Smart Insulin – the Next Approach to Diabetes Management

Ever since exogenous insulin was discovered, it dramatically changed the way people could manage their diabetes. Smart insulin is an insulin that has the ability to circulate the body and release only when there is too much glucose in the system. More accurately, it registers the glucose levels in the bloodstream. It is extremely challenging to give the body insulin at the right time, especially for those who have type 1 diabetes. Using the right dose at the right time is crucial if people want to avoid possible side-effects or health problems. As a result, researchers created smart insulin. The idea of smart insulin is to inject it once every day or even week and leave the rest of the work to the insulin. It is supposed to automatically register the glucose in the system and work on its own. This device could be life-changing for many. One day when people can use it, they might be able to manage their blood sugar levels without constantly injecting themselves with insulin.

Smart Insulin Patch

The device is still in its early stages. In fact, it might hit the market in the next 10 years. At the moment, the early stages are extremely crowded where many of the volunteers have not been able to progress beyond the preclinical development. The smart insulin is supposed to respond to the glucose levels in the bloodstream in the form of a loop. Whenever the body needs insulin, smart insulin is supposed to be able to deliver the necessary amount in response to the high levels of glucose in the blood. As a result, it could be useful for keeping the blood glucose in check with minimal effort. In other words, patients don’t need to constantly inject themselves with insulin, since smart insulin is supposed to detect the high levels of glucose and manage them accordingly. Moreover, this device could potentially improve the quality of life for many who have diabetes.

Who Is Behind the Smart Insulin?

A group from the North Carolina State University has created this promising insulin delivery system also known as the smart insulin patch. This insulin patch consists of an array of very tiny needles that are inserted anywhere on the body. In addition, these needles can detect when the glucose levels are too high and provide the body with an adequate amount of insulin. In other words, this could be the ideal glucose-responsive patch for delivering insulin to the body. A true life-changer for those with the condition.

How Can Smart Insulin Manage Blood Sugar Levels?

If the smart insulin were to work as the researchers intended, it would be able to keep the blood sugar in check by automatically delivering insulin to the body. In other words, patients won’t need to check their blood sugar constantly to know if they have to inject insulin. Instead, the insulin patch would do the work for them. It is supposed to automatically register the low blood sugar and work out how much insulin the body needs to keep type 1 diabetes stable. According to the researchers, if the insulin patch works properly, those with type 1 diabetes will only have to inject themselves with the patch once. That’s it! After that, all the work is supposed to be done by the patch without human interference. However, there is still time until the insulin patch can hit the market. Probably around 10 years to be exact. More testing is still necessary. Therefore, it is very early to tell if this product could help those with the condition. Nevertheless, if this product were to hit the market, it might change the lives of many people around the world.