Hypoglycemic Effect of Insulin Types

Your body's major energy source is blood glucose. Glucose is a sugar molecule created through food digestion and carbohydrate breakdown. Insulin, a hormone emitted by the pancreas, allows glucose to enter muscle tissue for energy use. Diabetes develops when your body becomes incapable of producing insulin properly. Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, can occur when diabetic patients have taken too much insulin.

Causes

• Hypoglycemia occurs for most people when blood sugar falls to less than 70 mg/dl. To prevent complications from the disease, diabetics aim for tight control of their blood sugar, maintaining a level between about 70 and 140 mg/dl, depending on the time of day and when meals are eaten. Managing carbohydrate intake, exercise and insulin--all of which affect blood sugar--can limit episodes of hypoglycemia.

Symptoms

• Symptoms associated with hypoglycemia will vary with each individual. Symptoms can escalate quickly and you may not feel them until your blood sugar drops critically low. If you are diabetic and experience unexplained nervousness, irritability, shakiness or confusion, check your blood sugar immediately and eat or drink something. Severe hypoglycemia is dangerous and leads to seizures and unconsciousness if steps are not taken to correct it.

Insulin

• Insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels, is produced synthetically as recombinant DNA human insulin and is available in injectable forms. Basal insulin provides continuous blood sugar regulation; it remains in the system for up to 24 hours after injection. Bolus insulin provides blood sugar regulation during short periods of time and is used to cover carbohydrate intake at mealtimes.

Insulin Types

• Diabetes Forecast lists four injectable types of insulin that the body uses at varying rates. Rapid-acting insulin begins working in about 15 minutes, is strongest between one to two hours after injection and is no longer present in the system after about four hours. Regular insulin acts within 30 minutes of injection, is the strongest between the second and fourth hour and is gone by the eighth hour. However, the higher the dose the longer the duration. Intermediate-acting insulin takes two to four hours to begin working, peaks between six and 12 hours and can stay in your system for up to 18 hours. Long-acting insulin starts working within two to four hours and has a duration of 24 hours, with little to no peak time period.

Effects

• All insulin types work within the body to reduce glucose readings. Diabetic patients have individual treatment plans developed by their diabetes care teams. Some use only one kind of insulin, while others may combine types to achieve proper glucose control. The type of insulin does not cause hypoglycemia, but a combination of insulin therapy, meals, exercise and illness can contribute to episodes of hypoglycemia.