Insulin types

Web Resource Last Updated: 18-02-2025

This is a brief guide to the types of insulin and how long each type of insulin lasts over a 24-hour period.

Please note, insulins in each group can vary in their effect and duration of action. Visit the manufactures website for specific information about your insulin.

Rapid-acting

Short-acting

Intermediate-acting

Long-acting

Rapid-acting insulin

Area graph showing effect of prapid acting insulin over time. Peak at 1 hour. Zero effect at 3

Starts working in 5–10 minutes and lasts 2–5 hours.
The fastest-acting insulin, usually taken 10-15
minutes before meals or as a correction dose.

Examples include insulin aspart (Novorapid®), insulin lispro (Humalog®), insulin glulisine (Apidra®), insulin aspart (Trurapi®. FiAsp®).

Short-acting insulin

Area graph showing effect of short-acting insulin over time. Peak at 3 hours. No effect by 6 hours

Starts working in 30 minutes to 1 hour and lasts
up to 8 hours. Short-acting insulin is usually taken about 30 minutes before meals.

Examples include human soluble insulin (Actrapid®, Humulin® S).

Intermediate-acting insulin

Area graph showing effect of intermediate-acting insulin. Peaking at 8 hours. Effect stopping at 22 hours

Starts working within 2 hours and lasts 8–14
hours. Usually taken once or twice a day.

Examples include isophane insulin (Insulatard® and Humulin® I)

Long-acting insulin

Area graph showing effect of long acting insulin over time. Reaches peak effect at 6 hours and continues trailing off at 24 hours

Starts working within 2 hours and lasts up to
18–24 hours. Usually taken once or twice a day.

Examples include insulin detemir (Levemir®), insulin glargine (Abasaglar®, Semglee®, Lantus®, Toujeo®) and insulin degludec (Tresiba®).

Mixed insulin

Area graph showing effect of mixed insulin over time. Shorter acting insulin peaks at 30 minutes and tails of quickly to zero at 6 hours. Longer acting insulin peaks at 8 hours and tails off at 24 hours.

Starts working within 30 minutes (depending on
short-acting insulin). These insulins are a mixture
of shorter-acting and longer-acting insulins and
come in different preparations. Usually taken twice
or three times daily, between 15–30 minutes
before or just after food.

Examples include biphasic insulin aspart (Novomix® 30), biphasic insulin lispro (Humalog® Mix 25, Humalog® Mix 50), soluble and isophane insulin (Humulin® M3).

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