What is Insulin?

Insulin is a hormone that allows the cells in your body to take up and use blood glucose (sugar). The glucose comes from the food that you eat. In a person without diabetes, insulin is released when needed (for example, after a meal), which allows the tissues of the body to take up the right amount of glucose.

Insulin is a hormone made by an organ in our bodies called the pancreas. The pancreas lies just behind the stomach. For all people with Type 1 diabetes and for some Type 2 diabetes, insulin is essential to keep blood glucose levels under control.

Most people use human insulin and insulin analogues, although a small number of people still use animal insulin as they find animal insulin works better for them.

6  Main Types of Insulin

Rapid acting analogue
Can be injected just before, with or after food and have a peak action at between 0 and 3 hours

Long acting analogue
This tends to be injected once a day to provide background insulin lasting approx. 24 hours

Short acting insulin
This should be injected 15-30 minutes before a meal to cover the rise in blood glucose levels that occurs after eating

Medium and long acting insulin
These are taken once or twice a day to provide background insulin or a combination with short acting insulin/rapid acting analogues

Mixed insulin
This can be a combination of medium and short acting insulin

Mixed analogue
This can be a combination of medium acting insulin and rapid acting analogue

Diabetes can be a daily demand, always consult your Health Care Professional for medical advice