While patrolling the PubMed database this weekend, I came across a very interesting study that investigated the effects of new insulins on insulin and C-peptide antibodies, insulin dose, and diabetic control. Please note - this study was published in 1983. After reading -- I invite EVERYONE to let me know if it is possible to get purified pork insulin and whether or not you have been on it-- and if you have seen a difference in your diabetes control. Please?
24 diabetic patients using bovine (beef) insulin and possessing insulin antibodies underwent a study of the immunological and clinical consequences of changes in both purity and species of their insulin. The new insulin regimes tested were one of three: a) purified bovine insulin, b) highly purified porcine insulin, and c) semisythetic human insulin.
The patients underwent 3 consecutive 4-month periods on each insulin regimen. The average insulin antibody levels changed little on purified bovine (beef) insulin; actually increased on semi-synthetic human insulin but fell substantially on highly purified porcine insulin. Okay - so this means, in lay terms that the patient's insulin antibodies (the stuff killing your islets) remained relatively the same on beef insulin but became categorically HIGH on synthetic human insulin. And most importantly - to me-the highly purified porcine insulin actually DROPPED the insulin antibodies. Of course - it would cost big pharmaceutical companies more to manufacture highly purified porcine insulin.
C-peptide antibodies fell significantly and continuously throughout the study. The slower rate of fall in C-peptide antibody levels is likely to be due to the prolonged half-life of circulating exogenous proinsulin in the presence of insulin antibody. Although insulin dose remained constant the incidence of hypoglycaemic episodes did not increase and glycosylated haemoglobin levels rose significantly when patients were on porcine insulin. The deterioration in diabetic control may have been due to greater temporal mismatch between insulin needs and insulin availability with pork or human insulin than with beef insulins, and to reduced insulin antibody levels.
The use of purer insulins which more closely resemble the human form can cause a significant reduction in levels of insulin and C-peptide antibodies. These changes may not necessarily produce better diabetic control. Recent studies have shown that a depletion of C-peptide in the body results in a greater chance of microvascular complications associated with diabetes.
This study was published around the time when all of the synthetic human insulins were sweeping the Nation. I tried calling my local CVS Pharmacy on Saturday morning to see if I could get some purified porcine insulin. No such luck. Go figure. The big guys were successful at convincing the medical community and patients that no other insulin is better. Correction - no other insulin is cheaper to manufacture and that means it is better for them. And the importance of C-peptide was overlooked entirely - or was it? C-peptide prevents the complications associated with injecting insulin - but that sounds like another marketable drug. After all - synthetic human insulin doesn't have C-peptide. REAL HUMAN INSULIN does (the way it comes out of the beta cells, in natural form, it does)!!! And as long as your body is producing insulin antibodies - you NEED their synthetic insulin (conveniently -- the only kind you can buy). Best business model - customer for life!
In 1996 
