If there is a lack of insulin in the body, where does one get it? Once the pancreas fails to produce insulin to the body, bodily functions start to deteriorate.
Insulin, though just one of the many important hormones of the body is necessary for the regulation of calories in the body. Without insulin, our body is not energized. The cells of our body are neglected by not being able to absorb the proper glucose or sugar which are needed for functioning well. Going back to the question posted above, where then does get the necessary insulin replacement which the pancreas can no longer provide?
Believe it or not, initial source of insulin for clinical use in humans come from cows, horse, pig, or fish. These animals provide substitute insulin for the diabetic. The insulin from these animals, surprisingly, is identical to the insulin found and produced by human beings. It is almost identical since animal insulin is only different with three amino acid.
Insulin is a protein. The suitability of beef, pork, or fish insulin differ in preparations primarily resulted from the goal of preparation purity and allergic reactions. Purity has improved more or less steadily since the 1920s, but allergic reactions have continued though slowly reducing in severity. Insulin production from animal pancreases was widespread for decades, but there are very few patients today relying on insulin from these sources.
Human insulin is now manufactured for widespread clinical use using genetic engineering techniques, which significantly reduces impurity reaction problems. Eli Lilly marketed the first such insulin also known as humulin dating back to 1982. Humulin was the first medication produced using modern genetic engineering techniques, in which actual human DNA is inserted into a host cell (E. coli in this case). The host cells are then allowed to grow and reproduce normally, and due to the inserted human DNA, they produce actual human insulin.
Humulin, just to stress, is the insulin derived from animal resources as well as being those that are synthetically made.It is specifically produced by Eli and Lily Company. Shifting into this type of insulin should be consulted to your physician since dosage intake will vary. More than that, body reaction also differs. About 4 million people are using humulin to supply the necessary insulin inside the body. These insulins are made by undergoing a chemical process called recombinant DNA technology.
The standard type of insulin is fabricated from beef and pork pancreas. It may not seem safe, but animal based insulin is actually a very safe product. It is good to take note though that some components can or may cause an allergic reaction. Thus, genetically engineered human insulin is continuously being developed. These insulins however, are most of the time, are made specifically for the needs of diabetic patients. The time and even course of action of these insulins vary per person.
Reactions humulin parellel to the bodily functions and capability of the patient. Since, allergic reactions have been discovered by taking animal insulin, genetically engineered human insulin is the next best thing. At times however, humulins are produced semi-synthetically mixed with animal insulin. If this happens, tendency of allergic reaction is a probability.