What effects does insulin have on Type 1 And 2 diabetes?

While some individuals fear it, many see insulin as a lifeline. This medicine is also the subject of many myths. For instance, many individuals assume that taking insulin would result in blindness, the loss of a limb, or an indication that their diabetes is becoming worse. 

Although it's easy to grasp these ideas, they're not accurate. Insulin actually saves lives; without it, many with type 1 diabetes wouldn't survive, and many people with type 2 diabetes would find it difficult to control their diabetes.

Discovery of insulin

There was no treatment for type 1 diabetes until the discovery of insulin. Type 1 diabetics were frequently placed on starvation diets, however many did not survive for very long. In 1921, two scientists—Frederick Banting and Charles Best—discovered how to extract and purify insulin from the pancreases of dogs and cattle. 

The first insulin injection—which saved the life of a dying 14-year-old child with diabetes—was administered in 1922. 

Eli Lilly was the first company to mass produce insulin in the same year. Its discovery was so significant and ground-breaking that it is frequently referred to as one of the biggest medical advances of the 20th century.

How Does Insulin work?

The chemical messengers of the body, or hormones, are responsible for influencing a wide range of physiological functions, including growth, metabolism, and reproduction. One of insulin's key functions is to assist regulate or manage your blood sugar; more specifically, it works to keep blood sugar levels from becoming too high. Insulin is produced in the beta cells of the pancreas. 

Blood sugar levels are closely and meticulously managed in those without diabetes, always remaining within a safe and healthy range.

In the absence of diabetes, the pancreas continuously secretes a small amount of insulin into the circulation to help keep things under control (if you have an insulin pump, your basal rate does this). 

The pancreas stands up to the plate and increases the amount of insulin released into the circulation when food is consumed. It then instructs liver, fat, and muscle cells to absorb blood glucose (sugar) for use as energy. In this regard, insulin is similar to a key that opens the cell's doors to let glucose in.

Insulin is sometimes referred to as a "storage" hormone because it assists the body in storing extra glucose in the liver for later usage when there is more glucose present than is required. Additionally, it instructs the liver to cease secreting glucose into the circulation and aids in the transport of fatty acids and amino acids into cells as a result of fat and protein digestion.

Type 1 Diabetes 

The beta cells in the pancreas, which produce insulin, are destroyed by type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune condition. This indicates that the body is unable to manufacture insulin or sufficient amounts of it. When this occurs, the body literally cannot feed itself and must turn to its protein and fat reserves for sustenance. 

Although it might not seem like a big deal, the blood sugar levels rise to dangerously high levels. Additionally, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a dangerous illness that can be deadly if untreated, can develop. If you have type 1 diabetes, you must take insulin to stay alive. You can do this using an injection, a pump, or an inhalation. There isn't currently another method for properly managing type 1 diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes

Things are different when it comes to type 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance, which characterizes type 2 diabetes, is the inability of muscle, fat, and liver cells to react appropriately to insulin and readily absorb glucose from the circulation. Because of this, the body requires more insulin to assist feed cells. 

In order to meet the increased demand, the beta cells in the pancreas go into overdrive to create insulin. The hormone may be present at high concentrations in the blood. But ultimately the beta cells run out of energy and are unable to meet the body's demands. As blood glucose levels rise, type 2 diabetes or prediabetes may develop.

A lot of people with type 2 diabetes are able to effectively control their condition by combining non-insulin medications with healthy eating, regular exercise, and weight loss. 

These involve tablets and injectables devoid of insulin. However, it is anticipated that most persons with type 2 diabetes would eventually require insulin. This is due to the fact that when type 2 diabetes worsens, beta cells quit producing sufficient insulin. If there isn't any insulin accessible, no amount of diabetic medications can help.

Numerous patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes depend on insulin for survival, yet there are numerous misconceptions about it. In fact, insulin saves lives since without it, many people would not survive and would have a terrible time managing their diabetes.

Read more on this article about the types and insulin and why they are important to treat diabetes: Insulin: Definition And Types Of Insulin