Many patients are aware of insulin’s intolerance to high temperatures, but are not familiar with the effects of low temperatures on insulin. In fact, insulin cannot withstand low temperature either. This is because freezing and freezing will denature insulin and thus render it useless. Even if it is thawed, insulin cannot be used. Therefore, insulin should never be frozen. As a biological preparation, insulin should be stored at 4℃ to 8℃, and insulin should not be stored at too low a temperature, otherwise it will lose its effect. Once insulin is found to have frozen, it should be discarded and replaced with new insulin to avoid uncontrollable increase in blood sugar. This is also to remind patients that when storing insulin in the refrigerator, they must place it in a special refrigerated mini-fridge and avoid placing it in the freezer. Also try not to put insulin close to the inner wall of the refrigerator, this is because some refrigerators have a low inner wall temperature, which can easily cause insulin to freeze. When taking out a new insulin from the refrigerator, pay attention to the presence of icing to avoid inadvertently using insulin that has already expired. It is also important to check the temperature of the refrigerator frequently. Some patients like to place their insulin on the windowsill, which may cause the insulin on the windowsill to freeze due to the low temperature at night in northern winter, and this is also something that patients should be reminded to pay attention to. How to carry insulin by airplane in winter? It should be noted that insulin preparations should not be checked in the luggage when flying, because the temperature of the airplane luggage compartment is often below the freezing point, which may cause insulin preparations to freeze and fail. Diabetic patients should carry it with them on the plane. At the same time, be sure to check your luggage before carrying insulin on board, and do not put insulin together with hot drinks, tablet computers and other heat sources that give off heat. Insulin preparations that have been frozen and frozen should not be thawed and used again. In addition, insulin is also afraid of heat, and even in winter, insulin should not be exposed to direct sunlight. Unopened insulin: It should be protected from light and refrigerated. Unopened insulin should be stored in a refrigerator at a temperature of 2℃-8℃ to avoid the destruction of the drug activity and affect its efficacy. The temperature in the refrigerator freezer is lower, so it is better to store insulin at the refrigerator door. Remember never to put insulin in the freezer, otherwise the insulin will be destroyed and cannot be used. Unopened insulin can be stored until the shelf life printed on the box. Insulin stored in refrigerator freezer should be allowed to warm up to room temperature before first use. After loading the refill into the syringe, it should be kept at room temperature and not put into freezer storage again to prevent liquid spillage. Unpacked insulin: No need to refrigerate and needs to be used up within 4 weeks. Do I need to refrigerate unopened insulin? Many glucose patients will keep opened insulin in the refrigerator for safer storage. However, in-use insulin can be stored at room temperature (around 25℃), and care should be taken to avoid sunlight. Then, even in summer, sugar lovers can store their in-use insulin in a cool place at home, such as in a drawer. Unpacked insulin needs to be used up within 4 weeks after opening. Do not shake insulin violently: Insulin monomer consists of two peptide chains, A and B. The A chain and B chain are connected by disulfide bonds. Also, there is a disulfide bond inside the A chain. The physiological efficacy of insulin is extremely closely related to the disulfide bond, and any breakage of the disulfide bond can render insulin inactive. In other words, the A and B chains alone are not physiologically active, and only when the two chains are linked together by a disulfide bond can they be active. Strong shocks can break the disulfide bonds of insulin, thus rendering insulin inactive. Therefore, it is important to avoid shaking insulin violently during insulin administration. Especially when shaking premixed or medium and long-acting insulins, the movements should be gentle. After reading the methods introduced above, now you know how to store insulin in winter.