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Types of Insulin & Their Peak

Insulin is a crucial item in your body, as it regulates blood sugar levels. Diabetics do not have enough insulin to regulate their blood sugar properly, and must inject it daily for them to live. There are more than 20 types of insulin, all of which reach their peak at different times after injection.

  1. Peak

    • Peak is used to define when a type of insulin is the most potent in your body. It is often used with onset (how fast the insulin will start to work) and duration (how long the insulin is going to last in your body).

    Long-Acting

    • Long-acting insulin takes longer to reach onset. Lantus is a type of long-acting insulin that reaches onset in one hour and has a duration of 24 hours. Lantus doesn't have a peak; it stays a constant stream of insulin into your body.

    Intermediate-Acting

    • Intermediate-acting insulin has a longer onset time than rapid- and short-acting. Humulin N and Novolin N are two examples of this insulin. They reach onset at one to three hours, with a duration of 20 hours. They peak at the eight-hour mark.

    Short-Acting

    • Short-acting insulin will start to work shortly after injection. Humulin R and Novolin R are two of these types of insulin. They reach onset in 30 to 60 minutes and have a duration of five to eight hours. They will reach their peak at 50 to 120 minutes.

    Rapid-Acting

    • Rapid-acting types are very fast-acting insulin. Humalog and Novolog are two types of rapid-acting insulin. They reach an onset in 15 minutes and have a duration of three to five hours. They get to their peak at 30 to 90 minutes for the Humalog, and 40 to 50 minutes for Novolog.

    Mixtures

    • Mixtures are combination shots of rapid-acting and long-acting insulin. Humalog 50/50, Novolin 70/30, and Humulin 70/30 are a few of these types. They have varying onset, peak and duration times due to them being a combination of different types of insulin.

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