Bumisuka.com – How Do Injectable Insulin Lower Blood Sugar Levels. Diabetes is a disease characterized by increased blood sugar levels beyond normal values. Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to various complications such as heart disease, kidney disease, and others. Therefore, people living with diabetes need to control their blood sugar levels to reduce the risk of complications with diabetes treatment and lifestyle adjustments.
There are various diabetes treatments, one of which is injectable insulin. How can injectable insulin lower blood sugar levels? Read on to find out the answer!
1. Recognize the role of the hormone insulin
Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas. The hormone insulin functions to control the storage and use of glucose.
Healthline explained, when consuming food, carbohydrates will be broken down by the body into glucose or simple sugars. The pancreas will release the insulin hormone so that the glucose in the blood can enter and be used by the body’s cells. Glucose is used by the body’s cells as a source of energy. In addition, glucose can also be stored in the liver in the form of glycogen for use when needed.
With the insulin hormone, blood sugar levels stabilize and the body can use glucose as energy so that it can carry out its functions normally.
2. The relationship between diabetes and the hormone insulin
Under certain conditions, the pancreas does not produce enough insulin hormone so that the body does not work properly. In addition, glucose that cannot enter the cells makes blood sugar levels high. The most common conditions associated with the hormone insulin are type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes.
The American Diabetes Association says, in type 1 diabetes, the pancreas does not produce the hormone insulin. Meanwhile, in type 2 diabetes, the pancreas produces the hormone insulin, but the body does not respond to the presence of the hormone insulin.
3. Injectable insulin
Reported by Healthline, people living with type 1 diabetes need to use injectable insulin and monitor their blood sugar levels throughout the day to make sure they are on target.
Meanwhile, people living with type 2 diabetes do not always need injecting insulin if blood sugar levels can be controlled by maintaining a healthy lifestyle and using oral diabetes medications.
Described on the American Diabetes Association’s website, there are various types of insulin depending on how quickly it starts working, when it reaches peak levels, and how long it lasts.
Types of insulin injections include rapid-acting insulin, short-acting insulin, intermediate-acting insulin, long-acting insulin and ultra-long-acting.
4. How does injecting insulin lower blood sugar levels?
Some people with diabetes need insulin from outside the body, one of which is injection insulin. The doctor will help choose the type of insulin and insulin dosage according to the patient’s condition.
Reported by the Directorate General of Health Services of the Ministry of Health, injection insulin therapy given to diabetic patients in principle mimics the workings of the insulin hormone produced by the body. As explained Medical News Today, the presence of injected insulin will help move glucose from the blood to the body’s cells. That way, the body’s cells can use glucose as energy.
5. Insulin injection site
Injectable insulin is injected subcutaneously or into the fat layer under the skin. The location for injecting insulin is in the abdomen, thighs and upper arms.
Parts of the body will absorb the injected insulin at different rates. Medical News Today said that insulin enters the blood vessels the fastest when it is injected in the abdomen.
Insulin injections work in the same way as the hormone insulin that the body produces. Insulin that is injected will help move glucose from the blood to the body’s cells so that it can be used as energy. That way, glucose or sugar levels in the blood will decrease.