If you are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, your pancreas doesn’t make insulin or produces little insulin for your body. Insulin helps you regulate blood sugar entering your body’s cells for energy use.
Without insulin, blood sugar can’t get into your cells and can build up in the bloodstream. High blood sugar can be damaging to your body. More often, it can lead to the onset of diabetes.
What Type of Diabetes Requires Insulin?
Patients with type 1 diabetes have to depend on insulin as their body stops producing adequate insulin naturally to regulate the blood glucose levels.. That is why type 1 diabetes is also known as insulin-dependent diabetes
Over the past 30 years, significant changes have developed in managing type 1 diabetes. Today, insulin replacement strategies stress on smaller daily insulin doses. This approach makes adjustment of insulin doses easier whenever needed.
There are various types insulins suitable for different situations. First is the long-acting, background, and basal insulin. These are the types of insulin taken once or twice a day. Basal insulin should maintain your blood sugar levels stable overnight and between meals.
On the other hand, the insulin that requires food in your stomach is also called fast-acting, mealtime, or bolus insulin. This insulin reduces the rise in your blood glucose caused by eating or drinking. You usually take bolus insulin before a meal, snack or drink. In addition, there should be a source of carbohydrates in these meals when taking insulin.
Here is a list of insulin drugs you can take for type 1 diabetes:
Short-acting insulin
- regular insulin (Humulin and Novolin)
Rapid-acting insulins
- insulin aspart (NovoLog, FlexPen, Fiasp)
- insulin glulisine (Apidra)
- insulin lispro (Humalog)
Intermediate-acting insulin
- insulin isophane (Humulin N, Novolin N)
Long-acting insulins
- insulin degludec (Tresiba)
- insulin detemir (Levemir)
- insulin glargine (Lantus)
- insulin glargine (Toujeo)
Combination insulins
- NovoLog Mix 70/30 (insulin aspart protamine-insulin aspart)
- Humalog Mix 75/25 (insulin lispro protamine-insulin lispro)
- Humalog Mix 50/50 (insulin lispro protamine-insulin lispro)
- Humulin 70/30 (human insulin NPH-human insulin regular)
- Novolin 70/30 (human insulin NPH-human insulin regular)
- Ryzodeg (insulin degludec-insulin aspart)
Not all insulin are suitable for all body types. Doctors will examine the underlying health conditions and the severity of diabetes before prescribing insulin. It is essential to consult your doctor about your insulin medication and treatment options for type 1 diabetes