Why can't diabetics take insulin through their mouths?

Question

I mean, if you drink alcohol it ends up in your blood, why can't you take insulin orally? Or would it take too much to be economical?

Answer 1

Insulin is aborbsed via fat cells and it must be administered via subcutaneous injections (not intramuscular). There are certain oral hypoglycemic meds, but those are reserved more for Type II or otherwise known as adult onset diabetes. Insulin can only be administered directly into the bloodstream via intravenous therapy and only in a hospital/ER setting. Levels need to be checked 30 minutes after IV administration as it lowers the blood sugar rapidly. Digestive enzymes in the stomach would break down insulin , therefore there's no accurate way to dose it. Some forms of intranasal and inhaled products will soon be available for limited populations. There are also insulin pumps that deliver small continuous increments of insulin through an implantable catheter. Dosing via pumps can be adjusted with blood sugar checks.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

2

Answer 4

It would not be possible for type 1 diabetics to take insulin through the mouth since it is absorbed through fat cells. Therefore, it must be injected to the fatty areas to work efficiently. It is not absorbed through the blood stream. Type 2 diabetics can take medication orally.

The first inhaled insulin, Exubera, was approved by the FDA in January 2006 for the treatment of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. So there might be hope for an alternative means of taking insulin~

Answer 5

Wow, some of these answers are just ridiculous.

Pills are oral meds that work to reduce blood sugar. They are not insulin. Insulin shots does not mean your diabetes is more out of control, it simply means you require insulin to manage it- which is always the case in type 1 diabetes.

Insulin is not injected intramuscularly, it is injected subcutaneously.

The reason insulin must be injected is because it is a protein that your GI tract would break down. Not because it would take too long. And not because your body is too hot. Just because your body would digest it.

Answer 6

Insulin taken thru the blood vessels can travel faster and get to the problem quicker than by mouth. By mouth, the insulin would have to go through the stomach and intestines and it would take it too long to get to the problem. By the time the insulin did reach the pancrease, the insulin would be so broken down that it would not be effective in lowering the blood sugar level in that person.

Insulin taken thru the blood, maintains it's strength and goes right to work to quickly bring a person's blood sugar level down and manageable.

Answer 7

because in order for the insulin to actually work you have to put it straight in your blood stream if you take things orally they have slow reaction time to do what they have to do and if you are needing insulin then you need it right away to help you live. it's kinda like a lifesaver but in a shot form. they are working on an insulin that you can inhale but that is only available over sea's. not all diabetic's are on insulin that is the last resort for them when they are to bad for pills or diet to control it.

Answer 8

From the scientific research I've seen the elements/particles that make up inhaled insulin are too big to move into the blood stream. I have to assume that a pill of insulin would be the same way with the molecules too big to pass into the body where it is needed.

Answer 9

Insulin is a peptide that gets broken down in the gut before getting into the bloodstream so is not effective

alcohol goes straight through into blood

Answer 10

medications taken orally must pass through the liver and the digestive track which would brake down the insulin. injections bypass these systems by putting the medication directly into the blood stream.