Humulin L is also known in generic terms as insulin zinc. This form of insulin is used to treat diabetes mellitus (another way of saying diabetes). It works the same way as other forms of insulin. Insulin is considered a hormone that is originally made from your pancreas. When your pancreases fail to produce enough insulin to give you energy, your blood glucose level can get low. When this happens, you should get something sweet in your body immediately. Otherwise, your body could go into diabetic shock and ultimately, a coma.
The origin of Humulin comes from Ecoli bacteria that has been changed to make it presentable for human consumption in the body. This insulin contains a crystalline ingredient along with zinc. When administered, the combining ingredients act to provide insulin flow within a day’s time. This means it would take longer than usual for the insulin to take effect in your body. Of course, this depends on how much of the Humulin L insulin you intake. This insulin is considered sterile and should not be administered within the muscle areas.
Humulin L was originally derived from animal sources that included beef, pork and beef-pork. If a change was to be made in the dosage, you were to see your physician.
As with any insulin, you should check your bottle prior to using. Humulin L was being used; it was to be shaken up well so that the mixture would blend in with each other. You would know when the insulin was fully mixed because the insulin would have a cloudy or a milky look to it. It was not to be used if there was a white substance at the bottom after you mixed it. Checking the bottle was very crucial to whether or not you would take the insulin.
As with any other insulin, Humulin L was to be used the same way. You would administer it either once or twice a day with a needle and syringe. You would also make sure that you ate three meals a day with snacks in between. This would help to keep you blood sugar level stable. Also, as with any other insulin, exercise played a role in helping you to regain energy in your body.
If you were allergic to insulin zinc, you were advised not to administer Humulin L for yourself. Your physician would make the recommended changes.
Eventually, due to continuous upgrades in diabetic research and insulin, Humulin L was discontinued by their manufacturer, Elli Lilly. The company issued a statement via the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) that stated this particular brand of insulin would be no more. It seemed as though the demand for this insulin brand had decreased. Therefore, the company was losing money. Up until the time they were to set up the discontinuation, they would still have Humulin L insulin available to use.
They notified health care facilities, health care workers and related persons as they saw fit. The Humulin L insulin that once was faded into the sunset, never to return.