Key takeaways
NovoLog is a fast-acting insulin that helps improve blood sugar levels in patients with Type 1 or 2 diabetes about 10 to 20 minutes after injection. Its peak effect occurs around one to three hours later.
Several factors can impact how long it takes for NovoLog to work, including exercise, injection site location, medical conditions, and even your body temperature.
NovoLog dosage depends on several factors and is individualized based on a patient’s needs. One unit of NovoLog can lower blood sugar by about 30 to 50 mg/dL.
Anyone with an allergy to NovoLog or its ingredients or who is experiencing hypoglycemia should avoid taking the medication.
NovoLog is a fast-acting insulin used to help people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes manage high blood sugar. This prescription medication is injected five to ten minutes before eating a meal to help prevent spikes in blood glucose levels. Its effects last up to five hours.
Is NovoLog fast-acting?
Yes, NovoLog is fast-acting. This insulin pen is injected into the tissue just below the skin right before a meal and begins working about 10 to 20 minutes after injection, according to Raj Dasgupta, MD, an internist and program director at Huntington Health Hospital in California.
“NovoLog reaches its peak effectiveness about one to three hours—usually 90 minutes—after you take it,” Dr. Dasgupta says. “This is when it’s most effective at lowering blood sugar levels, which is crucial for avoiding those post-meal spikes.” Effects can last up to three to five hours.
There are five main types of FDA-approved insulin, according to Nnenna Emeghara, Pharm.D., an ambulatory care clinical pharmacy specialist with Franciscan Physician Network in Greenwood, Indiana. These include:
- Ultra-rapid-acting insulin: Fiasp (insulin aspart)
- Rapid-acting insulin: NovoLog (insulin aspart), Humalog (insulin lispro)
- Short-acting insulin: Humulin R (insulin regular)
- Intermediate-acting insulin: Humulin N (human insulin)
- Long-acting insulin: Lantus (insulin glargine)
Insulins are considered rapid- or fast-acting if the insulin reaches its highest level of effectiveness shortly after it’s taken, Emeghara says.
When you eat food, glucose (the body’s fuel source) enters your bloodstream. Your pancreas then makes insulin, which helps move glucose from the bloodstream into other parts of your body, like muscle, fat, and liver cells. This process creates energy for the body.
However, a person with diabetes mellitus has trouble moving glucose from the bloodstream to other areas of the body, and too much glucose remains in their bloodstream. Rapid-acting insulins work quickly to help the body process the glucose from the food a person eats, preventing spikes in blood sugar that can happen after mealtime, Dr. Emeghara says.
NovoLog has an ultra-rapid counterpart called Fiasp. While this medication has the same active ingredient, insulin aspart, Fiasp is formulated with a form of vitamin B3 (niacinamide), which speeds up how fast the body absorbs the Fiasp insulin dose. “Fiasp has an onset of action of about five minutes,” Dr. Emeghara says. “It peaks in about one to two hours after injection.”
What can affect how long it takes to work?
Several factors can impact how long it takes for NovoLog to work, including:
- Blood supply at the injection site: Dr. Emeghara says vigorously rubbing or massaging the injection site can increase blood supply and speed absorption.
- Exercise: Strenuous exercise within an hour of injection can also speed insulin absorption.
- Injection site location: “The area where you inject it matters,” Dr. Dasgupta says. “Different spots on your body absorb it at different rates.” In general, it’s best not to inject NovoLog into muscle. “This is because an injection into the muscle can cause insulin to work too quickly,” Dr. Dasgupta explains. “It is important to inject into areas of skin with subcutaneous tissue, such as the abdomen and thighs.”
- Lipodystrophy (abnormal fat distribution in the body): If you have been diagnosed with lipodystrophy, avoid any areas of the body that have abnormal fat distributions, Dr. Emeghara says. Injecting in these areas delays absorption.
- Body temperature: “A hot bath, shower, or sauna can increase absorption rate as well,” Dr. Emghara explains. That’s because warmth makes your blood vessels dilate, which speeds up the rate at which you process insulin.
- Dosage: Larger doses of NovoLog can take your body longer to absorb and lower blood sugar levels, Dr. Emeghara says. This is because it takes more time to absorb the higher volumes of insulin.
While these factors can impact how quickly NovoLog works, Dr. Emeghara says she does not recommend taking any action to make the insulin “kick in faster.” Instead, you should follow your prescribed treatment plan as your healthcare provider directed.
What is the standard NovoLog dosage?
“The manufacturer (Novo Nordisk) has not recommended a specific dosage of NovoLog because your NovoLog dosage will depend on several factors, and everyone’s needs are different,” Dr. Dasgupta says. “It’s important to monitor your blood sugar, adjust your dose accordingly, and always speak with your doctor if you have any questions.”
NovoLog is available in different package sizes. Each contains 100 units of insulin aspart per mL (U-100), according to the NovoLog injection label.
- 10 mL vials
- 3 mL PenFill cartridges for the 3 mL PenFill cartridge delivery device (with or without the addition of a NovoPen 3 PenMate®) with NovoFine® disposable needles
- 3 mL NovoLog FlexPen
- 3 mL NovoLog FlexTouch
One unit of NovoLog can lower blood sugar by about 30 to 50 mg/dL, though this can vary from person to person. “You can use NovoLog multiple times a day, usually right before mealtime, to keep your blood sugar in check,” Dr. Dasgupta says. NovoLog is also approved for use in insulin pumps in children ages 2 and older with Type 1 diabetes or in adults with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes.
Who should avoid taking NovoLog?
Dr. Emeghara says anyone who has an allergy to NovoLog or its ingredients should avoid taking the medication. Similarly, anyone experiencing hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) should not take NovoLog.
You should avoid taking NovoLog if you plan to:
- Drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how the drug impacts you
- Drink alcohol
- Use prescription drugs or over-the-counter medicines that contain alcohol
Before taking NovoLog, it’s important to seek medical advice from a healthcare professional if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. You should also discuss any prescriptions, herbal supplements, over-the-counter medications, or vitamins you currently take. NovoLog can interact with other drugs. Possible drug interactions include antidiabetic agents and anti-hypertensives like ACE inhibitors, ARBs, diuretics, and beta blockers.
“These drug interactions may increase the risk of hypoglycemia, blunt the signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia, or decrease the blood glucose-lowering effect of NovoLog,” Dr. Emeghara says. “Patients should keep an up-to-date list of their medications and speak with their doctor before starting or stopping medications or supplements.”
The bottom line
NovoLog can be an effective solution for helping people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar levels after mealtime. It works quickly to prevent post-meal glucose spikes and maintain better overall glucose control.
NovoLog typically begins working within 10 to 20 minutes after subcutaneous injection, with its peak effect occurring around one to three hours later and lasting for up to five hours. However, several factors can influence how quickly this type of insulin begins working, from physical activity to medical conditions like lipodystrophy.
To ensure your insulin dosages are effective, it’s important to follow prescribed instructions, report side effects of NovoLog and allergic reactions, and work with your healthcare provider to develop a diabetes care plan that meets your individual needs and helps maintain stable blood sugar levels.
Sources
- Managing your blood sugar, Mount Sinai
- NovoLog injection label, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- Taking NovoLog, NovoLog
- What is NovoLog?, NovoLog