Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that regulates blood glucose levels. It facilitates the absorption of glucose into cells, where it is used for energy. This hormone acts as a key, unlocking cells to allow glucose to enter from the bloodstream. Understanding insulin’s normal actions helps grasp the potential effects of its misuse.
How Insulin Works Normally
After consuming food, particularly carbohydrates, the digestive system breaks them down into glucose, which then enters the bloodstream. This increase in blood glucose signals the pancreas to release insulin. Insulin then travels through the bloodstream to various cells throughout the body, including muscle, fat, and liver cells. It binds to specific receptors on these cells, signaling them to open up and take in glucose.
Once inside the cells, glucose can be used immediately for energy or stored for later use. For instance, the liver and muscles convert glucose into glycogen for storage, while fat cells can convert it into triglycerides. This process effectively removes glucose from the blood, thereby lowering blood glucose levels back to a healthy range. For a person without diabetes, blood glucose levels generally range between 4.0 and 7.8 millimoles of glucose per liter of blood (70 and 140 mg/dL) throughout the day.
Initial Effects of Too Much Insulin
When a non-diabetic individual administers insulin, it bypasses the body’s natural regulatory mechanisms. The excess insulin rapidly drives glucose from the bloodstream into cells, causing blood glucose levels to drop far below the normal range, a condition known as hypoglycemia. The brain relies almost exclusively on glucose for fuel, so a significant drop in blood sugar can quickly impair its function.
Symptoms of hypoglycemia can manifest quickly. Common signs include sweating, trembling, and a rapid heartbeat, which are the body’s immediate responses to low blood sugar. Individuals may also experience hunger, lightheadedness, or dizziness. As blood glucose continues to fall, cognitive symptoms can emerge, such as mild confusion, irritability, anxiety, or difficulty concentrating. Some people might also notice blurred vision or tingling sensations around the mouth.
Serious Health Consequences
If severe hypoglycemia, caused by excess insulin, remains untreated, the consequences can become life-threatening. As blood glucose levels continue to fall, the brain’s ability to function deteriorates further, leading to more severe neurological impairment.
Profound hypoglycemia can lead to serious complications, including seizures, loss of consciousness, and coma. In some cases, severe and prolonged hypoglycemia can result in permanent brain damage. The brain’s neurons are particularly vulnerable to glucose deprivation, and prolonged lack of this fuel can cause irreversible harm. In the most extreme circumstances, an insulin overdose can lead to death.
What To Do In An Emergency
An accidental insulin administration to a non-diabetic is a medical emergency that requires immediate action. If someone is suspected of having taken insulin, emergency services should be called without delay. This is crucial because professional medical intervention is often necessary to correct dangerously low blood sugar levels.
While waiting for emergency responders, do not attempt to give the person food or drink if they are unconscious, disoriented, or unable to swallow. Doing so could lead to choking or aspiration. Medical professionals will likely administer glucose intravenously to rapidly raise blood sugar levels and stabilize the individual. Preventive measures, such as storing insulin securely and out of reach of individuals who do not need it, can help prevent such accidental exposures. Insulin should be kept in a refrigerator when unopened and protected from extreme temperatures and direct sunlight.