Humulin U was another form of insulin used in the earlier years. This insulin was manufactured the Elli Lilly Company. Humulin U was different than other insulin that was derived from animals. In fact, this insulin brand was created just like the insulin that your pancreas produced. This was due to the way Humulin U was manufactured.
Humulin U was derived from a specimen of Ecoli bacteria. This bacteria was changed so that the insulin could be produced for human injection in the body. There are crystalline ingredients along with zinc that are contained in the insulin. This brand of insulin worked slower than your normal insulin. Of course, with Humulin U, depending on the dosage, injection area and other factors, the time frame could increase or decrease. This insulin is sterile and should not be injected within the muscle area. Humulin U should not be used with an IV.
As with any brand of insulin, Humulin U had to be shaken up in order to be effective. You would know whether or not the insulin was good. You would get a cloudy or milky looking effect after shaking. If you saw white substance at the bottom, you were advised not to partake of the insulin. You weren’t supposed to use it if the bottle contained lumps in it. Prior to using on yourself, it was imperative to check the entire bottle.
In addition to using insulin, you were to make sure that you had three balanced meals a day. That included breakfast, lunch and dinner. Also, it was strongly recommended that you snack in between. Regular exercised played a part when using this insulin brand. Doing it on a regular basis provided more energy for your body.
As with any other insulin, Humulin U was to be stored in the refrigerator to keep it cold. The recommended temperature was 86 degrees or below. It was very important to have it kept away from light and heat. You were not allowed to use frozen insulin. Most importantly, it was not advantageous to use the Humulin U after it has expired.
Speaking of animals, would you believe that even dogs and cats could get diabetes? Well, they did and they were administered Humulin U as well.
After administering the insulin, it was advised that the syringe be discarded. It wasn’t a good thing to share someone’s syringe to inject insulin into your body. You were just setting yourself up for infection.
Eventually, as with other older brands of insulin, Humulin U was discontinued and taken off the market. Its manufacturer, Elli Lilly made the decision to stop making it. Since there were more advances in diabetes and insulin, they felt the Humulin U brand was starting to falter. Also, people didn’t seem to use it as much anymore. There were more treatments for diabetes made available.
The company advised everyone that needed to know and eventually Humulin U was history. Pet owners would have to find an alternative to administer to their cats and dogs. It was time for another insulin brand to emerge and take the place of Humulin U.