Living with diabetes often means managing the daily challenges of insulin. This vital hormone plays a key role in helping those with type 1 and type 2 diabetes regulate their blood sugar levels, keeping them stable and reducing the risk of health issues.
However, insulin is quite delicate and comes with a limited lifespan. It needs to be stored at specific temperatures to stay effective, and improper storage can cause it to lose its potency.
Interestingly, insulin also has two expiration dates, which can make things a bit confusing to identify expired insulin.
In this article, we’ll explain how to know when your insulin expires and offer advice on what to do with expired insulin. Ready?
Prefer to watch rather than read? We’ve got something for you! Check out our video about expired insulin below—it covers the same topic in a fresh, engaging format.
Does insulin expire?
Yes, insulin does expire—and it actually has two expiration dates!
The first is the official one, clearly printed on each pen, vial, or cartridge by the manufacturer. This is typically about one year from the purchase date and can be found on both the packaging and the container itself (pen, vial, or cartridge). If you’re unsure, your pharmacist can assist you in locating it. This expiration date is based on clinical studies and reflects the point after which the insulin may lose its stability and effectiveness, even if stored properly.
The second expiration date comes into play once you’ve opened the insulin or removed it from the fridge. Depending on the type of insulin, this timeframe can range from 28 to 56 days. For instance:
- For Lantus, Novolog, Humalog, Apidra, and Basaglar, the expiration after opening is 28 days.
- For Humulin, the expiration date after opening is 31 days.
- For Novolin N, Levemir, and Toujeo, the expiration date after opening is 42 days.
- For Tresiba, the expiration date after opening is 56 days.
Before using any insulin, it's essential to review its specific storage instructions. Once opened, insulin should be kept at room temperature and must never be exposed to temperatures above 25°C!
Related article: Insulin Storage Explained: Room Temperature vs. Refrigeration!
Related article: Traveling with Insulin: How to Keep it Cool or Refrigerated?
What Happens If You Use Expired Insulin?
Once insulin passes either of its two expiration dates, its stability and effectiveness are no longer guaranteed by the manufacturer. Using expired insulin is not safe and could lead to serious health complications. It’s always better to be cautious—never take chances with expired insulin.
Regardless of the reason, expired insulin should never be used. And even if it’s still within its shelf life, avoid using insulin that appears discoloured, cloudy, or shows signs of spoilage.
Factors like exposure to high temperatures, freezing, light, or rare instances of bacterial contamination can cause insulin to degrade more quickly. When in doubt, dispose of the pen or vial and replace it with a fresh one from the fridge.
While it's generally advised not to use insulin after it expires, many experts agree that if insulin has been properly stored, using it a few days past the expiration date might not be harmful. However, only resort to this if no other option is available, and always ask for your doctor's advice first.
Related article: How to Tell If Your Insulin is Bad?
What Are The Side Effects of Expired Insulin?
Using expired insulin can result in prolonged hyperglycemia, with symptoms such as high blood sugar, excessive thirst, fatigue, blurred vision, frequent urination, nausea, and the presence of ketones in your urine. This happens because expired insulin loses some or all of its potency, making it ineffective at lowering blood sugar levels. In a way, using expired insulin is like injecting water—it simply doesn’t work.
While injecting expired insulin might not cause immediate illness or fatal harm, the consequences can be severe and potentially life-threatening. Since it behaves like little to no insulin, your blood sugar levels will continue to rise. If left untreated, this could escalate to diabetic ketoacidosis, a dangerous condition that may result in a coma.
How to Dispose of Expired Insulin
Expired insulin is no longer safe to use. To avoid confusion between good and bad insulin, it’s best to discard it as soon as you realize it has expired.
In the European Union, including Germany, medical waste disposal follows strict guidelines. Expired insulin should be returned to a pharmacy for safe disposal. Many pharmacies have specific drop-off points for unused or expired medicines, ensuring they are disposed of in an environmentally responsible way.
As for sharps such as needles and syringes, these should be placed in designated sharps containers to prevent injury and contamination. In Germany, sharps containers can be obtained at pharmacies and health facilities, and they must be returned to authorized disposal points once full.
Always check with your local pharmacy or municipal waste services for guidelines on medication disposal, as procedures can vary slightly by region.
Share Your Insights With Us!
Have you ever had to deal with expired insulin? What did you do?
