mySugr logoClose side menu

Download and try it now!

  • Get it on Google Play
  • Download at the App Store
Language selection
English (US)
Language selection inactive
  • Selected English (US)

    English (US)

  • Selected English

    English

  • Selected Deutsch

    Deutsch

Diabetes Knowledge

Did you know this about your insulin?

11/9/2018 by mySugr

Did you know this about your insulin?

95 years is a long time, at least as far as age is concerned, but considering that our life-giving insulin was only discovered 95 years ago, that time seems somehow short, doesn’t it? Before then, diabetes was a death sentence. End of story.

Frederick Banting, together with Charles Best, discovered insulin in 1921 saving the lives of millions of people living with diabetes. In 1923 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for his discovery!

It’s amazing how much effect such a small amount (just a few drops) of this strong-smelling liquid has on our body, right? Teeny-tiny adjustments can make a big difference in how our blood sugar behaves and ultimately how we feel.

We've collected some facts about insulin that might surprise you!

1) Insulin was tested on a dog

A female dog was the first creature with diabetes to be kept alive with insulin. That was back in 1921 and her name was Marjorie. She was one of Banting and Best's experimental dogs, who was made “artificially diabetic" by removing her pancreas. She was injected with a daily dose of insulin.

At that time it was rather crude and raw, extracted directly from her pancreas. She survived 70 days before she died of an infection.

mySugr Bundle - Unlimited Accu-Chek Guide test strips

2) Older insulins came from cows and pigs

Not long ago, insulin was made from animals and came from the pancreas of cattle and pigs. The profile of animal insulin is very similar to that of human insulin.

Until the 1980s, insulin was derived exclusively from cow and pig pancreas. The shift to synthetic manufacturing was not only due to production bottlenecks, but also had ethical and financial reasons.

3) Modern insulin is made with gut bacteria

Thanks to various manufacturing processes for insulin production, one can do without the ground up innards of pigs and cows. Insulin is manufactured synthetically today.

In addition, the insulin molecule can be changed as desired by modern manufacturing methods. One production method includes using genetically modified bacteria, namely E. coli (an intestinal bacterium).

In short, E. coli bacteria helps to produce the insulin molecule. The “bad part” of the bacterium is destroyed in a later production step. So it's not as disgusting as it sounds.

4) Insulin is on the doping list

Insulin supports the action of anabolic steroids such as testosterone or growth hormone which means it can improve muscle growth. Therefore, insulin is very popular in the bodybuilder scene.

Also in endurance sports, insulin can be used as a doping agent. Insulin accelerates the absorption of carbohydrates and the formation of glycogen (an energy store) in the liver and muscle cells. When certain genes are activated, insulin also influences an accelerated metabolism.

Athletes who dope with insulin (which is not only extremely unsportsmanlike but also dangerous), inject an insulin-glucose and/or glycogen mixture. This is extremely dangerous because the athletes vacillate between extreme power and the risk of falling into a heavy hypoglycemic coma.

Insulin has been on the doping list of the International Olympic Committee since 1998. Athletes with diabetes, such as the team Novo Nordisk athletes, of course, continue to inject insulin.

There are special exemptions for this, of course, because they need insulin to manage their blood sugars. In addition, people with diabetes also have no advantage, since only the right insulin/glucose mixture achieves the desired doping effects.

mySugr Bundle - Unlimited Accu-Chek Guide test strips

Conclusion

A lot has happened since 1921, and even though we’ve not yet seen a cure for diabetes, there has been a lot of innovation and we have learned a lot! Today we have much better insulins, we know it’s important to keep an eye on post-meal blood sugars, and we know that leveraging techniques like pre-bolusing or using rapid insulins like Novo’s Fiasp® may help.

The mySugr website does not provide medical or legal advice. mySugr blog articles are not scientific articles, but intended for informational purposes only.
Medical or nutritional information on the mySugr website is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult a physician or health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

mySugr

Make diabetes suck less! It's our mission, our motto, our way of life. We're thrilled you stopped by. Learn more about our products. Learn more about our company.