People who do not have diabetes have fluctuating insulin levels that respond to food consumption and exercise. When you eat, your pancreas secretes insulin for an hour or two after eating. After that, insulin and glucose levels return to pre-meal levels. Some diabetics use insulin to attempt to mimic this natural action by injecting insulin before meals. Various types of insulin have different onset and peak action times. This can make it a challenge to keep blood sugar in tight control. Adding Humalog to an insulin regime can help control blood sugar after eating without causing hypoglycemia later on.
Regular Insulin
Type 1 diabetics and some type 2 use insulin injections to help keep their blood sugar under control. One type is basal or long-acting insulin, normally taken at bedtime with the goal of helping to control blood glucose during the next 24 hours. Another type, regular fast-acting or mealtime insulin, should be taken 30 to 45 minutes before eating. This allows time for your body to absorb it from the injection site and move it into the bloodstream where it can work. Insulin taken at the wrong time will generally result in unnecessary blood sugar fluctuations. Eating too soon after injecting insulin prevents it from acting on the sugar as it is released into the blood. When it finally is processed, the blood sugar surge from eating has passed, and low blood sugar can occur.
Humalog Insulin
Humalog is a brand name for lispro, a short-acting insulin. It is quickly absorbed by the body and has a stronger and faster peak and a shorter action time than regular mealtime insulin. Humalog insulin begins to work within 15 minutes of injection. A number of factors can interfere with the absorption of insulin, but Humalog is consistently absorbed faster than regular mealtime insulin. The peak activity of Humalog insulin occurs within 30 to 90 minutes and lasts less than five hours.
Injection Site
Injecting Humalog into the abdomen results in a slightly higher concentration of it at peak levels. The length of action is also shorter if it's injected into the abdomen instead of the arm or thigh. Whatever site is chosen for the injection, the onset will always be faster than the onset action of regular mealtime insulin.
Warnings
Using Humalog and not eating within 15 minutes can cause hypoglycemia. If your meal is too low in carbohydrates, you may also experience hypoglycemia. If you plan on exercising soon after eating, the dosage of insulin should be adjusted to prevent exercise-induced hypoglycemia.
