Medical Definition Of Insulin
Insulin: A natural hormone made by the pancreas that controls the level of the sugar glucose in the blood. Insulin permits cells to use glucose for energy. Cells cannot utilize glucose without insulin. Diabetes: The failure to make insulin or to respond to it constitutes diabetes mellitus. Insulin is made specifically by the beta cells in the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. If the beta cells degenerate so the body cannot make enough insulin on its own, type I diabetes results. A person with this type of diabetes must inject exogenous insulin (insulin from sources outside the body). In type II diabetes, the beta cells produce insulin, but cells throughout the body do not respond normally to it. Nevertheless, insulin also may be used in type II diabetes to help overcome the resistance of cells to insulin. By reducing the concentration of glucose in the blood, insulin is thought to prevent or reduce the long-term complications of diabetes, including damage to the blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves. History of Insulin: In 1921, Frederick Grant Banting and Charles H. Best discovered insulin while they were working in the laboratory of John J.R. Macleod at the University of Toronto. Banting and Best extracted material from the pancreas of dogs. They first used this material to keep diabetic dogs alive and in 1922 they used it successfully on a 14-year-old boy with diabetes. In 1923, James B. Collip, a biochemist, discovered that purifying the extract prevented many of the side effects. In 1923, Banting and Macleod were awarded the Nobel Prize. Best and Collip were overlooked but Banting and Macleod shared the prize money with them. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first approved insulin in 1939. Insulin was the first hormone to be synthesized completely i Continue reading >>
Insulin Types And Amount
Insulin & DAFNE DAFNE uses human genetically engineered insulin. There are other insulins, such as pork and beef, but here we concentrate on the insulins used in the DAFNE program. How much insulin do you need? In type 1 diabetes, most people need a total of 0.5 - 0.8 units of insulin per kilogram of body weight each day. Roughly half this insulin is needed for food intake, and half is the basal rate. In DAFNE half is therefore taken as long-acting insulin and this is divided into two injections of Levemir (detemir) insulin. One injection when you get up in the morning, and the other in the evening at bedtime. For most people, this is about 24 units in 24 hours. The amount of background insulin does not depend on what you eat, and the dose should be low enough to allow you to miss meals without the risk of low glucose (a hypo), whilst still keeping the glucose levels within the target range. The remainder of the total daily dose is taken at meal times, as a quick acting insulin. Sometimes these are given as insulin mixtures, but not in the DAFNE program. Quick-acting insulin The quick-acting (QA) part of the total daily dose is taken at meal times, matched to the carbohydrate. Think of this as food-related insulin that is taken immediately before food. Generally, you need 1-3 units of insulin per carbohydrate portion (CP) at breakfast, and between 1-2 units QA insulin per CP at other meals. These ratio of QA : CP may vary depending on the time of day. Detail Everyone has different insulin needs...you learn how to calculate your own requirements on the DAFNE course. The quick acting insulins that are now popular in the UK are Humalog (Lispro) Novorapid (Aspart) Apidra (Glulisine) They start to work 15 minutes after the injections, and continue to lower glucose levels for Continue reading >>
Insulin - A Voice For Choice
The final prices may differ from the prices shown due to specifics of VAT rules, postage and handling. 'This unusual work is a blend of medical history, clinical practice, research and a possible touch of conspiracy.' Read the entire review (PDF 196 KB) Director of Pathology, Sydney Adventist Hospital, Wahroonga, NSW, Australia in Australian Journal of Medical Science Vol. 30, Nr. 1, February 2009 'Arthur Teuscher's lucid analysis of the saga of human insulin should be compulsory reading for patients and professionals alike. This is a cautionary tale of how an overmighty pharmaceutical industry has, under the guise of progress, adversely influenced the best interests of those with diabetes. But it also tells the important story of how an alliance of physicians and patients has successfully campaigned to bring this issue to public attention and thus guaranteed for those who need it continued access to the most appropriate treatment for their needs.' Columnist for the Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph 'An important book for all who need insulin, and for their physicians to help them understand the message.' Emeritus Fellow of the UK Cochrane Centre, Co-Founder of the International Society of Drug Bulletins and of DIPEx 'It is a masterpiece which clearly describes the unfortunate saga and cause which Arthur Teuscher has expounded for 20 years. It is in many ways a sad story but at least there is some cause for optimism, as there is a reasonable chance that the groundswell of public opinion will ensure that animal insulin becomes more widely available.' Jim Mann, MBChB PhD (Capetown) MA DM, PhD, FFPHM, FRACP, FRSNZ Professor and Consultant Physician in Endocrinology, Edgar National Centre for Diabetes Research, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, New Zealan Continue reading >>
Insulin Regular
Generic Name: insulin regular (IN soo lin REG yoo lar) Brand Names: HumuLIN R, NovoLIN R, ReliOn/HumuLIN R What is insulin? Insulin is a hormone that is produced in the body. It works by lowering levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood. Regular insulin is a short-acting form of insulin. Regular insulin is used to treat diabetes. Insulin may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide. Important information Do not use this medicine if you are having an episode of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, is the most common side effect of insulin. Symptoms include headache, hunger, dizziness, sweating, irritability, trouble concentrating, rapid breathing, fast heartbeat, fainting, or seizure (severe hypoglycemia can be fatal). Carry hard candy or glucose tablets with you in case you have low blood sugar. Before using insulin Do not use this medicine if you are allergic to insulin, or if you are having an episode of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). To make sure you can safely use insulin, tell your doctor if you have liver or kidney disease. Tell your doctor about all other medications you use, especially oral diabetes medications such as pioglitazone or rosiglitazone (which are sometimes contained in combinations with glimepiride or metformin). Taking certain oral diabetes medications while you are using insulin may increase your risk of serious heart problems. FDA pregnancy category B. Insulin is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. It is not known whether insulin passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. How should I use regular insulin? Follow all directions on your prescr Continue reading >>
Insulin
Tweet Inside the pancreas, beta cells make the hormone insulin. With each meal, beta cells release insulin to help the body use or store the glucose it gets from food. Insulin is prescribed to people with type 1 diabetes. This is because type 1 diabetes destroys beta cells in the pancreas, meaning that the body can no longer produce insulin. People with type 2 diabetes make insulin, but their bodies don’t respond well to it. Some people with type 2 diabetes may take pills or insulin shots to help their bodies use glucose for energy. What you should know about insulin This section covers everything to do with insulin - insulin types, prescription, delivery, side effects, insulin pumps, over-dosage, lancets and more. Explore key guides in this section, including: How many types of insulin are there? There are 4 types of insulin, based on how soon the insulin starts working (onset), when it works the hardest (peak time) and how long it lasts in your body (duration). However, each person responds to insulin in his or her own way. That is why onset, peak time, and duration are given as ranges. The types of insulin are: Rapid-acting insulin (Lispro) reaches the blood within 15 minutes after injection. It peaks 30 to 90 minutes later and may last as long as 5 hours. Short-acting (regular) insulin usually reaches the blood within 30 minutes after injection. It peaks 2 to 4 hours later and stays in the blood for about 4 to 8 hours. Intermediate acting (NPH and lente) insulins reach the blood 2 to 6 hours after injection. They peak 4 to 14 hours later and stay in the blood for about 14 to 20 hours. Long acting (ultralente) insulin takes 6 to 14 hours to start working. It has no peak or a very small peak 10 to 16 hours after injection. It stays in the blood between 20 and 24 hou Continue reading >>
Pdb-101: Learn: Flyers, Posters & Other Resources: Insulin And Diabetes
The hormone insulin helps control the level of glucose in the blood PDB ID 1trz Insulin is one of our most important hormones. It coordinates the action of cells throughout the body, making sure that they are managing the uptake, use, and storage of blood sugar correctly. When there are problems with insulin signaling, it leads to diabetes, a life-threatening illness. The poster is built around the watercolor painting Insulin in Action, which includes glucose (small white circles), insulin (yellow), and the insulin receptor (light green), among others. Explore more resources and articles about insulin and diabetes using the PDB-101 Browser . PDB-101 helps teachers, students, and the general public explore the 3D world of proteins and nucleic acids. Learning about their diverse shapes and functions helps to understand all aspects of biomedicine and agriculture, from protein synthesis to health and disease to biological energy. Why PDB-101? Researchers around the globe make these 3D structures freely available at the Protein Data Bank (PDB) archive. PDB-101 builds introductory materials to help beginners get started in the subject ("101", as in an entry level course) as well as resources for extended learning. RCSB PDB ( citation ) is managed by two members of the Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics (RCSB): Continue reading >>
Insulin
This article is about the insulin protein. For uses of insulin in treating diabetes, see insulin (medication). Not to be confused with Inulin. Insulin (from Latin insula, island) is a peptide hormone produced by beta cells of the pancreatic islets, and it is considered to be the main anabolic hormone of the body.[5] It regulates the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and protein by promoting the absorption of, especially, glucose from the blood into fat, liver and skeletal muscle cells.[6] In these tissues the absorbed glucose is converted into either glycogen via glycogenesis or fats (triglycerides) via lipogenesis, or, in the case of the liver, into both.[6] Glucose production and secretion by the liver is strongly inhibited by high concentrations of insulin in the blood.[7] Circulating insulin also affects the synthesis of proteins in a wide variety of tissues. It is therefore an anabolic hormone, promoting the conversion of small molecules in the blood into large molecules inside the cells. Low insulin levels in the blood have the opposite effect by promoting widespread catabolism, especially of reserve body fat. Beta cells are sensitive to glucose concentrations, also known as blood sugar levels. When the glucose level is high, the beta cells secrete insulin into the blood; when glucose levels are low, secretion of insulin is inhibited.[8] Their neighboring alpha cells, by taking their cues from the beta cells,[8] secrete glucagon into the blood in the opposite manner: increased secretion when blood glucose is low, and decreased secretion when glucose concentrations are high.[6][8] Glucagon, through stimulating the liver to release glucose by glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis, has the opposite effect of insulin.[6][8] The secretion of insulin and glucagon into the Continue reading >>
What Is Insulin?
Insulin is a hormone; a chemical messenger produced in one part of the body to have an action on another. It is a protein responsible for regulating blood glucose levels as part of metabolism.1 The body manufactures insulin in the pancreas, and the hormone is secreted by its beta cells, primarily in response to glucose.1 The beta cells of the pancreas are perfectly designed "fuel sensors" stimulated by glucose.2 As glucose levels rise in the plasma of the blood, uptake and metabolism by the pancreas beta cells are enhanced, leading to insulin secretion.1 Insulin has two modes of action on the body - an excitatory one and an inhibitory one:3 Insulin stimulates glucose uptake and lipid synthesis It inhibits the breakdown of lipids, proteins and glycogen, and inhibits the glucose pathway (gluconeogenesis) and production of ketone bodies (ketogenesis). What is the pancreas? The pancreas is the organ responsible for controlling sugar levels. It is part of the digestive system and located in the abdomen, behind the stomach and next to the duodenum - the first part of the small intestine.4 The pancreas has two main functional components:4,5 Exocrine cells - cells that release digestive enzymes into the gut via the pancreatic duct The endocrine pancreas - islands of cells known as the islets of Langerhans within the "sea" of exocrine tissue; islets release hormones such as insulin and glucagon into the blood to control blood sugar levels. Islets are highly vascularized (supplied by blood vessels) and specialized to monitor nutrients in the blood.2 The alpha cells of the islets secrete glucagon while the beta cells - the most abundant of the islet cells - release insulin.5 The release of insulin in response to elevated glucose has two phases - a first around 5-10 minutes after g Continue reading >>
Glucose Metabolism
Energy is required for the normal functioning of the organs in the body. Many tissues can also use fat or protein as an energy source but others, such as the brain and red blood cells, can only use glucose. Glucose is stored in the body as glycogen. The liver is an important storage site for glycogen. Glycogen is mobilized and converted to glucose by gluconeogenesis when the blood glucose concentration is low. Glucose may also be produced from non-carbohydrate precursors, such as pyruvate, amino acids and glycerol, by gluconeogenesis. It is gluconeogenesis that maintains blood glucose concentrations, for example during starvation and intense exercise. The endocrine pancreas The pancreas has both endocrine and exocrine functions. The endocrine tissue is grouped together in the islets of Langerhans and consists of four different cell types each with its own function. Alpha cells produce glucagon. Beta cells produce proinsulin. Proinsulin is the inactive form of insulin that is converted to insulin in the circulation. Delta cells produce somatostatin. F or PP cells produce pancreatic polypeptide. Regulation of insulin secretion Insulin secretion is increased by elevated blood glucose concentrations, gastrointestinal hormones and Beta adrenergic stimulation. Insulin secretion is inhibited by catecholamines and somatostatin. The role of insulin and glucagon in glucose metabolism Insulin and glucagon work synergistically to keep blood glucose concentrations normal. Insulin: An elevated blood glucose concentration results in the secretion of insulin: glucose is transported into body cells. The uptake of glucose by liver, kidney and brain cells is by diffusion and does not require insulin. Click on the thumbnail for details of the effect of insulin: Glucagon: The effects of glu Continue reading >>
- Exercise and Glucose Metabolism in Persons with Diabetes Mellitus: Perspectives on the Role for Continuous Glucose Monitoring
- ‘Type 3 diabetes’: New links emerge between poor glucose metabolism and Alzheimer’s disease
- Effect of Probiotics on Glucose and Lipid Metabolism in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Meta-Analysis of 12 Randomized Controlled Trials
Everything You Need To Know About Insulin
Insulin is a hormone made in your pancreas, a gland located behind your stomach. It allows your body to use glucose for energy. Glucose is a type of sugar found in many carbohydrates. After a meal or snack, the digestive tract breaks down carbohydrates and changes them into glucose. Glucose is then absorbed into your bloodstream through the lining in your small intestine. Once glucose is in your bloodstream, insulin causes cells throughout your body to absorb the sugar and use it for energy. Insulin also helps balance your blood glucose levels. When there’s too much glucose in your bloodstream, insulin signals your body to store the excess in your liver. The stored glucose isn’t released until your blood glucose levels decrease, such as between meals or when your body is stressed or needs an extra boost of energy. Diabetes occurs when your body doesn't use insulin properly or doesn't make enough insulin. There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes is a type of autoimmune disease. These are diseases in which the body attacks itself. If you have type 1 diabetes, your body can’t make insulin. This is because your immune system has destroyed all of the insulin-producing cells in your pancreas. This disease is more commonly diagnosed in young people, although it can develop in adulthood. In type 2 diabetes, your body has become resistant to the effects of insulin. This means your body needs more insulin to get the same effects. Therefore, your body overproduces insulin to keep blood glucose levels normal. However, after many years of overproduction, the insulin-producing cells in your pancreas burn out. Type 2 diabetes also affects people of any age, but typically develops later in life. Injections of insulin as a replacement or supplement Continue reading >>
The Facts About Insulin For Diabetes
Insulin is a hormone that your pancreas makes to allow cells to use glucose. When your body isn't making or using insulin correctly, you can take man-made insulin to help control your blood sugar. Many types can be used to treat diabetes. They're usually described by how they affect your body. Rapid-acting insulin starts to work within a few minutes and lasts for a couple of hours. Regular- or short-acting insulin takes about 30 minutes to work fully and lasts for 3 to 6 hours. Intermediate-acting insulin takes 2 to 4 hours to work fully. Its effects can last for up to 18 hours. Long-acting insulin can work for an entire day. Your doctor may prescribe more than one type. You might need to take insulin more than once daily, to space your doses throughout the day, and possibly to also take other medicines. How Do I Take It? Many people get insulin into their blood using a needle and syringe, a cartridge system, or pre-filled pen systems. The place on the body where you give yourself the shot may matter. You'll absorb insulin the most consistently when you inject it into your belly. The next best places to inject it are your arms, thighs, and buttocks. Make it a habit to inject insulin at the same general area of your body, but change up the exact injection spot. This helps lessen scarring under the skin. Inhaled insulin, insulin pumps, and a quick-acting insulin device are also available. When Do I Take It? It will depend on the type of insulin you use. You want to time your shot so that the glucose from your food gets into your system at about the same time that the insulin starts to work. This will help your body use the glucose and avoid low blood sugar reactions. For example, if you use a rapid-acting insulin, you'd likely take it 10 minutes before or even with your m Continue reading >>
What Is Insulin?
Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas that allows your body to use sugar (glucose) from carbohydrates in the food that you eat for energy or to store glucose for future use. Insulin helps keeps your blood sugar level from getting too high (hyperglycemia) or too low (hypoglycemia). The cells in your body need sugar for energy. However, sugar cannot go into most of your cells directly. After you eat food and your blood sugar level rises, cells in your pancreas (known as beta cells) are signaled to release insulin into your bloodstream. Insulin then attaches to and signals cells to absorb sugar from the bloodstream. Insulin is often described as a “key,” which unlocks the cell to allow sugar to enter the cell and be used for energy. If you have more sugar in your body than it needs, insulin helps store the sugar in your liver and releases it when your blood sugar level is low or if you need more sugar, such as in between meals or during physical activity. Therefore, insulin helps balance out blood sugar levels and keeps them in a normal range. As blood sugar levels rise, the pancreas secretes more insulin. If your body does not produce enough insulin or your cells are resistant to the effects of insulin, you may develop hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), which can cause long-term complications if the blood sugar levels stay elevated for long periods of time. Insulin Treatment for Diabetes People with type 1 diabetes cannot make insulin because the beta cells in their pancreas are damaged or destroyed. Therefore, these people will need insulin injections to allow their body to process glucose and avoid complications from hyperglycemia. People with type 2 diabetes do not respond well or are resistant to insulin. They may need insulin shots to help them better process Continue reading >>
Insulin And Diabetes
Discovered in 1922 by Frederick Banting and Charles Best, insulin is the hormone in our body that allows glucose (sugar) to get into the cells of our body that need glucose for energy. Produced in the pancreas, insulin is considered the “most powerful” hormone in the body. Every living mammal needs insulin to survive. Humans, cats, dogs, pigs, cows, and even dolphins all need in insulin in order to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Without enough insulin, your blood sugar can rise to dangerously high levels. People with pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes do not make enough insulin, or their bodies are unable to make use of the insulin they are producing. Insulin resistance is commonly an aspect of pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes in which the body needs more and more insulin to do the job of maintaining healthy blood sugar levels that it used to do with a lesser amount of insulin. People with type 1 diabetes do not make any insulin because a part of the pancreas that is responsible for producing insulin is being continuously attacked by their immune-system, making this form of diabetes an “autoimmune disorder.” People with type 1.5 diabetes, also known as LADA, are essentially type 1 diabetics who are very gradually producing less and less insulin over time, and may also experience some insulin resistance, similar to type 2. An easy way to think of insulin is to remember that it is the “key” necessary to unlock a cell so that sugar can enter it and be used for energy instead of staying in the bloodstream where the excess damages cells. For people who need to take external or supplemental insulin (insulin your body did not produce but that was instead made by a pharmaceutical company), there are several different types and kinds of insulin. The insulin you ta Continue reading >>
- Relative effectiveness of insulin pump treatment over multiple daily injections and structured education during flexible intensive insulin treatment for type 1 diabetes: cluster randomised trial (REPOSE)
- Insulin, glucagon and somatostatin stores in the pancreas of subjects with type-2 diabetes and their lean and obese non-diabetic controls
- Relative contribution of type 1 and type 2 diabetes loci to the genetic etiology of adult-onset, non-insulin-requiring autoimmune diabetes
Insulin Receptor
The cellular receptor for insulin helps control the utilization of glucose by cells Cells throughout the body are fueled largely by glucose that is delivered through the bloodstream. A complex signaling system is used to control the process, ensuring that glucose is delivered when needed and stored when there is a surplus. Two hormones, insulin and glucagon, are at the center of this signaling system. When blood glucose levels drop, alpha cells in the pancreas release glucagon, which then stimulates liver cells to release glucose into the circulation. When blood glucose levels rise, on the other hand, beta cells in the pancreas release insulin, which promotes uptake of glucose for metabolism and storage. Both hormones are small proteins that are recognized by receptors on the surface of cells. Signal Transduction The receptor for insulin is a large protein that binds to insulin and passes its message into the cell. It has several functional parts. Two copies of the protein chains come together on the outside of the cell to form the receptor site that binds to insulin. This is connected through the membrane to two tyrosine kinases, shown here at the bottom. When insulin is not present, they are held in a constrained position, but when insulin binds, these constraints are released. They first phosphorylate and activate each other, and then phosphorylate other proteins in the signaling network inside the cell. Since the whole receptor is so flexible, researchers have determined its structure in several pieces: the insulin-binding portion is shown here from PDB entry 3loh , the transmembrane segment from 2mfr , and the tyrosine kinase from 1irk . When Things Go Wrong Problems with insulin signaling can impair the proper management of glucose levels in the blood, leading to Continue reading >>
- Effects of Insulin Plus Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists (GLP-1RAs) in Treating Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
- Relative effectiveness of insulin pump treatment over multiple daily injections and structured education during flexible intensive insulin treatment for type 1 diabetes: cluster randomised trial (REPOSE)
- Calculating Insulin Dose
Effect Of The Insulin Plant (costus Igneus) Leaves On Dexamethasone-induced Hyperglycemia
Go to: Costus igneus, commonly known as insulin plant in India, belongs to the family Costaceae. Consumption of the leaves are believed to lower blood glucose levels, and diabetics who consumed the leaves of this plant did report a fall in their blood glucose levels. Objectives: The present study was planned to evaluate the effect of the leaves of Costus igeus on dexamethasone-induced hyperglycemia in male Wistar rats. Four groups of male Wistar rats (n= 6) were treated with 10 mg/kg/day of dexamethasone subcutaneously for 20 days. From day 11 to day 20, different groups received 100, 250 or 500 mg/kg/day of powdered leaves of Costus igeus in distilled water orally or Glibenclamide 500 µg/kg orally. On the 20th day, after overnight fasting, a retro-orbital puncture was performed for obtaining blood samples to estimate the fasting blood glucose level, and the same procedure was followed on the other eye 1 hour after a glucose load of 2.5 g/kg orally for estimation of post-glucose load blood glucose levels. Fasting blood sugar and postglucose load blood sugar levels were raised in the group that received dexamethasone when compared to normal controls (P < 0.001), whereas 250 and 500 mg/kg powdered leaf of Costus igeus and Glibenclamide 500 µg/kg decreased the dexamethasone-induced hyperglycemia (P < 0.01). The leaves of Costus igeus reduced the fasting and postprandial blood sugar levels, bringing them towards normal, in dexamethasone-induced hyperglycemia in rats. Groups Mean Std. deviation Control 90.1 1.1 Dexamethasone (10 mg/kg/day) 182.8*** 1.7 Insulin plant leaf (100 mg/kg/day) 170.0 1.4 Insulin plant (250 mg/kg/day) 127.1** 1.7 Insulin plant leaf (500 mg/kg/day) 120.8** 1.3 Glibenclamide (0.175 g/kg/day) 125.1** 1.6 Continue reading >>
