Insulin glargine facts for kids

Insulin glargine (also known as Lantus) is a special insulin medicine that helps people with diabetes control their blood sugar. It's a long-acting type of insulin, meaning it works slowly and steadily over many hours. This medicine is usually taken in the evening or at night.

People with Type 1 diabetes often use insulin glargine. It's also sometimes used by those with Type 2 diabetes or a condition called latent autoimmune diabetes of adults. It's often used along with other types of insulin, like those taken at meal times.

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a health condition where your body has trouble managing its blood sugar levels. Blood sugar, also called glucose, is the main energy source for your body's cells. A hormone called insulin helps move glucose from your blood into your cells.

If your body doesn't make enough insulin, or if the insulin it makes doesn't work well, glucose can build up in your blood. This can lead to high blood sugar, which can cause health problems over time.

Types of Diabetes

There are different kinds of diabetes:

• Type 1 Diabetes: In this type, your body's immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the cells that make insulin. This means your body produces very little or no insulin. People with Type 1 diabetes need to take insulin every day to survive.
• Type 2 Diabetes: With Type 2 diabetes, your body either doesn't make enough insulin or doesn't use insulin properly. This is called insulin resistance. It's more common in adults, but can affect younger people too.
• Latent Autoimmune Diabetes of Adults (LADA): This is sometimes called "Type 1.5 diabetes." It's a slower form of Type 1 diabetes where the body's immune system slowly destroys insulin-making cells over time.

How Insulin Glargine Works

Insulin glargine is a type of "basal" insulin. Think of it like a steady background level of insulin that your body needs all the time, even when you're not eating. It's designed to release slowly into your body, providing a constant amount of insulin for about 24 hours.

This long-lasting action helps keep blood sugar levels stable throughout the day and night. It prevents your blood sugar from getting too high between meals or while you're sleeping.

Using Insulin Glargine

Insulin glargine is given as an injection, usually once a day. It's important to take it at the same time each day, often in the evening or before bed. Your doctor will tell you the right dose to use.

People who use insulin glargine often also use a faster-acting insulin. The faster-acting insulin is taken before meals to help manage the rise in blood sugar that happens after eating. Insulin glargine provides the steady background insulin, while the mealtime insulin handles the spikes.

Why is Insulin Important?

Insulin is a vital hormone for everyone, not just people with diabetes. It acts like a key that unlocks your cells, allowing glucose to enter and be used for energy. Without enough insulin, glucose stays in the bloodstream, which can damage organs over time.

Taking insulin, like insulin glargine, helps people with diabetes manage their condition. It helps them live healthier lives by keeping their blood sugar levels within a safe range.