A to Z / Approved medicine
Insulin
Also known as various brands; insulin glargine, lispro, degludec.
What it is
Insulin is a 51-amino-acid peptide hormone and the drug that started peptide medicine: first used in a patient in 1922. It is an essential medicine, on the WHO model list, and it keeps millions of people alive.
It appears here for two reasons: it is the reference point for what a peptide drug can be, and its non-medical use in bodybuilding carries a mortality rate unmatched by anything else in this book.
What the full entry covers
The book carries the rest of this entry:
- Where the research stands, with every claim cited
- What people commonly ask, and what the research shows so far
- Dosing in four labelled bands, described and not recommended
- Side effects, serious risks, cautions and interactions
- Questions to discuss with your doctor
- How it compares with Semaglutide, IGF-1 LR3, Pramlintide, Somatropin
Related entries
A certificate of analysis tells you what is in a vial. The evidence rating above tells you whether the compound has been shown to work in humans. Neither answers the other's question. How to read a certificate of analysis.
This page describes what is known and not known about Insulin. It is not medical advice and not a recommendation to use it.