Each of us has heard about such an unpleasant disease as diabetes mellitus, as well as about insulin, which is administered to patients as replacement therapy. The thing is that in patients with diabetes mellitus, insulin either is not produced at all, or does not perform its functions. In our article, we will consider the question of whether insulin is what it is and what effect it has on our body. An exciting journey into the world of medicine awaits you.
Insulin is ...
Insulin is a hormone
produced by the pancreas. Its special endocrine cells, called islets of Langerhans (beta cells), produce it. There are about a million islets on the pancreas of an adult, whose functions include the production of insulin.
What is insulin from a medical point of view? This is a hormone of protein nature that performs extremely important necessary functions in the body. In the gastrointestinal tract, it cannot enter from the outside, since it will be digested, like any other substance of a protein nature. A small amount of background (basal) insulin is produced daily by the pancreas . After eating, the body delivers it in the amount that our body needs to digest the incoming proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Let us dwell on the question of what is the effect of insulin on the body.
Insulin function
Insulin is responsible for maintaining and regulating carbohydrate metabolism. That is, this hormone has a complex multifaceted effect on all body tissues, largely due to its activating effect on many enzymes.
One of the main and most famous functions of this hormone is to regulate blood glucose levels. The body needs it constantly, because it refers to the nutrients that are needed for the growth and development of cells. Insulin breaks it down to a simpler substance, contributing to its absorption in the blood. If the pancreas produces it in insufficient quantities, glucose does not feed the cells, but accumulates in the blood. This is fraught with an increase in blood sugar (hyperglycemia), which entails serious consequences.
Also, with the help of insulin, amino acids and potassium are transported.
Few people know the anabolic properties of insulin, even superior to the effect of steroids (the latter, however, act more selectively).
Types of insulin
Distinguish types of insulin by origin and action.
Fast acting has an ultrashort effect on the body. This type of insulin begins its work immediately after administration, and its peak is reached after 1-1.5. Duration of action is 3-4 hours. Enter it immediately before or before a meal. Preparations with a similar effect include Novo-Rapid, Insulin Apidra and Insulin Humalog.
Short insulin has an effect within 20-30 minutes after application. After 2-3 hours, the concentration of the drug in the blood reaches the maximum point. A total of about 5-6 hours. An injection is administered 15-20 minutes before a meal. At the same time, approximately 2-3 hours after the administration of insulin, it is recommended to do “snacks”. The meal time should coincide with the time of the maximum effect of the drug. Short-acting drugs - preparations "Humulin Regula", "Insulin Actrapid", "Monodar Humodar".
Medium-duration insulins affect the body much longer - from 12 to 16 hours. It is necessary to do 2-3 injections per day, often with an interval of 8-12 hours, since they do not start their action right away, but 2-3 hours after administration. Their maximum effect is achieved after 6-8 hours. Medium Duration Insulins - Protafan (human insulin), Humudar BR, Insulin Novomix.
And finally, long-acting insulin, the maximum concentration of which is achieved 2-3 days after administration, despite the fact that it begins to act after 4-6 hours. Apply it 1-2 times a day. These are drugs such as Insulin Lantus, Monodar Long, and Ultralent. This group can also include the so-called "peakless" insulin. What it is? This is insulin, which does not have a pronounced effect, acts gently and unobtrusively, therefore, it practically replaces the “native” produced by the pancreas.
Varieties of insulin
Human insulin is an analogue of the hormone produced by our pancreas. Such insulin and its genetic engineering “brothers” are considered more advanced than other types of insulin of animal origin.
Pork hormone is similar to the above, with the exception of one amino acid in the composition. It is capable of causing allergic reactions.
Cattle insulin is the least similar to human. It often causes allergies, as it contains a protein foreign to our body. The level of insulin in the blood of a healthy person has severe limitations. Let's consider them in more detail.
What should be the level of insulin in the blood?
On average, in a healthy person, the normal rate of insulin in the blood on an empty stomach, ranges from 2 to 28 mkED / mol. In children, it is slightly lower - from 3 to 20 units, and in pregnant women, on the contrary, higher - the norm is from 6 to 27 mcED / mol. In the case of an unreasonable deviation of insulin from the norm ( insulin level in the blood is increased or decreased ), it is recommended to pay attention to your diet and lifestyle.
Blood Hormone Increase
Increased insulin entails the loss of almost all of its positive qualities, which negatively affects the state of health. It increases blood pressure, promotes obesity (due to improperly transported glucose), has a carcinogenic effect and increases the risk of diabetes. If you have increased insulin, you should pay attention to your diet, trying to eat as many foods as possible with a low hypoclycemic index (low-fat sour-milk products, vegetables, sour-sweet fruits, bran bread).
Low blood insulin
There are cases when insulin is lowered in the blood. What is it and how to treat it? Excessively low amounts of sugar in the blood lead to impaired brain function. In this case, it is recommended to pay attention to products that stimulate the pancreas - this is kefir, fresh blueberries, boiled lean meat, apples, cabbage and parsley roots (the broth is especially effective when taken on an empty stomach).
Thanks to proper nutrition, you can normalize insulin levels and avoid complications, in particular diabetes mellitus.
Insulin and diabetes
There are two types of diabetes - 1 and 2. The first refers to congenital diseases and is characterized by the gradual destruction of pancreatic beta cells. If they remain less than 20%, the body ceases to cope, and substitution therapy becomes necessary. But when the islets are more than 20%, you may not even notice any changes in your health. Often, short and ultrashort insulin is used in the treatment, as well as background (extended).
The second type of diabetes is acquired. Beta cells with this diagnosis work "in good conscience", however, the action of insulin is impaired - it can no longer perform its functions, as a result of which sugar again accumulates in the blood and can cause serious complications, up to a hypoclycemic coma. For its treatment, drugs are used that help restore lost hormone function.
Insulin injections are extremely necessary for patients with diabetes mellitus of the first type , but type 2 diabetics often cost drugs for a long time (years and even decades). True, over time, you still have to "sit down" on insulin.
Insulin treatment helps to get rid of complications that develop while ignoring the body's need for it from the outside, and also helps to reduce the load on the pancreas and even contribute to the partial restoration of its beta cells.
It is believed that, having started insulin therapy, it is no longer possible to return to drugs (tablets). However, you must admit, it is better to start insulin earlier if necessary, than to refuse it - in this case, serious complications cannot be avoided. Doctors say that there is a chance in the future to refuse injections for type 2 diabetes if insulin treatment was started on time. Therefore, carefully monitor your well-being, do not forget to adhere to diets - they are an integral factor in well-being. Remember that diabetes is not a sentence, but a way of life.
New research
Scientists continue to aggressively seek a way to make life easier for people with diabetes. In 2015, the United States introduced a new development - an insulin inhalation device that will replace syringes, making life easier for diabetics. This device is already available at pharmacies in America by prescription.
In the same year (and again in the USA) the so-called “smart insulin” was introduced, which is introduced into the body once a day, activating independently if necessary. Despite the fact that so far it has been tested only on animals and has not yet been tested on humans, it is obvious that scientists made very important discoveries at the beginning of 2015. Let's hope that in the future they will delight diabetics with their discoveries.