Is insulin bad for you?

Question

People with diabetes who take insulin, is it bad for them? or is the
insulin just needed to manage blood sugar? And the blood sugar (if not managed well) is the real problem.

Answer 1

A normal person produces their own insulin. It's a chemical that breaks down the sugars in the blood so they can be absorbed and used as energy, or flushed out of the system.
Generally (This isn't always the case) a person with type 1 diabetes takes manufactured insulin to replace the insulin their body would produce if it had been "normal".
People with type 2 diabetes generally have a resistance to their own insulin, so it doesn't work as well. The body could produce it, but it doesn't recognize it.. or it doesn't produce enough.
The pills and such that a person with type 2 takes either A. pushes their body to make more of its natural insulin, or B. Makes the body use the natural insulin.
A person with type 2 diabetes can eventually either stop making their own insulin at all, or have no response to their own, so the manufactured insulin is needed.

There can be problems with taking too much insulin. If you take too much, or make too much, it will remove too much sugar out of your system. A certain level of sugar is IMPORTANT, because the sugar (glucose) is what the body burns for energy. If you have no sugar, you're starving your body to death. Even if you don't die from it, you can still suffer brain damage.
On the other hand, having too much sugars will cause your body to attempt to flush it out, taking water from everywhere in your body, including your eyes, and eventually your brain. It can also be highly "corrosive" and cause nerve and tissue damage.

Answer 2

Insulin is a hormone we ALL need to live. Insulin in itself is a naturally occuring hormone that acts as a "key" to let fuel (glucose) into our cells for survival. For some reason, people often think insulin is "bad" or harmful. It is simply a hormone. And a "good" one at that, since it keeps us alive.

Type 1 diabetics need to get their insulin from outside sources, as they cannot produce their own.

Too much injected insulin does have side effects (hypoglycemia and risk of coma), and contains artificial preservatives like Cresol, but when the alternative is death, I can't really see how these can be seen as enough reason not to use it. ;) I think death is a lot worse!

For the most part, severe hypoglycemia can be avoided, anyway. Synthetic insulin (actually made with human DNA) has been proven safe, but some people prefer to use animal insulin as they feel that they have more low blood sugar episodes with the human insulin. This may be because they were used to taking large amounts of animal insulin and didn't decrease the dose when they switched over (the body creates antibodies to animal insulin which requires a higher dose).

There was some concern that Lantus increased the risk of cancer in some lab studies (anything that's an analogue in theory could since its natural structure has been "altered"), but nothing has been proven for certain in humans.

The comment about Type 2 was bang on. If a Type 2 is still sufficiently making their own insulin, adding more insulin to the mix can actually increase their insulin resistance and weight gain, feeding the cycle. This would be bad. It's best if you can treat Type 2 diabetes early on with lifestyle interventions first. These people usually have the best outcome. However, some Type 2's need insulin to gain proper control, usually late in their disease.

It is the HIGH BLOOD SUGAR levels that cause damage (among other factors), not the insulin itself.

Sometimes it looks the other way around when an uncontrolled Type 2 diabetic finally begins using insulin. Their disease and complications has progressed so far that by the time they start insulin, they are in "rough shape" and often go downhill from there. The key is to catch it early. I should point out though that a Type 2 should not be scared to use insulin if they really cannot get proper control despite proper diet, exericse, and meds. Then they *should* use it to prevent complications.

Answer 3

If insulin was bad why do you think diabetics take it then? It is bad NOT to take it. A type 1 diabetic MUST take insulin injection or they will die. That is just how it is. No matter what new age/holistic/ herbalist crackpot says...the human body has to have insulin to live. Not sure who told you it was "bad." If it were bad physicians would not prescribe it for diabetes. Insulin a substance in the body that is natural for all humans, if ones body does not produce it they become diabetic...and thus have to inject the insulin from an outside source in order to sustain life. I am not sure what you mean by it being "bad" for someone. That is like saying water is "bad", or blood is "bad" for you. Like those two things insulin is essential. If someone was diabetic and claims (unless they are type 2) to not need insulin to live because they do fine...well then, they are not diabetic. Diabetes wouldn't exist if lacking in insulin wasn't a deadly thing.
And yes not managing blood sugar levels is the main problem. Blood sugar levels cannot be managed without insulin,that is the purpose of insulin both natural insulin in non-diabetics and insulin injections for diabetics. That is how the blood sugar is managed.

Answer 4

For a type I diabetic insulin is a life saver, literally. Without insulin the type I diabetic will die, simple as that. The Type II diabetic sometimes needs insulin too, but they can be managed with diet, exercise, oral meds and then insulin (in that order). Yes, blood sugar that is not well maintained will cause long term problems like kidney failure, infections, Increased risk of heart problems, blindness and many more complications. Oh, and by the way, if you are not a diabetic then insulin would be very bad for you!

Answer 5

It depends if they have diabetes type 1 or type 2. Type 1 diabetes is where the people cannot produce any insulin, so usually they have to inject themselves with insulin or take pills. With type 2 diabetes, the body does not produce or use insulin correctly so the blood has too much sugar in it. These people usually take pills or regular it with insulin.

With type two diabetes it can be a bad thing because if a person loses weight, controls diet and checks blood sugar, many people will not need insulin or pills to take.

Answer 6

1

Answer 7

2

Answer 8

For some people (like type 1 diabetics) with out insulin they would die. Sounds harsh to say but as a type 1 I am thankful for insulin every day of my life.

Answer 9

From what i've found out about insulin, it lowers the amount of sugar in your blood, keeping your blood sugar close to normal, it
prevents or reduces long term complication of diabetes, including damage to the blood vessels, eyes kidneys or nerve.
I've had to take insulin while i was pregnant with my second son, for my sugar level was high, and had to inject it in my stomach.
you can find out more info , just by doing a search on yahoo.

Answer 10

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Is insulin bad for you?
People with diabetes who take insulin, is it bad for them? or is the
insulin just needed to manage blood sugar? And the blood sugar (if not managed well) is the real problem.