Insulin: Compare common options for insulin therapy

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Insulin therapy is a critical part of treatment for people with type 1 diabetes and also for many with type 2 diabetes. The goal of insulin therapy is to keep your blood sugar levels within a target range.

Insulin is usually injected in the fat under your skin using a syringe, insulin pen or insulin pump tubing. Which insulin is best for you depends on a number of factors. These factors include the type of diabetes you have, how much your blood sugar changes throughout the day and your lifestyle.

Many types of insulin are available and they vary by:

  • How long they take to begin working (onset)
  • When they reach their maximum effect (peak)
  • How long they last

Your doctor may prescribe a mixture of insulin types to use throughout the day and night. Sometimes, premixed insulin may be an option. Premixed insulin combines specific proportions of intermediate-acting and short- or rapid-acting insulin in one bottle or insulin pen.

This chart shows how individual insulins compare:

Insulin type and name Onset (approximate) Peak (approximate) How long it lasts (approx.)

Rapid-acting (injected)

Insulin aspart (NovoLog, Fiasp)

Insulin glulisine (Apidra)

Insulin lispro (Humalog, Admelog)

3-15 minutes 45-75 minutes 2-4 hours

Rapid-acting (inhaled)

Insulin human (Afrezza inhalation powder)

12 minutes 35-45 minutes 1.5-4.5 hours


Insulin regular (Humulin R, Novolin R)

30 minutes 2-4 hours 5-8 hours


Insulin NPH (Humulin N, Novolin N, Novolin ReliOn Insulin N)

1-2 hours 4-12 hours 8-24 hours


Insulin glargine (Lantus, Basaglar)

Insulin detemir (Levemir)

2 hours No pronounced peak 14-24 hours


Insulin degludec (Tresiba)

Insulin glargine (Toujeo)

1-6 hours No pronounced peak 36-40 hours
July 27, 2019 See more In-depth

See also

  1. Medication-free hypertension control
  2. A1C test
  4. Air pollution and exercise
  5. Alcohol: Does it affect blood pressure?
  6. Alpha blockers
  7. Amputation and diabetes
  8. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
  9. Angiotensin II receptor blockers
  10. Anxiety: A cause of high blood pressure?
  11. Artificial sweeteners: Any effect on blood sugar?
  12. Bariatric surgery
  13. Beta blockers
  14. Beta blockers: Do they cause weight gain?
  15. Beta blockers: How do they affect exercise?
  16. Blood glucose meters
  17. Blood glucose monitors
  19. Blood pressure chart
  20. Blood pressure cuff: Does size matter?
  21. Blood pressure: Does it have a daily pattern?
  22. Blood pressure: Is it affected by cold weather?
  24. Blood pressure medications: Can they raise my triglycerides?
  25. Blood pressure readings: Why higher at home?
  26. Blood pressure tip: Get more potassium
  27. Blood pressure tip: Get off the couch
  28. Blood pressure tip: Know alcohol limits
  29. Blood pressure tip: Stress out no more
  30. Blood pressure tip: Watch the caffeine
  31. Blood pressure tip: Watch your weight
  32. Blood sugar levels can fluctuate for many reasons
  33. Blood sugar testing: Why, when and how
  34. Bone and joint problems associated with diabetes
  35. Pancreas transplant animation
  36. Build resilience to better handle diabetes
  37. Caffeine and hypertension
  38. Calcium channel blockers
  40. Can low vitamin D cause high blood pressure?
  41. Can whole-grain foods lower blood pressure?
  42. Caring for a loved one with diabetes
  43. Central-acting agents
  44. Choosing blood pressure medications
  45. Diabetes
  46. Diabetes and dental care
  47. Diabetes and depression: Coping with the two conditions
  48. Diabetes and exercise: When to monitor your blood sugar
  49. Diabetes and fasting: Can I fast during Ramadan?
  50. Diabetes and foot care
  51. Diabetes and Heat
  52. Diabetes and menopause
  53. Diabetes and summer: How to beat the heat
  54. Diabetes and travel: Planning is key
  55. Diabetes and electric blankets
  56. 10 ways to avoid diabetes complications
  57. Diabetes diet: Create your healthy-eating plan
  58. Diabetes diet: Should I avoid sweet fruits?
  59. Diabetes foods: Can I substitute honey for sugar?
  60. Diabetes and liver
  61. Diabetes management: Does aspirin therapy prevent heart problems?
  63. Diabetes: Eating out
  64. Diabetes nutrition: Sweets
  65. Diabetes symptoms
  66. Diabetes treatment: Can cinnamon lower blood sugar?
  67. Using insulin
  68. Diabetic Gastroparesis
  69. Diuretics
  70. Diuretics: A cause of low potassium?
  71. Do you know your blood pressure?
  72. Erectile dysfunction and diabetes
  73. High blood pressure and exercise
  74. Exercise and chronic disease
  75. Fatigue
  76. Free blood pressure machines: Are they accurate?
  77. Frequent urination
  78. Home blood pressure monitoring
  79. Glucose tolerance test
  80. Glycemic index: A helpful tool for diabetes?
  81. Healthy heart for life: Avoiding heart disease
  82. Hemochromatosis
  83. High blood pressure (hypertension)
  85. High blood pressure and sex
  86. High blood pressure: Can you prevent it?
  87. High blood pressure dangers
  88. Hypertensive crisis: What are the symptoms?
  89. Insulin and weight gain
  90. Intensive insulin therapy
  91. Isolated systolic hypertension: A health concern?
  92. L-arginine: Does it lower blood pressure?
  93. Late-night eating: OK if you have diabetes?
  94. Low-phosphorus diet: Helpful for kidney disease?
  95. Diabetes and carbs
  96. Medications and supplements that can raise your blood pressure
  97. Menopause and high blood pressure: What's the connection?
  98. Infographic: Pancreas Kidney Transplant
  99. Pancreas transplant
  100. Pulse pressure: An indicator of heart health?
  101. Reactive hypoglycemia: What can I do?
  102. Reading food labels
  103. Resperate: Can it help reduce blood pressure?
  104. Service dogs assist with diabetes care
  105. Sleep deprivation: A cause of high blood pressure?
  106. Blood sugar testing
  107. Sodium nitrate in meat: Heart disease risk factor?
  108. Stress and high blood pressure
  109. The dawn phenomenon: What can you do?
  110. Tips for cutting costs of blood glucose test strips
  111. Unexplained weight loss
  112. Vasodilators
  114. How diabetes affects your blood sugar
  115. How to measure blood pressure using a manual monitor
  116. How to measure blood pressure using an automatic monitor
  117. What is blood pressure?
  118. Weight Loss Surgery Options
  119. Weightlifting: Bad for your blood pressure?
  120. What's your high blood pressure risk?
  121. White coat hypertension
  122. Why does diet matter after bariatric surgery?
  123. Wrist blood pressure monitors: Are they accurate?