Types of Insulin
The body normally makes one type of insulin, in different amounts at different times during a typical day. The body makes a small, steady amount of insulin between meals and overnight (sometimes called "basal" or "background" insulin). When you eat, it makes insulin in a larger amount to cover the amount of food being eaten (sometimes called "bolus" or "mealtime" insulin).
With diabetes, since your body can't make enough insulin for what it needs or can't use the insulin as well as it should, you may need to use injected (manufactured) insulin. There are several different types of manufactured insulin that work in different ways. You may need to take more than one type of manufactured insulin to get the same effect. Here are some more details about the different types of manufactured insulin available:
- Mealtime insulins: Mealtime insulins include rapid-acting and shorter-acting insulins. Rapid-acting insulin starts very quickly and works for the shortest time. Shorter-acting insulin starts more slowly and works longer than rapid-acting insulin.
- Basal insulins: Basal insulins include intermediate-acting and longer-acting insulin. These start more slowly and last longer than mealtime insulins. Your healthcare provider usually recommends you take basal insulin once or twice a day.
- Mixture insulins: Mixture insulins contain a mix of both basal and mealtime insulins in one solution.
Your insulin needs
The type of insulin you need depends on several things:
- your blood sugar patterns
- what you eat and when you eat
- your daily physical activity
- your other medicines
For you and your healthcare provider to know which insulin regimen is right for you, you first need to determine your blood sugar levels. To do this, you will need to check your blood sugar at various times during the day and at night. Write down your results. Also, keep track of the things that can make your blood sugar go up or down. This includes food, stress levels, and physical activity. Take this information to your healthcare team. It will help them choose the insulin or insulins that are best for you.
