Insulin was first discovered in 1921 by Canadians F.G. Banting and C.H. Best, and began to be used clinically in 1922, saving previously incurable diabetics. To this day, insulin remains an indispensable drug for the treatment of diabetes, and for some diabetic patients it is even the only drug that can be applied. However, many diabetic patients and even some doctors still have many concerns about all insulins and fail to activate insulin therapy in time to control the patient’s condition, which delays the timing of treatment. Below, we give you an inventory of common misconceptions about applying insulin. Myth 1: Using insulin means that the disease has worsened The severity of diabetes should be judged by the level of blood glucose control, not the type of medication used. For type 1 diabetic patients, insulin secretion in the body is absolutely insufficient due to autoimmune deficiency or genetic factors, so insulin therapy is invariably needed. type 2 diabetic patients, early oral hypoglycemic drugs can control blood sugar in the normal range, but the patient’s own ability to secrete insulin will decline over time, so it is very important to supplement exogenous insulin. Insulin therapy not only helps to achieve long-term blood glucose standard, but also prevents or delays the development of complications to control the progress of the disease. Myth 2: Long-term use of insulin is addictive Insulin has indications, and even long-term injections are necessary for the condition, and there is no problem of addiction. Addiction refers to the side effects of a certain drug, while insulin does not have such side effects. Insulin is a hormone that is already present in the human body. For patients with long duration of diabetes and low function or even absence of pancreatic beta cells, they can no longer produce and secrete insulin by themselves, so they need exogenous supplementation, and this situation is just like the need to eat when hungry, drink water when thirsty and add clothes when cold. Myth 3: Insulin injections can be painful With the development of injection technology and devices, insulin injections have become as if painless. At present, there is a 0.23mm diameter needle on the market, the needle is very small, only equivalent to the thickness of three hairs. The injection is like a mosquito bite, basically no pain. Myth 4: You can’t eat immediately after insulin With the “update” of insulin, this “historical legacy” problem has been solved. The new insulin analogues can be injected immediately before a meal, so that you can eat immediately without having to wait 30 minutes to eat. Moreover, in case you forget to take the injection before meal, you can take a follow-up injection during mealtime, which makes it more convenient for diabetic patients to eat at home or on the go, and provides more stable blood sugar control. Myth 5: Long-term insulin injections will make the pancreatic islets atrophy This view is wrong. Since diabetes has an absolute or relative insufficiency of secretion of its own pancreatic beta cells, in order to maintain normal blood sugar, it is necessary to supplement exogenous insulin in appropriate amounts. Treatment with insulin can make the own islet cells continue to work after proper rest, which is conducive to the protection of islet function. Myth 6: Type 2 diabetic patients do not need to play insulin In clinical work, many type 2 diabetic patients can only apply insulin to control the disease more satisfactorily, and many patients and their families are concerned about the application of insulin for this type of diabetes, in fact, the benefits of the application of insulin for type 2 diabetic patients: it can make the blood glucose concentration can be effectively controlled, eliminate the high blood sugar caused by ” Glucose toxic effect”, which is conducive to the recovery of their own islet function; and can promote the absorption and utilization of glucose; improve the abnormal fat metabolism; prevent atherosclerosis, thus reducing the complications of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. It can be said that type 2 diabetic patients should switch to insulin therapy in time when their condition requires it, which is very beneficial to control abnormal glucose metabolism, reduce complications and enable patients to safely pass the critical state. In conclusion, the efficacy of insulin is not only related to whether the treatment plan is reasonable, but also related to various factors such as lifestyle intervention, insulin type, storage method and injection technique. Insulin is a double-edged sword, if used properly, it can lower blood sugar and delay the occurrence of diabetic complications; if used improperly, it may cause hypoglycemia, increase body weight, and even induce cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. In our clinical work, we must individualize the insulin treatment plan and adjust the insulin dose dynamically, so that insulin can really become a powerful weapon for us to overcome diabetes.