Everything You Need to Know About Insulin

胰岛素是什么?

胰岛素是胰腺制成的激素，位于胃后面的腺体。胰岛素允许您的身体使用葡萄糖进行能量。葡萄糖是许多碳水化合物中发现的糖。

The body processes glucose like this:

• After a meal or snack, carbohydrates are broken down in your digestive tract and changed into葡萄糖。
• 然后，葡萄糖通过小肠的衬里吸收到血液中。
• Once glucose is in your bloodstream, insulin signals 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 tells your body to store the leftover glucose in your liver. The stored glucose isn’t released until your blood glucose levels decrease. Your blood glucose levels may decrease between meals or when your body is stressed or needs an extra boost of energy.

Understanding diabetes

Diabetes当你的身体不适合使用胰岛素或进行足够的胰岛素时发生。糖尿病有两种主要类型：1型和2型。

Type 1 diabetesis an autoimmune disease, which is a type of disease that causes the body to attack itself. If you’re living with type 1 diabetes, your body cannot make insulin properly. This is because your immune system has harmed the insulin-producing cells in yourpancreas。1型糖尿病更常见于年轻人，虽然它可以在成年期开发。

In2型糖尿病, your body has become resistant to the effects of insulin. This means your body needs more insulin to get the same effects. As a result, your body overproduces insulin to keep your血糖水平normal. After many years of this overproduction, the insulin-producing cells in your pancreas burn out. Type 2 diabetes can affect people of any age.

用胰岛素管理糖尿病

Injections of insulin can help manage both types of diabetes. The injected insulin acts as a replacement for, or a supplement to, your body’s natural insulin.

患有1型糖尿病的人不能制造胰岛素，因此它们必须注入胰岛素以控制血糖水平。

与2型糖尿病一起生活的人可以用生活方式改变和口服药物来管理血糖水平。但是，如果这些治疗不有助于控制葡萄糖水平，则与2型糖尿病的人也可能需要补充胰岛素。

Types of insulin treatments

所有类型的胰岛素产生相同的效果。它们用于模仿白天在体内的自然增加和减少胰岛素水平。化妆不同类型的胰岛素affects how fast and how long they work.

The type of insulin you’ll be prescribed will vary depending on things like:

• your age
• 您的活动水平
• 你的身体吸收胰岛素需要多长时间
• 胰岛素在系统中有多长时间保持活动状态

Talk with a doctor about the right insulin for you and your lifestyle.

Administration and dosage

胰岛素最常通过注射器施用，胰岛素笔， 要么胰岛素泵。The type of insulin injection you use will be based on your personal preference, health needs, and insurance coverage.

Your doctor or diabetes educator will show you how to give yourself the injections. You can inject the insulin under the skin in many different parts of your body, such as your:

• thighs
• buttocks
• upper arms
• abdomen

您的医生也可能还会解释在您的身体上静脉内注射胰岛素的重要性，以防止在注射部位形成肿块或脂肪沉积。

了解更多信息：如何进行皮下注射。

How to choose the right method for injecting insulin

Both syringes and insulin pens use a small needle to inject insulin into your body. There are pros and cons to each, and which one you ultimately end up with will depend on your lifestyle and your doctor’s advice.

关于胰岛素注射器的信息：

• They come in a few different sizes.
• Your doctor will tell you how much insulin you need per dose.
• You will usually draw the insulin into the syringe when you need it.
• They’re not as discreet as an insulin pen.

Things to know about insulin pens:

• Some pens use cartridges that are manually inserted into the pen.
• 在使用所有胰岛素后，其他钢笔被预填充并抛弃。
• Needles in pens are often smaller than those in syringes.
• Not all types of insulin can be used with a pen.
• 笔可以比注射器更昂贵，有时没有被保险覆盖。

How to take insulin without a syringe

There are two ways to get your insulin without using a syringe or needle. Your doctor will decide if one of these options works for your personal needs.

胰岛素泵：

• deliver insulin continuously through a plastic tube placed semipermanently into the fatty layer under your skin
• are typically placed in the stomach area or back of the upper arm
• 可以比注射器更准确地提供胰岛素
• need to be told to deliver additional insulin for meals
• may cause weight gain
• may cause infection
• may be expensive

胰岛素吸入器：

• deliver ultra-rapid-acting insulin
• are typically used before a meal
• 通常必须与可注射的，更长的胰岛素一起使用
• may cause less weight gain
• may cause coughing
• 不给确切剂量比较d with other methods
• 需要常规测试来监控副作用

How should I store my insulin?

Like food, insulin doesn’t have a forever shelf life. It’s recommended that you store any insulin you’re not using in the fridge.

However, injecting cold insulin may make the injection feel more painful. Because of this, a best practice is to keep the bottle of insulin you’re currently using in a safe place, away from direct heat and sunlight. Insulin kept at room temperature can last about a month.

Do not store insulin in the freezer, and always check the expiration date before using it.

Side effects and reactions

Side effects from injecting or receiving insulin are rare, but can occur in certain cases. The symptoms of mild allergic reactions are swelling, itching, or redness around the injection area. More severe insulin allergies may include nausea and vomiting.

In either case, talk with your doctor if you notice any of these signs.

Hypoglycemia， 要么血糖水平that are too low, can sometimes occur when you take insulin.

It’s important to balance the insulin that you give yourself with food or calories. If you exercise longer or harder than usual or don’t eat the right amount of calories or carbs, your glucose level can drop too low and trigger low blood sugar. Symptoms of low blood sugar include:

• fatigue
• inability to speak
• sweating
• confusion
• loss of consciousness
• 缉获
• muscle twitching
• pale skin

通常，对于使用胰岛素的几乎任何人来说，每分列的血糖读数少于70毫克（mg / dl），但您应该与您的医生交谈，这对您来说太低了。

Treatment

To treat hypoglycemia (less than 70mg/dL or the level your doctor has said is too low for you), carry at least 15 grams of fast-acting carbohydrates with you at all times. That’s about equal to any of the following:

• 1/2杯非饮食苏打水
• 1/2 cup of fruit juice
• 5救生员糖果
• 2 tablespoons of raisins
• 3至4片葡萄糖片

Alternative medications for people with type 2 diabetes

People living with type 1 diabetes must use insulin to help control their blood sugar, but those living with type 2 diabetes may be able to use oral medications to help manage their blood sugar instead of injections.

Oral medication is typically prescribed along with lifestyle changes, such as increased activity, weight loss (if applicable), and diet changes.

Medications for type 2 diabetes are designed to lower blood glucose levels, but they may not work for everyone. Typically, they work best for people who have recently developed diabetes and do not use supplemental insulin.

Some medicationsinclude：

• α-葡糖苷酶抑制剂
• bile acid sequestrants
• 双胍（二甲双胍）
• DPP-4抑制剂
• GLP-1受体激动剂
• meglitinides.
• SGLT2抑制剂
• sulfonylureas
• thiazolidinediones (TZDs)

Before prescribing any of these oral medications, your doctor will talk with you about your medical history and any additional medications you take.

Ways to manage blood glucose levels

如果你患有1型糖尿病,身体does not produce insulin, so you’ll need to continue to permanently take insulin.

People living with type 2 diabetes can manage, and maybe even reverse, their diagnosis withlifestyle changes。

According to the 疾病控制和预防中心（CDC） ，有助于管理2型糖尿病的生活方式更改是：

• 吃富含水果和蔬菜的营养 - 密集的饮食
• maintaining a moderate weight
• 保持身体活动

These lifestyle habits are also helpful for managing type 1 diabetes, but they won’t reverse the diagnosis.

Additionally, you can help manage your blood sugar by:

• eating at regular times
• 限制你喝的酒精量
• trying to quit smoking (if applicable)
• managing your cholesterol
• 服用您的药物
• 保持在您的血糖顶部，并按照规定进行测试

Takeaway

如果您患有糖尿病（2型或1型），则胰岛素可以帮助将血糖水平保持在推荐范围内。有几种方法可以服用胰岛素，从注射器到胰岛素笔，胰岛素泵，甚至吸入器。

保持血糖水平有助于降低风险diabetes complications, such as blindness and the loss of limbs.

除胰岛素和口服药物外，生活方式的变化可以有助于防止血糖水平过高。

Whether you’ve been prescribed insulin or have just recently been diagnosed with diabetes, talk with your doctor about ways to make your treatment as effective as possible.

Read this article in Spanish.