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Is insulin Necessary for all Diabetics?
Before answering the question, if insulin is necessary for all those suffering from high blood sugar levels (diabetes), we first need to understand that there are two different types of diabetes. Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes:
Beta cells in the pancreas produce insulin so that this acts as a carrier for blood glucose to be absorbed by the organs of the body to function. In people suffering from type 1 diabetes, their immune system mistake beta cells to foreign pathogens and start killing them. This results in lower production of insulin. Due to lower levels of insulin in blood, the ability of body organs to consume the blood sugar goes down and the blood sugar levels remain high in the blood resulting in diabetic condition.
Type 2 diabetes:
This is also called ‘insulin resistance’. 90% of the people suffer from insulin resistance condition. In this case, the body is capable of producing enough insulin but for some reason (unknown), body parts will not be able to use the blood glucose via insulin. As a result, the sugar levels in blood remain high resulting in diabetic condition.
Now you can see that type 1 diabetic people should take insulin as there is not enough production in their bodies. However, type 2 diabetic people need not always take insulin unless mandated by their doctor. As per Center of Disease Control, 14% of diabetic people take insulin, 13% use insulin and other medication, 57% take oral medication and 16% of the people control high blood pressure with exercise and changes to lifestyle.
Delving into some myths and facts of taking insulin for diabetes
You won’t ever need insulin if you are type 2 diabetic and workout regularly with healthy eating habits
Diabetes is a progressive illness. That means, it becomes harder to control your blood sugar levels despite your every effort to keep it under control. So, at some point in time, type 2 diabetics have to end up taking insulin because high blood sugar levels are like poison in the body which can damage blood vessels and cause several other complications.
It is painful to take insulin via injection
This isn’t true. Insulin injection is not 100% painless but it is nearly painless. Usually a normal needle prick hurts more than the insulin shot. With the advent of injector pens to inject insulin, the user will feel only a moderate pinch when using it.
Continuous use of insulin result in lower blood sugar levels
You need to use the exact dosage prescribed by your doctor. In some cases of type 2 diabetic people, lower blood sugar condition may arise. When the blood sugar levels in their bodies drop, that can show up as shaky hands, urge to eat, sweating and anxiety. If you can notice these symptoms, you must take glucose drinks or chewables or you can eat a little sweet dish to fill in the sugar level in your body. However, if this keeps continuing, talk to your doctor about the dosage of insulin you are taking.
Once you start insulin, you will need to remain on it forever
This isn’t entirely true. Gestational diabetes is one kind of diabetes which pregnant woman suffer from. Once the baby is delivered, they may no longer need to be on insulin. Similarly if the main cause of diabetes is being overweight, if the person works on it to drop weight and get to a healthy BMI, they have end up in discontinuing insulin. Continuing insulin depends on the damage that previous high blood sugar levels have done to your body or the amount of damage done by your immune system to the beta cells. There are many people who started insulin and with the change of their lifestyle and regular workout are able to get back to perfect health condition.
Insulin injection can be supplemented with Oral tablets
Not really. Many people are on oral tablets to add insulin to their bodies but if your doctor has advised you to go for injecting rather than a pill, you need to follow his/her advice. For some people, tablet may work well and for some, insulin injection may be the right way.
Using insulin can make you add more weight to your body
This is true. Once you start insulin, your body starts absorbing more blood sugar than it used to before. This can result in adding weight to your body during the initial days. This should eventually level out as you continue taking it. If you can start working out along with insulin, you may not notice weight gain at all and stay in better health.
Conclusion
Insulin may not be necessary for everyone suffering from diabetes. It depends on the type of diabetes you have and if your lifestyle and diet changes are helping you bring down the level of blood sugar in control, you should continue following that. However, if nothing seems to help, you need to talk to your doctor and go on to having insulin as per his/her advice because, high blood sugar levels can damage your blood vessels and result in more complications.