What happens if insulin freezes

Read on: you might just get chills hearing what he discovered! For the sake of science, I put the last dredges of a vial of Novolog into my kitchen freezer last night.

How cold is my freezer? I have no idea. My son Rio chilled a glass of wine in the freezer for me this summer, but I got home late and the vino was about half frozen. On the other hand, we chilled some whiskey shots overnight with no whiskey-ice at all. So from all this comparative science, we cansafely infer that the freezing point of insulin is much closer to that of water than it is to wine typically Of course, a full vial might not have fared as well as my science experiment did.

One thing I did notice was that the insulin thawed much more quickly than I would have expected when I was holding the chilled vial in my hand to try to get a picture of it. That might just be my warm hands and cold heart. Or the small size of the insu-ice cube. But is the insulin still usable after it thaws? Ready to use when returned to balmier climates?

Check out the discussions about it here. Or here. Much of the conversation online revolves around how to get replacement insulin from your pharmacy or health insurance plan; or verbatim quotes from the prescribing information sheets about the dangers of frozen insulin. And what do they say? The same kind of wording can be found on Apidra, Humalog, Lantus, and Levemir insulins. So the folks who make the insulin think freezing it is a bad idea.

But does that really tell us that freezing is a problem, or just one they choose not to study? Preparing for the holidays? Insulin is a naturally occurring, glucose-lowering hormone used by many people with diabetes to control their blood sugar.

In people with type 1 diabetes, supplemental insulin makes up for the insulin that is not produced by the body. People with type 2 diabetes may need to take insulin if they cannot maintain adequate blood sugar control with other medications.

Insulin is manufactured to be identical to the insulin produced by the human pancreas. These synthetic insulins can work from a few hours rapid-acting insulin to a whole day long-acting insulin. They are typically injected via a needle or pen. All insulins must be stored with care to ensure that they remain safe and effective. Improper storage could result in the breakdown of insulin, affecting its ability to effectively and predictably control your blood sugar level.

Depending on the type of insulin you are prescribed, there may be some subtle differences in how best to store it and how long it will last once open. Ask your doctor or diabetes educator for specifics on how to store your own insulin prescription.

As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician. Type 1 diabetic for 30 years. I had it at room temp and within a week it had brown clumps.

Insulin prices and medical costs are thru the roof. Their role in society is to use their superior knowledge to help their fellow man. Its now turned into using that superior knowledge to find the sick on the ground and get every last cent from him. I have been taking insulin for 35 years and had in both hot and cold places for extended periods with zero adverse affects. I was diagnosed as type 2 last year, my weight was kg, my doctor wanted me to start insulin and encouraged a diet with an alarming amount of carbs, so I went to boots and bought a blood sugar tester that I used every day, and started on a Atkins type diet.

PEN: Once used for the first time, insulin pens should not be stored in the fridge. The number of days you can use the pen will depend on which pen you use. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist. The number of days depends on which pen you use. Brought to you by. Who Should Report an Error? Storage of Insulin. What is an OPEN vial? Do not leave insulin in a hot closed car. Heat makes insulin break down and will not work well to lower your blood sugar. Do not keep in freezing places. Never store in a freezer.

If insulin is frozen, do not use. You will not be able to inject the insulin if it is frozen. Do not use even after thawing.