Type 2 Diabetes: Insulin

Some people with type 2 diabetes will eventually require insulin to keep their diabetes in control. How much insulin you need and when you take it depends on several factors—the type of insulin your doctor has prescribed, your nutrition and exercise habits, and other co-existing medical conditions and medications you may be taking for them.

The Types of Insulin

There are six types of synthetic insulin available—rapid-acting, regular, NPH (N), lente (L), ultralente, and long-acting basal. Each has its own unique therapeutic effect. An insulin’s onset of action is how long it takes the hormone to start working at lowering blood glucose levels. The peak is the point at which the dose is at the height of its therapeutic effectiveness, and the duration is how long the insulin’s blood glucose lowering effect lasts from injection to end.

Your healthcare provider may suggest two types of insulin used in combination or at different times of the day. Some insulin manufacturers market commonly used mixtures of insulins.

How to Take Insulin: The Choices

Insulin can be injected manually, or can be infused into the body with the help of a small electronic infusion device called an insulin pump.