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There are several types of insulin. They are classified by how long they act and are generally referred to as rapid-acting, short-acting, intermediate and long-acting. Each type of insulin has a certain time period in which it works. In order to understand insulin action more completely, it is helpful to know the onset, peak, and duration of the insulin you take.
- Onset refers to when the insulin starts to work.
- Peak refers to when the insulin is working its hardest.
- Duration refers to how long the insulin works.
The chart below describes the insulin action of the the types of insulin most commonly used in treating diabetes.
Types of insulin
| |
PRODUCT |
WHEN TO TAKE |
ONSET |
PEAK |
DURATION |
| Rapid-Acting |
Lispro (Humalog)
Aspart (Novolog)
Glulisine (Apidra) |
0-15 min before meal |
10-30 min |
30 min - 3 hours |
3-5 hours |
| Short-Acting |
Regular (R)
Human |
30 min before meal |
30-60 min |
2-5 hours |
Up to 12 hours |
| Intermediate-Acting |
NPH (N)
Human |
Does not need to be given with meal |
90 min - 4 hours |
4-12 hours |
Up to 24 hours |
| Long Acting |
Glargine (Lantus)
Detemir (Levemir) |
Does not need to be given with meal |
45 min - 4 hours |
Minimal |
Up to 24 hours |
For more information, you may want to purchase our book What You Need to Know About Diabetes - A Short Guide, which can be ordered online. | 
