Inhaled Insulin: The Pros And Cons Of This Wonder Aid

Although the process of digestion begins right when you swallow your first mouthful of food, the actual conversion to energy only occurs once the carbohydrate content of your food has been first converted to glucose and released into your blood stream. At this stage, your pancreas secretes a hormone called insulin, which signals the presence of this glucose to the cells of your body to allow them to break it down into energy which they can use. Diabetes is a disease which is closely intertwined with insulin - raising its ugly head either when the body does not produce insulin, or if the presence of insulin is ignored, thus letting the unused glucose build up in the blood.

Modern-day methods of treating diabetes aim bridge this discrepancy by allowing your body the requisite amounts of insulin when it is incapable of producing any of its own. This insulin has hitherto been administered solely through insulin injections, which are used in keeping with your body's requirement of this hormone. Insulin injections are addled with one major drawback which is the discomfort and uneasiness they pose to the diabetic, especially if he is very young, or even elderly. This apprehension leads many victims of diabetes to delay managing their disease with insulin, until the disease finally progresses to its more menacing phases.

In view of this pertinent challenge that confounds a vast majority of individuals across the world, which also keeps them from coming to terms and coping with their disease, researchers have begun to investigate alternative means of administering insulin, which are as easy to implement for the victim as they are effective against his disease. Of the numerous techniques which have been conceived and tested, one method which has gained tremendous popularity with medical practitioners and diabetics alike is inhaled insulin.

As the name suggests, this method is centered on inhaling insulin through the mouth via a device which regulates the amount of insulin that you breathe in, as per the dosage that is recommended for you. Previous attempts to administer insulin through the nostrils has not delivered very promising results, given the fact that the membranes in the nasal cavity filter out a large portion of the insulin, compelling the individual to intake extremely high doses.

These inhalers make use of insulin blisters, which you can moderate as per your physician's instructions. Once inhaled, the insulin immediately begins to take effect, bringing down your glucose levels in as little as 20 minutes after it is administered. The glucose regulating effect that this insulin brings about lasts for an average of 6 hours, which has also given rise to the problem of this method being more of a quick-fix than a steady, reliable method of insulin administration.

Inhaled insulin is also not recommended for pregnant women, or for individuals who smoke or even those who suffer from respiratory problems. Further, this method is also compounded with a host of negative side and after effects like chest pain, nose bleed and a sore feeling in your throat. Inhaled insulin has also been known to trigger allergic reactions in certain individuals like wheezing, hives, itching and rashes.

When switching from insulin injections to inhaled insulin, make sure that you seek the approval of your physician first. Experts also recommend a thorough medical examination to ensure that inhaled insulin does not bring about any negative complications in your body once you begin to use it on a regular basis. As with any other form of diabetes control, inhaled insulin will only work if you stick to the schedule prescribed by your physician diligently and report any untoward side effects immediately. Educate yourself about diabetes today to learn how simple and effortless treating this disease can actually be!

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Julia Hanf author of the book How To Play the Diabetes Diet Game and Win Through a real life crisis Julia figured out how to live diabetes free. Visit www.yourdiabetescure.com and learn more about your solution for diabetes.

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