New Ultrafast Insulin Promises Better Post-Meal Numbers was reported by Martin Hensel for InsulinNation.com, 30 July 2020. Monomeric insulin peaks in just 9 minutes to more accurately mirror natural post-meal insulin production and is more stable than other insulins.
Even when you accurately count carbs, remember to bolus 20 to 40 minutes before the meal, and account for factors like fat and protein content, it can still be impossible to avoid that post-meal spike. You might be right if you’ve ever felt that the tools you are using are the problem. Current fast-acting insulins, even those touted as being super-fast acting, come up desperately short when compared to the activation speeds of insulin produced by a healthy pancreas.
Researchers from Stanford University think they may have finally developed an ultrafast acting insulin that can compete with native insulin and battle post-meal glucose spikes with the same degree of efficiency. In this article, we’ll take a look at the problems associated with creating a truly rapid-acting insulin and how these scientists, whose research was recently published in Science Translational Medicine, have overcome these issues to make what may be the most effective mealtime insulin to date.
For people who rely on exogenous insulin to stabilize post-meal sugars, it takes much longer for insulin levels to peak.
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- The fastest acting insulin currently on the market, Fiasp, begins working in as little as 15 minutes but doesn’t fully peak until 60 to 120 minutes after it is taken.
- Humalog, the most common rapid-acting insulin, takes closer to 90 minutes to peak.
This delayed peak occurs because current insulins contain very few monomers in their makeup. And the hexamers and dimers in their formulation must undergo activation within the body before they can start working to lower blood glucose levels, a process that takes a significant amount of time.
Unlike polymeric insulin, monomeric insulin is unstable and will quickly breakdown if not utilized within a short period of time. This factor isn’t an issue for insulin activated on an as-needed basis within the body, but it is a huge problem for insulin produced in a lab and stored in vials for future use.
Read more: New Ultrafast Insulin Promises Better Post-Meal Numbers
Supplements & Medications that Raise Your Blood Sugar was also reported by Martin Hensel for InsulinNation.com, 28 July 2020. Many common non-diabetes-related drugs impact your blood sugar management, including these 15 that raise blood glucose levels
Medications that raise blood sugar include: steroids, prednisone, epinephrine and dopamine, hormonal birth control, statins, blood pressure meds, isotretinoin (Accutane), pseudoephedrine, cough syrup, benzodiazepines and antipsychotic meds, some antibiotics
Supplements that raise blood sugar include: niacin (vitamin B3), melatonin, ginkgo biloba, DHEA and caffeine.
Read more: Treatment Supplements & Medications that Raise Your Blood Sugar
I know that the researchers believe that Lyumjev is as fast (most say faster than Fiasp) and is more stable in pumps and less likely to cause issues. I have yet to try it. My CDE said she would give me a script, my insurance will cover it, But the CDE said look if you try it you will need less and you will need to modify your habits. As an old fart, I might need to let someone else take the lunge firs.t