 I am an endocrinologist based in Manipal hospitals in Kolkata. Today is World Insulin Day. Insulin is a very important hormone which is secreted from the pancreas in our body. Pancreas is an organ situated inside your stomach. Insulin was discovered in 1921 and it had revolutionized the entire treatment of diabetes. Prior to insulin discovery people with diabetes used to really really succumb to the problems associated with high blood sugar and they used to die very early within six to eight years of diagnosis of diabetes made because of wasting of the body and because of thirst and also various other complications. Insulin was discovered by Banting and Best and a couple of other scientists in 1921 and they got a Nobel Prize for it and that had completely revolutionized the treatment of diabetes. Now since 1921 till up till now there has been various stages in insulin development. Insulin has been purified. Insulin there are various categories of insulin available like depending upon the duration of action. There are long-acting insulin available, short-acting insulin available, ultra-short-acting insulin available as well and the devices through which insulin is being taken has also undergone rapid changes over the years. People used to inject initially in this insulin injection used to be given through syringes and needles but now with development of time with development of technology there are very smart pen devices available. Pens are where you fit the cartridge of insulin inside the pen and the very fine needle is attached on the pen through which you can deliver insulin. Now using a pen to deliver insulin makes the technology very easy for the person who is taking insulin because the pen device is easy to handle. Fixing the dose of the insulin on the cartridge becomes very easy because there is a large window through which you can see and the dialing device of the pen through which you select the dose for your insulin is also quite easy to handle. All you need to do is someone needs to sit with you just for once to teach you how to take insulin injection. Let me at this point of time tell you that taking insulin for diabetes is not the end of treatment line. Taking insulin it does not mean that you have come to the end stage of diabetes you haven't got any other options left now you're going to succumb to all the complications of diabetes your life is going to be restricted not at all this come out of the midst of diabetes come out of the midst which are associated with insulin the reason why people are a little bit put off with insulin because people have got a lot of misconceptions regarding insulin people think that if you take insulin your life becomes very limited your life where it's not going to last very long and you will have lots of complications on the contrary insulin is a life-saving agent or insulin is a life-saving medication insulin in fact helps you to prolong life in a patient with diabetes because insulin will help you to recover from all the other complications of diabetes not only this your main organ the pancreas which secretes your own insulin and if the pancreas is defective which is the main reason why you have developed diabetes the insulin is made to make the pancreas to rest and recover by itself as well as at the same time it will reduce your blood sugar level but it has to be taken in an injection form and that injection form when you are taking with a pen device it really doesn't hurt a lot it's quite easy to take with a pen device and the needle is very fine and does not cause a lot of pain it does not cause that amount of pain what you have when you do a blood test when you have a blood test to your arms the amount of pain that you get in sequering taking insulin with the pen device does not cause so much of pain at all and also adjusting doses of insulin have also become easier because all you need to do is monitor your blood sugar level and talk with the healthcare provider or with your doctor who is going to help you to adjust insulin dosage but at the same time taking insulin doesn't mean that it is a license to indulge into sumptuous food like food rich in sweets and fat and all these things because at the end of the day you do need to establish a proper control of your diet and exercise and whether you're taking insulin whether you're taking medication diet and exercise always have to be followed for lifelong in a person with diabetes but taking insulin means that your your insulin will help you to keep the complications associated with high blood sugar and also will help you to protect your kidneys as well and kidneys, pancreas, liver etc. your body organs are going to be protected from the effects of high blood sugars again there are certain conditions which are associated with diabetes say for example if you have got gross kidney abnormalities which is most of the time associated with diabetes or some heart problems or liver issues many of the times your doctor will suggest that you need to take insulin because insulin does not interact or insulin doesn't worsen the functions of these vital organs so that thing also has to be kept in mind so taking insulin is not like someone punishing you or rather taking insulin means that your person is thinking that how can you come out of the complications associated with high blood sugar and so that you can live a long and a productive life hope this video is helpful thank you very much for listening and tuning in stay tuned to our channels for more such of informative videos thank you