What is Insulin?
Insulin is the hormone produced by the pancreas that signals your cells to take in glucose. This process is known as Insulin Mediated Glucose Uptake, to learn more about this process click the button below.
Insulin and Diabetes
All Type I diabetics need insulin injections, but most Type II diabetics do not need insulin injections. Usually, Type II diabetics can change their diet and exercise to cope with their diabetes. This is because most Type II diabetics still produce small amounts of insulin and if the individual can train their body to better respond to the insulin (through proper exercise and diet) no additional insulin is needed. To learn how to change your diet click here, to learn how to change your exercise click here.
Insulin Injections
Each diabetic has a carb-to-insulin ratio. The ratio varies depending on the diabetic. For example, one unit of fast-acting insulin can usually cover 15 grams of carbohydrate for an adult, but for a child as little as 1/10 unit of fast-acting insulin might cover 15 grams of carbohydrate. To learn more about this ratio click here. Once the ratio for the individual is known, he/she must count the number of carbohydrates they consume. For example, if an adult (whose carb-to-insulin ratio is one unit of fast-acting insulin per 15 carbs) consumes 30 carbs, they need to inject 2 units of fast-acting insulin into their system through a shot. Insulin goes into affect faster if it is injected in the abdomen (as shown to the right).