For anyone with diabetes relying on insulin, it's not just another medication—it's absolutely essential. Insulin helps keep your blood glucose levels in check and prevents a host of serious diabetes-related health complications.
But here's the thing: insulin needs to be handled and stored with care. It’s extremely sensitive to light, heat, and temperature changes.
Normally, your pens and vials of insulin should be stored in the fridge until you're ready to use them, and once they're out, you've got a maximum of 28 days to use it, keeping it at room temperature, always below 25°C.
If it gets too warm, even for a short while, insulin can quickly lose its effectiveness. In this article, we're going to explore what heat does to insulin, what happens when insulin gets too warm, and how you can keep your insulin safe from those temperature spikes.
What Happens When Insulin Gets Warm?
When insulin gets too warm- above 25°C or 30°C for certain brands- it begins to break down at a molecular level. This degradation can significantly reduce its potency and efficacy, making it less effective at lowering your blood sugars. Such a reduction in performance can significantly compromise your diabetes management and pose serious health risks.
Heat Degrades Insulin
Biologically, insulin is a chain of amino acids that maintains a specific 3D structure necessary for it to bind to receptors in the body effectively. Heat can cause this structure to unfold or denature, leading to a loss of efficacy.
The breakdown of insulin starts to occur when it is stored above its recommended temperature range (2°C to 8°C before use and up to 25°C or 30°C once opened).
Risks of Using Warm Insulin
Using insulin that has gotten too warm can pose significant risks to your health.
First, it leads to the administration of less effective insulin. This situation can result in elevated blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia), which, if sustained, may lead to serious health complications such as diabetic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening emergency situation.
Symptoms of using warm insulin might be subtle at first but can escalate rapidly, underscoring the importance of vigilance and proper storage.
It's vital to know how to identify insulin that has gone bad because of heat exposure, and there are really 2 ways to do so: visual inspection or unusually high blood sugars.
Visual signs insulin has gotten too warm
Insulin is typically clear and free of particles when in its normal state. If you notice that your insulin appears cloudy, contains visible particles, or has changed consistency, these could be signs that it has become too warm and gone bad.
However, it's not always visibly detectable. Your insulin could potentially degrade without any noticeable changes in appearance. Therefore, monitoring storage conditions and expiration dates still remains crucial.
Additionally, be aware that some types of insulin are naturally cloudy, such as NPH (Neutral Protamine Hagedorn) and some pre-mixed insulins. Always refer to the manufacturer's guidelines to understand the normal appearance of your specific type of insulin and its required storage conditions.
High Blood Sugar Levels
Another sign that can alert you on warm insulin is if you notice that your glucose control is not as effective as usual despite regular insulin injections. This might be a sign of bad insulin that has lost its efficacy.
Persistent hyperglycaemia can be harmful and should prompt an immediate check of your insulin's storage conditions. Review whether the insulin has been kept cool and stored at the recommended temperature and has not exceeded its usable life post-opening or its expiration date.
Discuss with your healthcare provider who might recommend switching to a new and fresh insulin vial or pen to ensure that your diabetes management remains effective and safe.
How to Protect Your Insulin from Heat?
Ensuring that insulin stays cool is key to maintaining its potency and keeping your blood sugar levels under control.
Remember to always store unopened insulin vials or pens in a refrigerator between 2°C and 8°C. Keep it away from the freezer compartment to avoid freezing.
Once opened or in-use, most insulin can stay at room temperature below 25°C for about a month. But check the specific storage recommendations for your insulin type and brand, as these can vary. Consult the packaging, your healthcare provider, or your pharmacist for precise guidelines.
To ensure your insulin never gets too warm:
- Use a medical-grade portable insulin cooler when carrying insulin on the go or traveling, especially for extended periods outdoors or in hot weather.
- Avoid direct sunlight. Always keep your insulin pens and vials in the shade.
- Never leave your insulin in the car, particularly on warm or sunny days. Temperatures inside a parked vehicle can quickly soar and get your insulin too warm.
- Never place your insulin pen or vial near a heat source like a stove, a chimney, or a barbecue.
Related article: Traveling with Insulin: How to Keep it Cool or Refrigerated?
How warm can insulin get?
How warm exactly insulin can get depends on the specific type and brand of insulin you're using, but generally, it should not exceed 25°C and 30°C for some.
For instance:
- Novolog, Humalog, and Lantus can be stored at 30°C for up to 28 days.
- Apidra is recommended to be stored at a maximum of 25°C for up to 28 days.
- Novolin N vials are stable at 25°C for up to 42 days, whereas Novolin N FlexPens can be stored at 30°C for 28 days.
Make sure to check the storage instructions for your specific insulin and never expose it to temperatures warmer than recommended by the manufacturer.
Can warm insulin hurt you?
While warm insulin itself isn't harmful, using degraded insulin can lead to ineffective glucose control, posing significant health risks. Never use insulin if it has gotten warm. Dispose of the vial or pen and get a new one from the refrigerator.
How to keep insulin warm in cold weather?
While warm insulin isn't safe for use, it is equally important to ensure that your insulin isn't too cold either! Freezing temperatures can disrupt the molecular structure of the insulin, rendering it ineffective too.
In cold weather, keep your insulin pen or vial close to your body, such as in an inner jacket pocket, to prevent it from freezing. If using a travel cooler to carry your insulin, make sure it provides anti-freeze safety, like the ones from 4AllFamily!
We'd Love to Hear From You!
Feel free to comment below and share your questions, tips, or experiences about insulin storage and temperatures!
