Insulin is an important hormone made by the
pancreas. It is also a medication (actually, a group of medications) used to treat
diabetes. There are many different types of these medications, which vary in how quickly they start to work and how long they last in the body.
Currently, all of the insulin medications sold in the United States are made by one of the following three manufacturers:
- Eli Lilly and Company
- Novo Nordisk
- sanofi-aventis.
Insulin is a hormone that is naturally produced by the pancreas.
This hormone is important for several functions, such as controlling blood sugar. It helps the cells of your body remove glucose ("sugar") from your bloodstream. This sugar fuels your body's cells, giving them the energy they need to work properly. You may need to take this hormone as a medication if your pancreas has trouble making enough of it, which is the case in people with
type 1 diabetes and in some people who have
type 2 diabetes.
Even though it is made in a laboratory, standard, "regular" insulin is identical to the hormone produced by the human body. Over the years, scientists have developed ways to slightly change the insulin molecule to change the way it works in the human body. Some forms are designed to start working quickly and to last only a short while. These are known as rapid-acting insulins and are used to control increases in blood sugar levels after meals. Other types are designed to provide a steady, slow, background rate of the hormone that lasts for a long period of time. These are known as long-acting insulins. There are also short-acting and intermediate-acting versions.
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