Why is insulin dangerous? The functional role of insulin in the body

The hormone insulin and its role in the body are closely related to work endocrine system. It contains several glands internal secretion, each of which is necessary to maintain human health. When malfunctions occur in at least one of the glands, all organs suffer.

Insulin is a well-studied hormone with a peptide base, which includes several amino acids. If insulin levels decrease or increase, an important function of the endocrine system is disrupted - maintaining blood sugar levels.

The most impressive and scary factor that has made the hormone so “popular” is the annual increase in the number of people diagnosed with diabetes.

Mechanism of insulin production

The hormone is produced in the endocrine cells of the tail of the pancreas. Clusters of these cells are called islets of Langerhans in honor of the scientist who discovered them. Despite the small size, each the insula is considered a tiny organ with a complex structure. They are responsible for the release of insulin. Here's how insulin is produced:

1. Production of preproinsulin. The pancreas creates the basis for the hormone preproinsulin.
2. Signal peptide synthesis. Together with the base, a preproinsulin conductor, a peptide, is produced; it delivers the base to endocrine cells. There it is synthesized into proinsulin.
3. Maturation stage. For some time, the processed components settle in the cells of the endocrine system - in the Golgi apparatus. There they mature for some time and break down into insulin and C-peptide. By peptide during laboratory diagnostics often determine the activity of the pancreas.
4. Relationship with zinc. The insulin produced interacts with the mineral ions, and when blood sugar rises, the hormone is released from beta cells and begins to lower its level.

If the level in the body is high, then the synthesis of the hormone in the pancreas decreases. Glucagon is produced in the alpha cells of the islet of Langerhans.

Action of insulin

The main effect of the hormone is regulation metabolic processes in organism. It affects everything: the absorption of vitamins, minerals, nutrients, as well as the breakdown of other substances. Without the help of insulin, cells will not be able to receive glucose.

Under the influence of the substance, the permeability of cell membranes increases, and glucose is freely absorbed into them. In parallel, insulin converts glucose into a polysaccharide - glycogen. He serves natural source energy for humans.

Hormone functions

Decreased performance

Due to stress and eating habits, insulin can not only increase, but also decrease. It is a mistake to believe that this normal condition, which is not hazardous to health. They start the process of lowering the hormone:

• fatty foods rich in carbohydrates and calories - the insulin produced by the gland is not enough to absorb incoming foods. This leads to intense hormone production, which quickly wears out beta cells;
• chronic tendency to overeat, even healthy food in huge quantities it will not be useful;
• lack of sleep negatively affects the production of hormones, especially if a person consistently sleeps for 4-5 hours;
• overexertion, severe or dangerous job, stimulating the release of adrenaline;
• decreased function immune system, infectious lesions;
• a sedentary lifestyle, causing physical inactivity, in which a lot of glucose enters the blood, but it is not processed properly.

To understand exactly how insulin affects human health with diabetes, you need to consider the process of interaction between glucose and the hormone.

Insulin and glucose levels

In a healthy person, even in a situation where food does not enter the body for a long time, the sugar level is approximately the same. Insulin continues to be produced by the pancreas at approximately the same rhythm. When a person eats, food is broken down and carbohydrates enter the blood as glucose molecules. Here's what happens next:

1. The liver receives a signal and the stored hormone is released. By reacting with glucose, it lowers sugar levels and turns it into energy.
2. The gland begins a new stage of producing insulin to replace what was spent.
3. New portions of the hormone are sent to the intestines to break down sugars that are partially processed.
4. The unspent glucose balance is partially converted into glycogen, which goes into a resting state. It is contained in muscles and liver, and is partially deposited in adipose tissue.
5. Some time after eating, sugar begins to decrease. Glucagon is released into the blood, and accumulated glycogen begins to break down into glucose, stimulating the rise of sugar.

Insulin is an essential hormone, the level of which is closely related to the daily functioning of the body. Its violations lead to diseases that shorten a person’s life by several decades, complicating it with a host of unpleasant side effects.

Thanks to insulin, which is an important polypeptide hormone, proper cellular functioning is carried out. We can say that the effect of insulin on the body is quite large. Its production is carried out by the pancreas, and it ensures the supply of glucose, amino acids and potassium to the cells, and also controls the maintenance of proper carbohydrate balance and is responsible for metabolic processes. The principle of operation is based on the opening of cell membranes, which is why the body is fed with glucose. The main indicator of the system’s operation is the level of insulin in the blood on an empty stomach, the level of which can vary between 3-27 µU/ml, and after eating - 6-35 µU/ml.

How insulin affects the body

As a rule, an adequate insulin value is 5.5 - 10 µU/ml. Highest permissible norm– 11.5 units, however, experts believe that this state, whose name is “tolerance,” may signal initial stage diabetes mellitus diseases. In the event that hormones are not in normal quantity, then the cells become less sensitive to secretion. The type of diabetes and its treatment program will be determined by the results of the analysis.

A constant glucose level of 20vu/ml or more in the human body provokes the likelihood of death.

Sudden changes in insulin in the blood can cause malfunction brain, symptoms of which may be as follows:

Elevated insulin levels can result from blockage of lipase (an enzyme) that can break down fats in the body. This phenomenon causes the development of dandruff, impotence, trophic ulcers, high fat content hair, the development of seborrhea, the appearance of excess fat accumulation. Violations of lipid metabolism provoke the occurrence cholesterol plaques, atherosclerosis, increased blood pressure. Some scientists believe that its level will influence the functioning of the kidneys and nervous system, proliferation of low-quality cells.

Increased level

It happens that the human body contains an excess amount of polypeptide hormones. This phenomenon can be observed under the following conditions:

• obesity;
• liver pathologies;
• genetic fructose intolerance;
• diabetes mellitus type 2;
• muscular dystrophy;
• pancreatic neoplasms, inflammatory processes;
• pregnancy.

Reduced level

It happens that the body has a low level of insulin on an empty stomach. This can happen under the following circumstances:

The lower limit after the fall may be due to the following factors:

• some diseases;
• development of type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Methods to increase insulin levels

In order to lower blood sugar concentrations, it is important that insulin is at sufficient level. To increase this level, you can resort to insulin therapy and the use of sugar substitutes.

In this case, special medications are used:

• Medcifvin. The drug helps in the process of restoring the functioning of the immune system and strengthening its functions, and helps restore hormonal levels.
• Livicin. This medicine helps in dilating blood vessels.
• Civilin. Taking the drug ensures the renewal of pancreatic cells. These cells help in the production of insulin in the blood, thereby increasing its levels.

Traditional medicine is often used for this purpose. The treatment process must be combined with adherence to a special low-carbohydrate nutrition program. The diet should be balanced and complete. You need to eat often, but the portions themselves should be small. Honey, semolina, potatoes, and rice must be excluded from the menu. Instead of these foods, it is important to include ones that will stimulate the pancreas. Among these healthy foods are: blueberries, lean meat, kefir, parsley, apples, cabbage. This nutrition program will help lower blood sugar and increase insulin levels.

Electrophoresis and physiotherapy should be added to medication treatment.

Methods for lowering insulin levels

Initially, you should pay attention to nutrition. Products included in the diet should contain a minimum glycemic index. The body appreciates them because they take a long time to digest and break down gradually. As a result, sugar does not rise quickly.

There will be no sharp increase or decrease in all indicators if meals are taken 5-6 times, and you should not eat late in the evening.

The body will function better if your daily diet includes fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and wholemeal bread products.

It is necessary to supply the body with all minerals and vitamins, which will also help reduce and normalize insulin levels. To do this, you can resort to synthetic drugs or food product with their high content. For example, brewer's yeast and animal liver are a source of chromium, nuts, grains, buckwheat honey contain magnesium, and dairy products contain a sufficient amount of calcium.

Many people know or guess that traditional methods of treatment can help stabilize blood sugar levels, however, this method requires a preliminary consultation with an endocrinologist.

In case of difficulties, you can resort to treatment with medications or surgical treatment. Excessive insulin production may indicate a developing hormonally active formation - insulinoma, which is accompanied by hypoglycemic attacks. In this case it is shown surgery, and its volume will be determined by the size of the tumor. In case of low-quality formation, chemotherapy is suggested.

But it is still worth saying that the effect of a hormone such as insulin on the body will primarily depend on lifestyle and nutrition.

Insulin deficiency causes diabetes, but thanks to the discovery and availability of insulin formulations, people with diabetes can live normal lives.

Mechanism of action of insulin

Effect of insulin in the body

• increased urination;
• increased appetite;
• increased thirst.

Main causes of occurrence How to recognize the disease? How to treat? Preventive measures Hypoglycemia is a condition in the body […]

Characteristics of the hormone Monitoring insulin Conducting analysis Insulin norm Insulin is one of the most important hormones [...]

Causes of pathology Symptoms Treatment Hypoglycemia is a human condition characterized by reduced level blood glucose. […]

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What is the action of insulin?

Insulin belongs to the category of peptide hormones. The hormone is produced in the pancreas and plays a significant role in most metabolic processes occurring in the tissues of the body. The main effect of insulin is that it reduces the concentration of glucose in the blood. Insufficient content provokes the onset of diabetes.

Absolute and relative insulin deficiency are equally dangerous, as are the consequences of impaired insulin secretion, which occur due to the destruction of beta cells. Absolute deficiency of the substance is one of the leading causes of the occurrence and development of diabetes mellitus of the first type, relative - of the second.

What does the substance consist of?

The mechanism of action of insulin is directly related to the structure of hormone molecules. The molecule of this hormone consists of two polypeptide chains. The latter contain 51 amino acid residues. Polypeptide chains are divided into 2 groups:

The first group has 21 amino acid residues, the second - 30. The chains are connected to each other through disulfide bridges. The primary structure and action of insulin varies among different species. In humans, the primary structure of insulin is more similar to that which is formed not in the body of a monkey, but in the body of a pig.

The difference between the structures of pig and human insulin is only in one amino acid residue, which is located in the B-chain. The next closest relative of humans in terms of the structure and mechanism of insulin is the bull. The difference between the human and bovine hormone structure is in three amino acid residues.

The effect of insulin is not limited to just reducing blood sugar. The substance performs the following functions:

• influences the dynamics of protein and fat synthesis;
• stimulates the formation of glycogen in muscle and liver tissues;
• increases the permeability of plasma membranes;
• has an anabolic effect;
• inhibits the activity of enzymes involved in the breakdown of glycogen and fat.

Carbohydrate metabolism directly depends on how insulin works. If in beta cells for one reason or another there are destructive processes, the body’s production of the hormone is disrupted and an irreversible metabolic disorder begins.

The action of insulin is that it accelerates the transport of glucose through cell membranes. At the same time, glucose transport is influenced and proteins located in the membrane are regulated. The action of insulin triggers an intracellular mechanism. The quality of glucose transfer into the cell directly depends on how this hormone acts on proteins.

Most of all, the substance affects muscle and fat tissue. Insulin is responsible for transporting glucose into them, and muscle and fat tissues directly influence the fusion of vital functions of the body: blood circulation, respiration, motor activity and much more.

The body receives energy from food and stores it in reserve. If this mechanism does not function fully, this means that the secretion of the hormone is impaired.

About the effects and dangers of using the drug

The effects of the insulin hormone are divided into three groups:

The metabolic effect of the substance is that it enhances the absorption of various substances by cells, including glucose, increases the volume of glycogen synthesis and reduces the intensity of glycogenesis. The latter process is especially important in regulating blood sugar, as the hormone reduces the amount of glucose produced in the liver. The anabolic effect of insulin is aimed at enhancing protein biosynthesis. Due to its anabolic properties, insulin converts glucose into triglycerides. When the body begins to lack the hormone, conditions are created for the accumulation of fat.

The anti-catabolic effect of the hormone occurs in two directions at once. Insulin reduces the level of protein degradation and reduces the intake fatty acids into blood cells. For people suffering diabetes mellitus, the only way to maintain your health, improve your quality of life and increase its duration is to take insulin-containing medications.

It is important for all people suffering from diabetes to know: the dosage of insulin should under no circumstances be calculated independently. 100 units of insulin is lethal dose. There is a chance to save the patient’s life mainly in cases where the person is conscious after taking a critical dose of insulin. Some time still passes before the onset of coma, but it is really possible to help the patient if it is possible to immediately inject glucose into his blood.

Time of action and types of hormone

The duration of action of the hormone insulin is human body usually divided into 3 categories:

The listed components characterize the effect of insulin-containing drugs on the body. The onset refers to the entry of the hormone into the human blood. It is from this moment that insulin has a hypoglycemic effect, which is a significant advantage. The peak is a fairly short period, it is characterized by the most pronounced hypoglycemic effect of the hormone. Duration is a period of time greater than the onset and peak. The time it takes insulin to reduce blood sugar is the duration.

Based on the duration of action, there are a number of types of insulin, the use of which in medical practice depends on various factors, including background and prandial secretions. To imitate the first, long-acting or medium-acting insulin is needed, for the second, ultra-short or short-term insulins.

Human hormones have a medium to short duration; all other insulins are analogue. The latter are created from human insulin, but the structure of their molecule is changed so that the hormone receives the necessary properties to simulate basal or bolus secretions.

Insulin, administered to lower blood sugar levels, is divided into 2 categories:

The first one is valid for 24 hours, so it is administered into the patient’s body no more than once a day. Its use is more convenient than a bolus, whose effect is limited to several hours. Basal insulin has no peak effect and gives a smooth effect. That is, when used regularly, it lowers blood sugar levels to a certain level that does not increase or decrease. The bolus differs from it in its greater speed of action on the body; when it enters the blood, the hormone immediately has a noticeable effect. The glucose-lowering effect of the bolus hormone is uneven, its peak occurs during meals - when insulin is used of this type it is possible to reduce blood sugar levels.

The use of analogue insulins is considered more effective than human ones, since artificially modified molecules of the first hormones better imitate physiological secretions.

About common mistakes

Exist various schemes insulin therapy designed for people suffering from type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Those with type 1 diabetes are prescribed basal insulin, which is used no more than twice every 24 hours. This type of hormone is combined with a bolus - the latter is administered before meals. This procedure is called in medical practice: the multiple injection regimen. For type 2 diabetes mellitus, insulin therapy consists of taking the basal hormone insulin and glucose-lowering medications.

In some cases, you can hear complaints from patients about the lack of effect of the administered insulin. The drug is in the blood, but no decrease in sugar levels is observed. Why does this happen? Most often because the technique of administering the drug was violated. A similar situation can be provoked by:

• expired insulin;
• improper storage of the drug;
• mixing in one bottle and simultaneous administration into the body different types hormone;
• air entering the syringe;
• applying alcohol to the site of the upcoming injection, which destroys insulin.

In order for the drug to have an effective effect, it is necessary to strictly follow the instructions for its use and storage, the injection dose, and use only working syringes or syringe pens.

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Nmedicine.net

The course of such a multi-stage and complex process as metabolism is influenced by various biological active substances and hormones, including insulin, which is produced by special islets of Langerhans-Sobolev, which are located deep in the pancreas. It takes part in almost all metabolic processes in the body.

What is insulin?

Insulin is peptide hormone, very important for normal nutrition and the work of cells, it is a transporter of glucose, potassium and amino acids. It is designed to regulate carbohydrate balance. Therefore, after eating, an increase in the amount of this substance in the blood serum is recorded in response to the production of glucose.

The process of normal cellular nutrition without insulin is impossible, and this hormone is essential. Insulin is a protein hormone, so it cannot penetrate the body through the gastrointestinal tract, since it will immediately be digested, like any protein.

How does insulin work?

Insulin is responsible for energy and has a complex effect on metabolism in all tissues. It is able to influence the activity of many enzymes.

Insulin is the only hormone that can reduce blood glucose levels.

If type 1 diabetes mellitus occurs, a violation of the level of insulin in the blood is caused by insufficient insulin production and the level of sugar in the blood increases, while urination also increases, and sugar is detected in the urine.

In type 2 diabetes mellitus, the action of insulin is impaired. Here a blood test for immunoreactive insulin should be performed. This analysis is carried out to determine the type of diabetes mellitus and the adequacy of the functioning of the pancreas, in order to then prescribe treatment with medications.

Checking the level of this hormone allows you to detect disturbances in the functioning of the pancreas, and accurately differentiate diabetes mellitus from other types of diabetes. similar disease. This is a very important study. In diabetes mellitus, not only carbohydrate, but also protein and fat metabolism is impaired. In severe form, diabetes mellitus in the absence adequate treatment can lead to death.

The body's need for insulin can be measured in CU - carbohydrate units. The dose is necessarily determined by the type of drug administered. If there is insufficiency of pancreatic cells, which leads to a reduced level of insulin in the blood, a drug that stimulates the activity of these cells, for example, Butamide, is prescribed to treat diabetes mellitus. The mechanism of action of this drug and its analogues is to improve the absorption of insulin in the blood by tissues and organs.

Insulin preparations are usually administered subcutaneously and their effect begins on average after fifteen to thirty minutes, and the maximum level in the blood is recorded after two to three hours, the duration of action reaches six hours. In severe diabetes, insulin is administered three times a day - in the morning on an empty stomach, in the afternoon and in the evening.

To increase the duration of action of insulin, long-acting agents are used. This is, for example, a zinc-insulin suspension with a duration of ten to thirty-six hours, as well as a protamine-zinc suspension with a duration of action of twenty-four to thirty-six hours. These drugs are given subcutaneously or intramuscularly.

If an insulin overdose occurs, sharp drop blood glucose - hypoglycemia. It manifests itself in sweating, aggressiveness, irritability, hunger, and sometimes hypoglycemic shock can occur, which can lead to convulsions, cardiac dysfunction and loss of consciousness. At the first signs of hypoglycemia, the patient should immediately consume a piece of sugar, white bread or cookies. In case of hypoglycemic shock, intravenous administration of 40% glucose solution is required.

When using insulin, it is possible that allergic reactions, in particular, hives, redness at the injection site and a number of others. In such cases, the doctor tries to prescribe other drugs, for example, suinsulin, but you cannot refuse the previously prescribed substance yourself, since this is fraught with signs of hormone deficiency and coma, here the cause is excessive glucose in the blood.

What is insulin - which organ produces the hormone, the mechanism of action in the body and indications for injections

The ideal hormonal level is the basis for the full development of the human body. One of key hormones The human body is insulin. Its deficiency or excess leads to negative consequences. Diabetes mellitus and hypoglycemia are the two extremes that become constant unpleasant companions of the human body, which ignores information about what insulin is and what its level should be.

Hormone insulin

The honor of creating the first works that laid the path to the discovery of the hormone belongs to the Russian scientist Leonid Sobolev, who in 1900 proposed using the pancreas to obtain an antidiabetic drug and gave the concept of what insulin is. More than 20 years were spent on further research, and after 1923, industrial insulin production began. Today the hormone is well studied by science. It takes part in the processes of carbohydrate breakdown, being responsible for metabolism and fat synthesis.

Which organ produces insulin?

The insulin-producing organ is the pancreas, where conglomerates of B cells are located, known to the scientific world as the islets of Lawrence or pancreatic islets. The specific mass of cells is small and amounts to only 3% of the total mass of the pancreas. Insulin is produced by beta cells; the hormone has a subtype called proinsulin.

What subtype of insulin is is not completely known. The hormone itself, before taking its final form, enters the Golgi cell complex, where it is refined to the state of a full-fledged hormone. The process is completed when the hormone is placed in special granules of the pancreas, where it is stored until a person eats food. The resource of B cells is limited and is quickly depleted when a person abuses simple carbohydrate foods, which is the cause of the development of diabetes mellitus.

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Action

What is the hormone insulin? It is the most important regulator of metabolism. Without it, glucose entering the body with food will not be able to enter the cell. The hormone increases the permeability of cell membranes, as a result of which glucose is absorbed into the cell body. At the same time, the hormone promotes the conversion of glucose into glycogen, a polysaccharide that contains a reserve of energy that is used by the human body as needed.

Functions

The functions of insulin are varied. It ensures the functioning of muscle cells, influencing the processes of protein and fat metabolism. The hormone plays the role of a brain informant, which, based on receptor data, determines the need for fast carbohydrates: if there is a lot of it, the brain concludes that the cells are starving and reserves need to be created. The effect of insulin on the body:

1. It prevents important amino acids from being broken down into simple sugars.
2. Improves protein synthesis - the basis of life.
3. Prevents proteins in muscles from breaking down, prevents muscle atrophy - anabolic effect.
4. Limits the accumulation of ketone bodies, an excessive amount of which is fatal to humans.
5. Promotes the transport of potassium and magnesium ions.

The role of insulin in the human body

A deficiency of the hormone is associated with a disease called diabetes mellitus. Those suffering from this disease are forced to regularly inject additional doses of insulin into their blood. The other extreme is an excess of the hormone, hypoglycemia. This disease leads to increased blood pressure and decreased vascular elasticity. The increase in insulin secretion is enhanced by the hormone glucagon, produced by the alpha cells of the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas.

Insulin-dependent tissues

Insulin stimulates muscle protein production, without which muscle unable to develop. The formation of adipose tissue, which normally performs vital functions, is impossible without the hormone. Patients who have advanced diabetes are faced with ketoacidosis, a form of metabolic disorder in which shock intracellular starvation occurs.

Blood insulin level

The functions of insulin include maintaining the required amount of glucose in the blood, regulating the metabolism of fats and proteins, transforming nutrients before muscle mass. At normal levels of the substance the following occurs:

• protein synthesis to build muscles;
• the balance of metabolism and catabolism is maintained;
• stimulates the synthesis of glycogen, which increases endurance and regeneration of muscle cells;
• Amino acids, glucose, and potassium enter the cells.

Norm

Insulin concentration is measured in µU/ml (0.04082 mg of crystalline substance is taken as one unit). Healthy people have an indicator equal to 3-25 such units. For children, a reduction to 3-20 µU/ml is allowed. In pregnant women, the norm is different - 6-27 µU/ml; in elderly people over 60 years old, this figure is 6-35. A change in the norm indicates the presence of serious diseases.

Elevated

Long-term excess normal indicators insulin risks irreversible pathological changes. This condition occurs due to a drop in sugar levels. You can understand that insulin concentration is exceeded by the following signs: trembling, sweating, rapid heartbeat, sudden attacks hunger, nausea, fainting, coma. The following indicators influence the increase in hormone levels:

• intense physical activity;
• chronic stress;
• diseases of the liver and pancreas;
• obesity;
• impaired cell resistance to carbohydrates;
• polycystic ovary syndrome;
• failure of the pituitary gland;
• cancer and benign tumors adrenal glands

Reduced

A decrease in insulin concentration occurs due to stress, intense physical activity, nervous exhaustion, daily consumption large quantity refined carbohydrates. Lack of insulin blocks the flow of glucose, increasing its concentration. As a result, you feel intense thirst, anxiety, sudden bouts of hunger, irritability, and frequent urination. Due to similar symptoms of low and high insulin Diagnosis is carried out by special studies.

What is insulin for diabetics made from?

The issue of raw materials for the production of the hormone worries many patients. Insulin in the human body is produced by the pancreas, and the following types are obtained artificially:

1. Pork or bovine - animal origin. Animal pancreases are used for production. The raw pork preparation contains proinsulin, which cannot be separated; it becomes a source of allergic reactions.
2. Biosynthetic or modified pork - a semi-synthetic drug is obtained by replacing amino acids. Among the advantages are compatibility with the human body and the absence of allergies. Disadvantages: shortage of raw materials, complexity of work, high cost.
3. Genetically engineered recombinant - otherwise called “human insulin” because it is completely identical to the natural hormone. The substance is produced by enzymes of yeast strains and genetically modified coli.

Instructions for using insulin

The functions of insulin are very important for the human body. If you are diabetic, you have a doctor's referral and a prescription, which gives the medicine free of charge at pharmacies or hospitals. In case of urgent need, it can be bought without a prescription, but the dosage must be observed. To avoid overdose, read the instructions for using insulin.

Indications for use

According to the instructions included in each package insulin drug, the indications for its use are type 1 diabetes mellitus (also called insulin-dependent) and in some cases type 2 diabetes mellitus (non-insulin-dependent). Such factors include intolerance to oral hypoglycemic agents and the development of ketosis.

Insulin administration

The doctor prescribes the medication after diagnosis and blood tests. Drugs are used to treat diabetes mellitus of different durations action: short and long. The choice depends on the severity of the disease, the patient’s condition, and the speed of onset of action of the drug:

1. A drug short acting intended for subcutaneous, intravenous or intramuscular injection. It has a quick, short-term sugar-lowering effect; it is administered a minute before meals several times a day. The effect occurs after half an hour, maximum - after two hours, in total it lasts about six hours.
2. Long-term or prolonged action - has an effect that lasts for hours, allowing you to reduce the daily number of injections. Suspensions are administered intramuscularly or subcutaneously, but not intravenously.

To facilitate administration and adherence to dosage, syringes are used. One division corresponds to a certain number of units. Rules for insulin therapy:

• store medications in the refrigerator, and those started at room temperature; warm the medication before administering, because cool has a weaker effect;
• it is better to inject a short-acting hormone under the skin of the abdomen - injected into the thigh or above the buttock acts more slowly, even worse - in the shoulder;
• a long-acting medicine is injected into the left or right thigh;
• give each injection in a different zone;
• when making insulin injections, cover the entire area of ​​the body part - this way you can avoid pain and compaction;
• step back at least 2 cm from the last injection site;
• do not treat your skin with alcohol, this destroys insulin;
• if liquid flows out, the needle was inserted incorrectly - you need to hold it at an angle of degrees.

Side effects

When drugs are administered subcutaneously, lipodystrophy may develop at the injection site. Very rarely, but allergic reactions occur. If they occur, symptomatic therapy and replacement of the drug are required. Contraindications for use are:

• acute hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, jaundice, pancreatitis;
• nephritis, urolithiasis;
• decompensated heart defects.

Insulin price

The cost of insulin depends on the type of manufacturer, type of drug (short/long period of action, raw materials) and packaging volume. The price of 50 ml of the drug Insulinum is approximately 150 rubles in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Insuman with a pen syringe costs 1200, Protafan suspension has a price of about 930 rubles. How much insulin costs is also affected by the pharmacy level.

Video

The information presented in the article is for informational purposes only. The materials of the article do not call for self-treatment. Only a qualified doctor can make a diagnosis and make recommendations for treatment based on individual characteristics specific patient.

How does insulin affect the body?

Insulin is a hormone that the human body produces in specialized cells of the pancreas. The function of this hormone is to maintain normal level blood sugar. Insulin deficiency causes diabetes, but thanks to the discovery and availability of insulin, people with diabetes can live normal lives.

Insulin medications should be administered subcutaneously using syringes and special dispensers. Diabetes symptoms subside during the administration of these drugs, but this is not synonymous with curing the disease. Relapses of diabetes symptoms occur after discontinuation of insulin medications.

Mechanism of action of insulin

As is already known, insulin is a universal hormone. It helps in ensuring all metabolic processes in our body. The role of this hormone is to act on target cells into which excess glucose from the blood is transported during carbohydrate metabolism.

The mechanism of action of insulin increases the storage of glucose processes in the liver in the form of glycogen, and also stimulates protein synthesis in the body.

Fat tissue, muscle and liver respond most actively to insulin. Therefore, these cells process all the sugar that was deposited by insulin, and also store it in reserve in case of energy starvation. At the same time, glucose is deposited in the form of glycogen. And if the body needs it, it is released in circulatory system glucose from glycogen.

Effect of insulin in the body

The main action of insulin is to ensure proper utilization of glucose in the human body. Unused glucose is excreted from the body in urine. In such a situation, there is a lack of energy in the body, thus turning on the use of body fats. An increase in fat metabolism and the excretion of excess glucose in the urine causes typical symptoms diabetes, namely:

Increasing insulin deficiency can lead to acidosis. Insulin drugs used in the treatment of diabetes were, until recently, collected from the pancreas of pigs and large cattle. The process of obtaining the drugs was quite complex and therefore required special production from tissue taken from animals for slaughter. To obtain a dose of insulin for one year of treatment for a patient, you will need 7 kg of tissue taken from the pancreas of animals. Thus, insulin production is not only complex process, but also expensive.

In the eighties, using methods genetic engineering, the production of human insulin began with the help of baker's yeast and E. coli bacteria, which are the natural habitat of the living human digestive tract.

These microorganisms were “reprogrammed” to produce insulin. They possess, in addition to the self-regulation of proteins, the synthesis of insulin. The bacteria's production provides huge amounts of insulin, similar to the natural insulin produced in the human body. Similarities chemical structure artificial insulin and natural insulin have great importance in the rate of its absorption in tissues, as well as in the effectiveness of insulin on the body.

There is no other organ in the human body like the pancreas. Violation of its functions can lead to the development of diabetes mellitus. As part of the endocrine system, iron has unique abilities. It can influence many life processes. They are regulated by the insulin hormone. What is it responsible for and what is the spectrum of its action? What is the significant role of insulin in the human body? How to check and what to do if your own hormone is not enough?

Organ that synthesizes enzymes and hormones

Anatomically, the pancreas is located behind back wall stomach. Hence the origin of its name. Essential Function endocrine organ involves the production of insulin. This is a special secretory substance that takes a leading part in various processes.

Hyperfunction of the gland is increased production hormone. Such a patient's appetite increases and blood sugar decreases. Hypofunction of the organ is accompanied by opposite symptoms, frequent urination, increased thirst.

The organ is classified as a mixed secretion gland. It also has the ability to produce pancreatic or pancreatic juice. Its enzymes are actively involved in digestion. IN end result the body receives the energy necessary for normal existence.

Pancreatic juice appears to be colorless clear liquid. Its amount in a healthy adult is 600–700 ml. The elements of the secretion produced are enzymes (amylase, lipase). Enzymatic substances selectively accelerate the breakdown of food into components, for example, proteins to amino acids.

Lipase and bile are focused on fats, while amylase targets carbohydrates. Complex compounds (starch, glycogen) are eventually converted into simple saccharides. Subsequently, they come under the influence of intestinal enzymes, where the products of multi-stage reactions are finally absorbed into the blood.

Spectrum of action

What exactly is insulin for? The hormone is necessary for every cell in the body. Its main sites of action are the liver, muscles, adipose tissue. The blood of a healthy adult on an empty stomach should have insulin levels in the range of 10–20 μU/ml (0.4–0.8 ng/ml).

Produced by the pancreas or introduced externally, the hormone enters the blood vessels. What does insulin do? More than half of its total amount is temporarily retained in the liver. And it immediately becomes involved in the processes of regulating metabolic processes.

Thanks to insulin, the following occurs:

• reducing the destruction of glycogen and its formation in the liver;
• an obstacle to the conversion of glucose from other compounds;
• suppression of the synthesis of ketone bodies and protein breakdown in muscle tissue;
• formation of glycerol from fat molecules.

With the hormone, the liver and tissues intensively absorb glucose from the blood, metabolism stabilizes minerals. Ketone bodies are harmful substances that are formed as a result of poor-quality breakdown of fats.

In the pancreas, not only glucose increases hormone secretion, but also protein components (amino acids) entering the gastrointestinal tract. It is dangerous for a diabetic to deprive himself of protein foods for a long period. Multi-day fasting diets are contraindicated for him.

Thanks to genetic engineering technologies, insulin that meets all physiological requirements is also obtained artificially

Functions and structure of a complex protein molecule

The hormone has many roles. It saves and accumulates energy. Cells of muscle and adipose tissue, under hormonal patronage, intensively absorb about 15% of glucose. More than half of the total carbohydrate amount is stored in the liver at rest in a healthy person.

The sensitive organ instantly reacts to the glycemic level of the blood. Lack of insulin leads to a decrease in the formation of glucose. The synthesis of energy-rich substances decreases, necessary for a person for life.

With normal hormone production and glucose metabolism in tissues, the rate of carbohydrate absorption by cells is low. The working muscles receive it in full. The function of insulin is to increase protein reserves in the body. Destruction occurs mainly in the liver. Thanks to it, tissue cells absorb potassium, and sodium excretion by the kidneys is delayed.

The protein molecule itself has complex structure. It consists of 16 amino acids (there are 20 in total). In 1921, Canadian medical scientists isolated insulin from the pancreas of mammals. One year later, the adopted experience was successfully tested in Russia.

It is known that a huge number of animal pancreases are required to obtain the drug. So, in order to provide the hormone to one diabetic patient for the whole year, the organs of 40 thousand pigs were used. Now there are more than 50 different medicines. The synthesized glycemic agent undergoes three stages of purification and is considered the best at the present stage.

Some patients with diabetes have a certain psychological barrier when switching to insulin therapy. They take unnecessary risks by refusing hormonal injections if the disease is poorly compensated. Infiltrate orally(through the mouth) is impossible for a protein substance. Insulin in the human body is destroyed in digestive tract, without ever getting into the blood.

Test to determine glucose tolerance

Testing for the presumptive diagnosis of diabetes mellitus is done by provocation with glucose in the amount of 75 g. The sweet solution is drunk on an empty stomach, but not earlier than 10 hours. Carbohydrates from food stimulate the secretion of the hormone. Over the next 2 hours, the patient donates blood several times. Glucose concentrations in whole blood, including venous, capillary and plasma, vary.

Insulin is used only by injection

It is believed that diabetes mellitus is diagnosed when the glycemic values ​​are:

• on an empty stomach – more than 6.11 mmol/l;
• after 1 hour – more than 9.99 mmol/l;
• after 2 hours – 7.22 mmol/l.

It is possible that only one or two values ​​are above the norm. This already allows us to doubt the absolute health of a person on the issue endocrine disease. In this case, continue the examination. It is recommended to take a test for glycated hemoglobin (the norm is up to 7.0 mml/l). He shows average level glycemia for the previous period, the last 3–4 months.

An auxiliary method for determining diabetes mellitus is a C-peptide test. Making a diagnosis does not mean that the endocrinologist will simultaneously prescribe hormone treatment.

Types of insulin therapy and dose determination

Why does a diabetic patient need insulin? Inject protein hormone into in the right place body (stomach, leg, arm) to compensate for the jump in blood glucose.

• With mild manifestations of the disease on an empty stomach, the level of glycemia does not exceed 8.0 mmol/l. Doesn't happen during the day sharp fluctuations. Traces of sugar may be found in the urine (glycosuria). Such a minor form of glycemia may be a harbinger of illness. She is being treated at this stage special diet and performing feasible physical exercises.
• In the moderate form, glycemic levels are up to 14 mmol/l, glucosuria is manifested, and ketone bodies (ketoacidosis) occur occasionally. Diabetes is also compensated for by diet and taking glucose-lowering medications, including insulin. Local diabetic disorders in the blood circulation and nervous regulation(angioneuropathy).
• The severe form requires constant insulin therapy and is characterized by high levels glycemia and glycosuria, on an empty stomach more than 14 mmol/l and 50 g/l, respectively.

It is important to remember that measurements with a glucometer during the day are carried out 2 hours after a meal, when your own insulin, secreted by the pancreas or introduced externally, has completely worked out.

Compensation phases can be:

• normal,
• subcompensations,
• decompensation.

The prescription of insulin therapy depends on the form of the disease, the dose depends on the degree of compensation of carbohydrate metabolism

With the latter scenario, coma (hyperglycemic) is possible. For successful treatment An indispensable condition is frequent measurement of blood sugar. Ideally, and before every meal. An adequate dose of insulin administered helps stabilize glycemic levels. This is why a diabetic patient needs insulin.

The type of artificial hormone depends on the duration of action. It is divided into short and long. The first one is best performed in the stomach, the second in the thigh. The proportion of each total daily amount varies - 50:50, 60:40 or 40:60. Daily dosage is 0.5–1.0 units per kilogram of patient weight. It depends on the degree to which the pancreas loses its functions.

For each dose, the dose is selected individually and established experimentally in a hospital setting. Afterwards, the diabetic adapts the insulin therapy regimen as usual home environment. If necessary, makes minor adjustments, guided by auxiliary measurement methods (glucometer, test strips for determining glucose and ketone bodies in urine).