We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Conditions

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What are Insulin Antibodies?

By Toni Henthorn
Updated: Mar 03, 2024
Views: 23,375
Share

Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreatic beta cells in response to an elevation in blood glucose, or sugar. When a large amount of glucose enters the blood stream, insulin promotes uptake of glucose by the liver, which converts the glucose into its storage form, glycogen. The presence of insulin antibodies in the blood stream indicates that the body is mounting an immune response either to external, injected insulin or to its own insulin. Insulin antibodies bind to insulin, preventing the insulin from interacting with its normal sites of action. Consequently, the blood and urine glucose levels rise, leading to the classic symptoms of Type 1 diabetes mellitus, such as increased thirst, frequent urination, and increased appetite.

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body attacks its own insulin-making beta cells in the pancreas. Although Type 1 diabetes has been called juvenile diabetes due to its frequent occurrence in childhood, scientific testing for insulin antibodies has resulted in the discovery of an adult-onset form of Type 1 diabetes, called latent autoimmune diabetes of adults (LADA). As many as 20 percent of adult diabetic patients, presumably with Type 2 diabetes, may in reality have LADA. Physicians may distinguish between these two entities by testing for insulin antibodies, with LADA patients typically testing positive for these antibodies. Type 2 diabetics have high circulating insulin levels, and they rarely test positive for insulin antibodies.

Insulin resistance is a condition characterized by the patient’s need for more than 200 units per day of insulin to control his blood sugar levels. This insulin resistance is most often related to the production of circulating immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies to insulin in almost every diabetic who injects insulin. The antibody levels may rise to levels as much as 1000 times the normal amounts in nearly 0.1 percent of insulin users. Changing from one form of insulin to another rarely helps, as the antibodies bind strongly to pork, beef, and human insulin. Insulin resistance persists for less than a year, with the antibody levels gradually declining to normal.

Two possible treatments for insulin antibodies exist in the United States. Steroids, such as prednisone, mitigate insulin resistance, possibly by suppressing the immune response. Additionally, lispro insulin is resistant to antibody binding, due to its altered shape These two treatments are useful during the period of insulin insensitivity. Reactivity to insulin can return suddenly, making the possibility of hypoglycemia a serious concern in these patients.

Share
The Health Board is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.thehealthboard.com/what-are-insulin-antibodies.htm
Copy this link
The Health Board, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

The Health Board, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.