At least 7.4 million Americans with diabetes use one or more formulations of insulin. Men and women with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin every day in order to manage their condition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you, or someone you know, need insulin, it’s useful to learn everything you can about it. That also includes potential side effects. Adverse reactions of insulin are the focus of this post. Scroll down to learn more about insulin side effects and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Insulin is a hormone essential for life. The pancreas, a gland behind your stomach, produces insulin. Islets (more specifically, beta-cell<\/a>), clusters of cells in the pancreas, produce insulin and determine the right amount based on blood sugar levels in the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The main function of this hormone is to allow the body to use blood glucose for energy. Glucose is a form of sugar present in carbohydrates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Insulin allows cells in muscles and other tissues to absorb glucose from the blood. Without insulin, blood sugar can’t enter these cells. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Well, after a meal, your digestive tract breaks down carbohydrates. The carbs are converted into glucose. Then the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream ensues through the lining in the small intestine. When glucose is in the blood, insulin signals cells to absorb it for energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We can easily compare insulin to a ticket without which you can’t go in and see a movie or a concert. Problems with insulin, such as insulin resistance<\/a>, don’t allow glucose to enter cells. This leads to high blood sugar, diabetes, and other problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, insulin secretion promotes the balance of blood glucose. When there’s excess blood sugar, insulin starts signaling the body to store surplus glucose in the liver. Once stored, glucose is not released until the blood sugar level in the body declines. This usually happens between meals or when your energy levels are low. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This hormone acts on other metabolic processes too. For instance, insulin participates in the breakdown of fat and protein.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unfortunately, many people experience problems with insulin production and sensitivity. Diabetes is a common condition. There are two different types of diabetes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Balance of insulin is crucial for our health and wellbeing. Changes in insulin levels, whether low or high, can cause various symptoms. If these problems persist, a person is at a higher risk of developing serious health problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Interestingly, the first type of insulin administered to humans was animal insulin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Insulin is primarily prescribed to people with type 1 diabetes because their body doesn’t produce this hormone. However, sometimes a doctor may recommend a person with type 2 diabetes<\/a> to take insulin as well. That happens because their pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Interestingly, 40% of people with type 2 diabetes initially turn down their doctor’s recommendation to start insulin therapy. A study from Diabetic Medicine<\/em> found individuals with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes who declined insulin subsequently had worse glycemic control. Most people start with medications first, including insulin secretagogues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Insulin medication is also used for diabetic ketoacidosis, a serious and life-threatening problem that affects people with diabetes. The problem occurs when the body starts breaking down fat too fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Insulin therapy can be lifesaving. After all, it is vital to get blood sugar levels under control. High blood glucose<\/a> can lead to excessive urination, fatigue, thirst, and other problems. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In men and women with diabetes mellitus<\/a>, persistently high blood sugar can damage nerves and cause diabetic neuropathy<\/a>. It can also damage kidneys, vision, blood vessels and trigger kidney failure, stroke, and a heart attack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, some diabetes medications can lead to lactic acidosis<\/a>, a serious problem where a liver is unable to remove excess acid from the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Human insulin belongs to the class of medications we call hormones. The main goal of insulin treatment is to make sure the insulin you inject takes the place of insulin produced by the body. Then, insulin works to move sugar from the blood into other tissues. Additionally, insulin also stops the liver from producing too much sugar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n What most people don’t know is that there are several types of insulin therapy. A patient can take different forms of insulin depending on how long they need the hormone’s effects to last.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n In most cases, insulin therapy involves injecting the hormone with a syringe. Other options are also available, besides insulin syringe, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Any medication or therapy we take carries a certain risk of side effects. Insulin is not an exception. The most important thing to do is to adhere to the doctor’s recommendations. Regardless of the form of therapy (injection, pen, or pump), a healthcare professional will show you how to administer it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to injections, you can administer insulin in several body parts such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although the abdomen is an easy injection site, you should avoid injecting insulin within two inches of your belly button because the body can’t absorb it that well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, you should vary the locations of insulin injections<\/a> to prevent thickening of the skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The use of insulin varies according to a patient’s blood sugar levels and diabetes management. For example, your doctor may recommend administering insulin 60 minutes before a meal or right before eating. The amount of insulin you need during the day depends on several factors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some diabetic patients may need a single insulin shot per day, while others may need three or four.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The more you adhere to the doctor’s recommendations, the safer you’ll be. But, keep in mind insulin may induce some adverse reactions. You may also experience weight loss before you start with this therapy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The most common adverse reactions occurring with insulin regular human use include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Serious side effects of insulin are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Insulin<\/a> can interact with several medications. Every drug interaction may have its unique effects. In other words, insulin interacting with different classes of drugs may not have the same side effects. For example, some interactions interfere with how well a drug works. Others can amplify adverse reactions to the drug.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before you start with insulin therapy, you should inform your doctor about the medications you’re taking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n If the common side effects of insulin are mild, they may go away in a few days or up to a few weeks. However, if the adverse reactions are more severe, you should consult your healthcare provider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to severe side effects of insulin (listed above), you should call your doctor immediately, i.e., as soon as you notice them. If you feel your symptoms are life-threatening or have a medical emergency, you need to call 911.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Insulin therapy is recommended to patients with type 1 diabetes, but in some cases to those with type 2 diabetes mellitus as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Side effects of insulin are generally mild and tend to go away on their own. Some people may have serious side effects that require medical attention. Stick to the doctor’s instructions and inform them about the medications you’re taking.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" At least 7.4 million Americans with diabetes use one or more formulations of insulin. Men and women with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin every day in order to manage their condition. If you, or someone you know, need insulin, it’s useful to learn everything you can about it. That also includes potential side […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":26198,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[68],"health_topic":[125,149],"class_list":["post-26197","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-diabetes-management","health_topic-diabetes-health","health_topic-type-2-diabetes-topic"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow does it work?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/li>\n\n\n\nWhat is <\/strong>insulin<\/strong> used for?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Why do we need insulin therapy?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Three main types of insulin therapy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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<\/li>\n\n\n\nWhat are the side effects of <\/strong>insulin<\/strong>?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/li>\n\n\n\nSerious side effects<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Insulin<\/strong> interaction with other medications<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What can insulin interact with?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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<\/li>\n\n\n\nWhat else can insulin interact with?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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<\/li>\n\n\n\nWhen to see a doctor<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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