Is Januvia Insulin?
Coming to grips with a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis isn’t deflating to same extent that would be the case with other diseases. But you will need to be much more on top of your blood sugar levels every day from here on out. Definitely not the worst thing but you are going to have a daily date with your medication to keep that blood sugar in check. Diet and exercise level changes are also advisable if you’re really committed to slowing the progression of diabetes. Januvia is a Type 2 diabetes treatment medication, but is Januvia insulin? No, it’s not.
Type 2 diabetes treatment is always going to be your answer to what does Januvia do, but how is Januvia effective for preventing blood sugar spikes if it’s not insulin? We can explain. Most diabetics will take insulin injections, but Januvia is an oral medication and belongs to a new class of medications for Type 2 diabetes treatment called DPP-4 inhibitors. That leads to our next question; how Januvia works.
There are definitely lots of layers to that explanation, but we’ll just describe it briefly as we look at is Januvia insulin. By countering alpha and beta cell dysfunction responsible for reduced insulin production by the kidneys and increased glucose (sugar) by the liver, Januvia works to make it so you have less blood sugar to deal with. It also promotes more insulin being produced to take more of the sugar there is in the bloodstream and channeling it into cells. This is ideal, with the sugar then processed as energy rather than remaining in the bloodstream.
Maybe Metformin
The difference between Metformin and insulin matches the difference for Januvia too. Metformin is not the same as Januvia, and among all most prescribed oral Type 2 diabetes treatment pills it may well be number one. As a conclusion for is Januvia insulin, we know it isn’t and that it has much more in common with Metformin and other oral diabetes meds. Much of that can be encompassed in a discussion of pill vs insulin for diabetes treatment.
As a DPP-4 inhibitor Januvia is a little different in that it doesn’t lower blood sugar levels to the same extent that other oral diabetes treatment pills will. For this reason it’s more likely that Januvia will be prescribed for a person with Type 2 diabetes who experience only mildly elevated blood sugar levels. Thousands of users fit that profile at any time, but if they fail to adapt to their new diabetes treatment regimen then needing to inject insulin in the future becomes a possibility.
Last but not least there’s the fact that some people don’t do well with regular needle use, and if you get lipodystrophy easily you’re probably going to prefer skipping injections if that’s at all possible. Is Januvia insulin? Nope, but for many people it can be the better choice and especially in the idea of injecting yourself means instant anxiety.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The above information is intended to increase awareness of health information and does not suggest treatment or diagnosis. This information is not a substitute for individual medical attention and should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. See your health care professional for medical advice and treatment.
