.

• Blood sugar level drops too low (hypoglycemia)
• Rashes, and swelling at injection sites
• Swelling at injection sites

Precautions

Following are the tips for taking the insulin safely.

• Choose the right type of insulin
• Check the possible interaction side effects with other drugs
• Safely and effectively insulin administration

Summary

Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, plays a crucial role in managing blood sugar levels. However, in diabetic people, proper production and utilization of insulin is defective leading to high levels of blood sugar. To effectively manage the level of blood sugar in diabetic patients, various types of insulin are available in the markets providing a range of options to manage their condition effectively.