Types of Insulin

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Each type of insulin has an onset, a peak, and a duration time.

The onset is how soon the insulin starts to lower your blood glucose after you take it.

The peak is the time the insulin is working the hardest to lower your blood glucose.

The duration is how long the insulin lasts-the length of time it keeps lowering your blood glucose.

The times shown in the chart are estimates. Your onset, peak, and duration times may be different. You'll work with your health care team to come up with an insulin plan that works best for you.

Type of Insulin	Brand Name	Generic Name	Onset	Peak	Duration
Very Rapid-acting	Fiasp	Insulin aspart plus niacinamide and L-arginine	2.5 minutes	63 minutes
Rapid-acting	NovoLog	Insulin aspart	15 minutes	30 to 90 minutes	3 to 5 hours
	Apidra	Insulin glulisine	15 minutes	30 to 90 minutes	3 to 5 hours
	Humalog	Insulin lispro	15 minutes	30 to 90 minutes	3 to 5 hours
	Admelog	Insulin lispro	15 minutes	30 to 90 minutes	3 to 5 hours
Rapid-acting by inhalation	Afrezza	regular human insulin	minutes	about 60 minutes	160-180 minutes
Short-acting	Humulin R	Regular (R)	30 to 60 minutes	2 to 4 hours	5 to 8 hours
	Novolin R
Intermediate-acting	Humulin N	NPH (N)	1 to 3 hours	8 hours	12 to 16 hours
	Novolin N
Long-acting	Levemir	Insulin detemir
	Lantus	Insulin glargine (U-100)	1 hour	Peakless	20 to 26 hours
	Basaglar	Insulin glargine (U-100)
	Toujeo	Insulin glargine (U-300)	6 hours
	Tresiba	Insulin degludec			42 hours
Pre-mixed NPH (intermediate-acting) and regular (short-acting)	Humulin 70/30 Novolin 70/30	70% NPH and 30% regular	30 to 60 minutes	Varies	10 to 16 hours
	Humulin 50/50	50% NPH and 50% regular	30 to 60 minutes	Varies	10 to 16 hours
Pre-mixed insulin lispro protamine suspension (intermediate-acting) and insulin lispro (rapid-acting	Humalog Mix 75/25	75% insulin lispro protamine and 25% insulin lispro	10 to 15 minutes	Varies	10 to 16 hours
	Humalog Mix 50/50	50% insulin lispro protamine and 50% insulin lispro	10 to 15 minutes	Varies	10 to 16 hours
Pre-mixed insulin aspart protamine suspension (intermediate-acting) and insulin aspart (rapid-acting)	NovoLog Mix 70/30	70% insulin aspart protamine and 30% insulin aspart	5 to 15 minutes	Varies	10 to 16 hours
Pre-mixed insulin aspart (rapid-acting) and insulin degludec (long-acting)	Ryzodeg	70% insulin degludec and 30% insulin aspart			beyond 24 hours