All About Insulin – Insulin Chart, Insulin Types & Insulin Brands

Diabetes is a widespread health issue, affecting an estimated 537 million people globally, and this number is projected to rise to 783 million by 2045. For those living with diabetes, understanding and using an Insulin Dosage Chart is a crucial part of their health management.

Our blog is here to help make this easier.

What is Insulin?  

Insulin is a kind of hormone created by your pancreas that controls the amount of glucose in your bloodline at any point in time. Insulin permits the glucose to enter the body’s cells and delivers energy. 

People with diabetes either do not produce insulin or the body’s absorption of glucose by insulin is incorrect. The presence of insulin in your body is necessary as it regulates the body’s metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats by promoting the absorption of glucose by the blood. A delicate balance of insulin modulates blood sugar levels and many other processes in the body. 

What are the six types of Insulin?   

Before understanding the six main types of insulin it is important to have knowledge about the characteristics of insulin. The three main characteristics of insulin are –  

• Onset – Onset is the time taken by the insulin to lower your blood glucose level.  
• Peak time – Peak time is the time after induction of insulin in your body when it is most effectively lowering the blood glucose.  
• Duration – Duration is the time when the insulin keeps lowering your blood glucose.  

Based on how insulin medication functions, there are six types of insulin –  

1. Rapid-acting insulin – This type of insulin has an onset of fewer than 15 mins after injecting. It peaks in about an hour and carries on to work for a few more. Examples – Apidra, Humalog, and Novolog  

2. Regular acting insulin – Regular acting insulin reaches your bloodstream within 30 minutes of injection like Humulin R and Novolin R. It peaks in 2-3 hours and its effective duration is 3-6 hours.  

3. Intermediate-acting insulin – With an onset of 2-4 hours this type of insulin is at its peak for 4 to 12 hours with a duration of 12-18 hours. Examples – Humulin N and Novolin N  

 4. Long-acting insulin – This insulin works after 1-2 hours of injecting the insulin into the bloodstream and is effective for as long as 24 hours. This type of insulin includes Levemir, Lantus, Semglee, and Tresiba and has minimal or no peak.   

5. Ultra-long acting insulin – This type of insulin has an onset of 6 hours, no peak, and has a duration of long productive 36 hours. Examples – Toujeo   

6. Combination/premixed insulin – With a combination of intermediate-acting insulins and regular insulins, this type of insulin includes Humulin or Novolin and Novolog Mix or Humalog Mix and is best for patients who require using both.   

What is Actrapid Insulin?  

Actrapid insulin injection comprises short-acting insulin known as human insulin. Belonging to the insulin group of medicines, it is an anti-diabetic medicine. Actrapid insulin is used to lower blood glucose levels in Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Actrapid insulin provides rapid action but for a shorter duration of time span. It is available in the form of vials, cartridges, or prefilled pens. With the treatment of actrapid insulin hbA1c levels remain fairly steady and reduce the risk of serious difficulties of diabetes like kidney damage, eye damage, nerve problems, and even loss of limbs.  

Dosage – The dosage is between 0.3 and 0.1 international units (IU) per kilogram body weight per day which is given 30 minutes before a meal.   

Side effects – Decreased blood glucose levels, Decreased potassium levels, Itching and rash, Headache, Injection site pain, Loss of appetite, and Increased thirst are some of the common side effects of actrapid insulin.  

Human Actrapid Insulin Dosage Chart   

What is Huminsulin 30/70?  

With a combination of two medicines, Isophane insulin (intermediate-acting insulin) and Human insulin (a short-acting type of insulin), Huminsulin 30/70 is a type of insulin that is used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus (Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes) to improve blood sugar control and is suitable for adults and children. Huminsulin 30/70 lowers the production of sugar in the liver and simplifies the reuptake of sugar in the fat and muscle cells; thereby Huminsulin 30/70 ensures rapid and constant sugar control. Huminsulin 30/70 should be regulated with a healthy diet, regular exercise, and weight reduction. 

Dosage – This medicine should be taken 15 – 20 minutes before a meal.   

Side effects – Allergic reaction at the site of injection, itching, lipodystrophy (skin thickening or pits at the injection site), hypoglycemia (low blood glucose level), edema (swelling), weight gain, and rashes.  

What is Mixtard 30/70?  

Human Mixtard 30/70 is a combination of Regular insulin (short-acting insulin) and Isophane insulin (intermediate-acting analogues of insulin). It is used to treat Type 1 (high blood sugar levels due to genetic conditions) and Type 2 (high blood sugar levels due to inadequate insulin) diabetes which is caused due to high blood sugar levels because of genetics and high blood sugar levels due to inadequate insulin respectively. It controls blood sugar levels and helps in the utilization of glucose and is available in the form of injection and pen.   

Dosage – Inject this medicine 30 minutes before a meal.   

Side effects – common side effects are redness, swelling, itching thickening of the skin around the injection site (lipodystrophy), initially, you may also feel visual problems or swollen hands and feet.  

What is Isophane Insulin?   

Isophane insulin also known as Neutral Protamine Hagedorn insulin, is intermediate insulin that starts to work within 2 to 4 hours after injection, peaks in 4 to 12 hours, and is effective for 12 to 18 hours. It is used for Diabetes Type 2, Diabetes Mellitus, Diabetes Type 1, Autoimmune Disorder, Diabetic Ketoacidosis (in DM Type I), Diabetic Coma (in DM Type I), Diabetic Coma (in DM Type II), and Diabetic Ketoacidosis (in DM Type II).  

Isophane insulin is used to regulate blood sugar levels in adults and children with diabetes.   

Dosage – Isophane insulin is injected under the skin once or twice a day.  

Side effects – Consult a doctor if you see side effects like itchy skin rash over the entire body, chest tightness, trouble breathing, swelling in your tongue or throat, or feeling like you might pass out.  

 Different types of short-acting insulin-  

Animals and human insulin generally count under short-acting insulin which is generally injected into the bodies of diabetes patients through an insulin pen and syringe.   

Short-acting insulins constitute Actrapid insulin, Humulin S, Velosulin, and Hypurin Neutral.   

Velosulin – Manufactured by pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk, Velosulin is neutral or soluble insulin. Velosulin works quickly (between 30 minutes and an hour), may last for approximately 8 hours, and should be taken before eating (between 15 and 30 minutes before a meal). It is a mixture of intermediate-acting or longer-acting insulin and controls postprandial spikes.  

Hypurin Neutral – Available in the form of Hypurin Porcine neutral (pork insulin) or Hypurin Bovine Neutral (beef insulin), this type of insulin is short-acting animal insulin. Hypurin-neutral insulin will generally be taken approximately half an hour before eating and has a peak action between 2 and 5 hours after injecting.   

Insulin injection names-   

Medication name: Insulin glulisine (Apidra)  

Onset: 5-15 minutes  

Peak: 1-3 hours  

Duration: 3-5 hours  

Medication name: Insulin lispro U-100/U-200 (Humalog)  

Onset: 10-15 minutes  

Peak: 1-3 hours  

Duration: 3-5 hours  

Medication name: Insulin aspart (Novolog)  

Onset: 10-15 minutes  

Peak: 1-3 hours  

Duration: 3-5 hours  

Medication name: Regular insulin (Novolin R, Humulin R)  

Onset: 30-60 minutes  

Peak: 2-4 hours  

Duration: 5-8 hours  

Medication name: NPH insulin (Novolin N, Humulin N)  

Onset: 1-2 hours  

Peak: 4-12 hours  

Duration: 14-24 hours  

Medication name: Insulin glargine U-300 (Toujeo)  

Onset: 6 hours  

Peak: No peak  

Duration: Up to 36 hours  

Medication name: Insulin degludec U-100/U-200 (Tresiba)  

Onset: 1 hour  

Peak: No peak  

Duration: Up to 42 hours  

Medication name: Insulin detemir (Levemir)  

Onset: 1 hour  

Peak: 3-14 hours  

Duration: Up to 24 hours  

Medication name: Insulin U-100 (Lantus, Basaglar)  

Onset: 3-4 hours  

Peak: No peak  

Duration: Up to 24 hours  

Medication name: Pre-mixed insulin  

• 70/30 (70% N and 30% R)  

Onset: 0.5-1 hour  

Peak: 2-12 hours  

Duration: 10-16 hours  

Humalog mix 75/25 (75% NPL and 25% insulin lispro)  

Onset: 5-20 minutes  

Peak: 1-2 hours  

Duration: 10-16 hours  

• 50/50 (50% N and 50% R)  

Onset: 0.5-1 hour  

Peak: 2-12 hours  

Duration: 10-16 hours  

Humalog mix 50/50 (50% insulin lispro protamine and 50% insulin lispro)  

Onset: 5-20 minutes  

Peak: 1-2 hours  

Duration: 10-16 hours  

• NovoLog mix 70/30 (70% insulin aspart protamine and 30% insulin aspart)  

Onset: 5-20 minutes  

Peak: 1-2 hours  

Duration: 10-16 hours  

Insulin dosage chart  

An insulin dosage chart is an essential tool for managing diabetes effectively. It provides a clear and structured guideline for individuals to adjust their insulin doses based on blood sugar levels and dietary intake. This chart is particularly crucial for those who are new to insulin therapy or have varying blood sugar patterns. By referring to an insulin dosage chart, patients can administer the correct amount of insulin, ensuring better glycemic control and reducing the risk of complications associated with diabetes.

Moreover, an insulin dosage chart aids healthcare professionals in customizing insulin therapy for each patient, accommodating different lifestyles and health conditions. An insulin dosage chart is a vital component in diabetes management, serving as a roadmap for safe and effective insulin administration.

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Navigating diabetes management is crucial, and Emoha Elder Care is here to help. Our latest blog post demystifies insulin and its types, and explains the importance of an insulin dosage chart for effective diabetes management.

At Emoha, we’re committed to supporting seniors in their health journey with personalized care and expert advice. Explore our care service packages – Engage, Empower and Enhance – that offer comprehensive senior care services, one of a kind in India.

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