Insulin Facts

Insulin is a polypeptide hormone secreted by the pancreas that assists the body in the utilization and synthesis of glucose. It is an essential element in the proper functioning of the vascular system, liver system, muscle system, and brain. Some humans suffer from a lack of insulin regulation called diabetes, which is treatable with managed insulin care through pills, daily shots, or lifestyle changes.

Function

• Insulin regulation is a function of the endocrine system, a group of glands that control hormones, tissue growth, metabolism, and cell development. It is responsible for the management of glucose, or sugar, in the cells of the body. Glucose is an important source of energy, and is brought into the body through the ingestion of food. After glucose is broken down and absorbed into the blood stream from the digestive system, insulin is released from the pancreas and facilitates its conversion into cellular energy. When insulin is low, the glucose is not absorbed by cells, and the sugar remains in the blood stream, where it can cause severe damage over time and may result in coma or death.

Composition

• Insulin is comprised of two peptide chains that contain fifty-one amino acids. The molecular weight of insulin averages six thousand Daltons, and this weight and composition are consistent across most vertebrates, meaning it is possible to treat humans with insulin harvested from other animals. Many diabetic treatments use insulin that has been harvested from pigs or cows. There have also been cases where insulin gathered from certain species of fish have provided sufficient glucose regulation in humans.

Insulin Treatment

• Insulin may be injected or ingested to regulate glucose absorption when insulin is not produced by the body, as in Type 1 diabetes, or the body has become resistant to insulin, as in Type 2 diabetes. Individuals who suffer from either of these types of diabetes need to be cautious when ingesting processed sugar, carbohydrates, and alcohol, as these are common sources of glucose. While these foods are not restricted, they should be taken in moderation and with appropriate doses of insulin to avoid uncomfortable or dangerous side effects.

Warning

• When insulin is not properly regulated by the body or external treatments, two extreme side effects can occur. The term "hypoglycemia" is used to describe what happens to the body when cells are not receiving the amount of glucose they need due to low or no insulin regulation. Hypoglycemia affects the function of the central nervous system and results in light-headedness, coma, slowed thought and disrupted speech patterns. If the body has produced a significant surplus of insulin or receives an extremely large dose of insulin, the opposite condition, insulinoma, will occur. Insulinoma can prove fatal if untreated, with victims slipping into "insulin shock," similar to a hypoglycemic coma. Insulinoma is rare, most often occurring as the result of accidental overdose.

History

• Insulin was identified as a substance in the pancreas in 1869 by German medical student Paul Langerhans, though its function and properties were not known. Its relationship to blood sugar was illuminated by Polish scientists in 1889, but insulin was no isolated and specifically studied until the early 1920s. The first insulin injection given to successfully treat a diabetic was administered in 1922 in Toronto, and intense study and manipulation of the protein has carried on since then.