Traveling with Insulin: How to Keep it Cool or Refrigerated?

Traveling with insulin can be daunting for those with diabetes, especially at the beginning.

But it's crucial to maintain stable blood sugar levels even when away from home. That means a few extra precautions, including ensuring proper storage of your insulin in varying temperatures, and handling the disruptions caused by changes in time zones and routines—all of which can add significant stress when traveling.

Whether you're planning a short trip or a longer excursion, it's important to know how to keep your insulin pens and vials cool while traveling.

As you know, insulin is very fragile and sensitive to temperature; it needs to be kept refrigerated before use and protected from heat once it's opened.

Incorrect temperature management when traveling can significantly affect the efficacy of your treatment and overall diabetes management.

In this guide, we offer vital tips and knowledge on how to travel with insulin that needs to be refrigerated or kept cold, ensuring you always maintain your insulin at the ideal storage temperature throughout your journey!

When is it Necessary to Refrigerate or Keep Insulin Cool?

To grasp the intricacies of insulin storage and temperature control when traveling, let's first revisit the basics of why and when insulin requires refrigeration.

Not every travel scenario demands that your insulin be kept refrigerated. Pretty much all types and brands of insulin can stay at room temperature for up to a month, though the exact time frame depends on the brand you use.

Insulin Temperatures Explained

Before use or opening, insulin pens and vials must be stored in a refrigerator between 2°C and 8°C to preserve their effectiveness.

However, once you open an insulin pen (or vial), it can be stored out of the fridge, as long as it's maintained at room temperature, which should not exceed 25°C.

Under these conditions, insulin generally remains usable for about a month. The specific shelf life at room temperature can range from 28 days for brands like Humalog, Novolog, and Lantus, to 42 days for Levemir, Novolin N, and Toujeo, and even up to 56 days for Tresiba. Always consult the manufacturer’s guidelines for the correct storage instructions for your specific insulin.

How to Store Insulin When Traveling

As said above, when you're on the move with insulin, keeping it at the correct temperature is vital for maintaining its effectiveness. Here are two different travel scenarios to consider:

1. If You're Traveling with Unopened Insulin: If your insulin pens or vials are still sealed, they need to be kept refrigerated between 2°C and 8°C during your travel. In that case, you should carry it in a refrigerated travel case. 

1. If You're Traveling with Opened Insulin: Once opened, insulin can be stored at room temperature, up to a maximum of 25°C, often for about a month. However, if you're heading to warmer climates where temperatures might exceed 25°C, you must use an insulin cooler to protect your insulin from heat.

Now, let's focus on each of these situations.

How to Travel with Insulin That Needs to be Refrigerated

With some preparation and the appropriate travel coolers, managing refrigerated insulin during travel is completely achievable.

Let’s go through a few tips and steps to ensure your insulin remains at fridge temperature wherever your travels lead you.

If you find visuals more helpful and enjoy learning by watching rather than reading, we have just the thing for you. Don’t miss our informative video guide on how to keep insulin cool while traveling:

1. Get a Mini Insulin Fridge for Travel

2. Avoid DIY Insulin Coolers

While it might be tempting to use an insulated lunch bag with ice packs as a makeshift solution to keep your insulin refrigerated while traveling, we do not recommend this approach for carrying refrigerated insulin.

DIY cooler bags are not intended for medical purposes and can lead to highly unpredictable temperatures. As ice packs melt, they could introduce moisture, and the temperature fluctuations may compromise both the safety and effectiveness of your insulin.

DIY coolers lack the reliability provided by medical-grade travel refrigerators, making it difficult to guarantee that your insulin stays refrigerated during your travels.

3. Refrigerate Your Insulin Pens at Your Destination

As soon as you arrive at your travel destination, refrigerate your insulin pens or vials. Mini travel fridges like the Explorer or Voyager from 4AllFamily are convenient as they can simply be plugged in to maintain the refrigeration of your insulin throughout your stay.

But if you're using other coolers that are not USB-powered, advance planning becomes essential.

• When booking your accommodation, request a mini-fridge for your room. Most hotels are well-equipped to fulfill this request, particularly for medical needs such as storing insulin, and typically provide this service at no additional charge. Immediately upon accessing your hotel room, make it a priority to store your insulin in the mini-fridge before you start unpacking or settling in.

• If a mini-fridge isn't available in your room, speak with the hotel management about the possibility of storing your insulin in the hotel’s main refrigerator. Ensure that your insulin is stored securely and is clearly marked to prevent any confusion. If the hotel can't meet your refrigeration needs, check with local pharmacies or even nearby relatives or friends to see if they can store your insulin in their refrigerator for the duration of your visit.

How to Keep Insulin Cool When Traveling

When you're traveling with insulin supplies for a short duration—less than a month—you might not need to keep your insulin refrigerated. Most types of insulin are stable at room temperature for up to a month, varying from 14 to 56 days depending on the brand and type.

However, in warmer climates, where temperatures regularly exceed 25°C, you must protect your insulin from heat and keep it cold, carrying it in a specialised cooler. Even brief exposure to high temperatures can quickly and significantly degrade your insulin.

1. Get a Good Insulin Travel Cooler

2. More Tips for Carrying Insulin While Traveling

Besides carrying your insulin in travel coolers, some sensible strategies can also help protect your insulin from heat, ensuring it remains cool and effective wherever your travels take you: 

• Avoid Sunlight Exposure: Ensure that your insulin is never exposed to direct sunlight, which can quickly raise its temperature. For instance, if you're dining outdoors, don't leave your insulin on the table; rather, keep it in a shaded area, in a cool bag, or wrapped within a cloth inside your personal bag.

• Never Leave Insulin in a Car: The temperature inside a parked car can soar rapidly. Always take your insulin with you instead of leaving it in the car, even if you anticipate being away for only a short period.

• Carry Only What You Need: For day trips or shorter excursions, only bring the insulin pen you'll need, and leave the other ones in a cool, secure location at your accommodation. This reduces risk and ensures you have a backup supply in case your primary insulin pen is accidentally exposed to extreme temperatures.

• Protect Insulin from Freezing: If your travels take you to colder climates, remember that insulin can also be damaged by freezing. To prevent this, carry your insulin in an interior pocket close to your body, using your body heat as a protective barrier against the cold.

• Prepare a Backup Plan: Always have a contingency plan for scenarios where your insulin might become bad due to improper storage conditions. Check with your travel insurance provider in advance to see if they cover the loss of medications during travel, ensuring you're prepared for any mishaps.

Share Your Insights!

Do you frequently travel with insulin? We're keen to hear about your journey! What methods do you use to keep your insulin cool or refrigerated while exploring new places? Please share your tips and experiences in the comments below. Let’s collaborate to make traveling with insulin easier and safer for everyone!