Insulin glargine was the 33rd most commonly prescribed drug in the United States in 2017. That year alone, there were over 20,715,011 prescriptions of it. Considering how popular this drug is right now, it pays to know a little bit more about this medication, including how long Basaglar stays in your system.
Experts state the following information regarding Basaglar (insulin glargine) half-life:
Mean effective half-life: Some reports claim that Lantus, another branded form of insulin glargine, has a half-life of 12 hours; however, other reports claim that there is no sufficiently documented half-life of insulin glargine
Time to steady-state: Insulin glargine (specifically Lantus 100 units/ml) can achieve a steady-state 2 to 4 days after the first dose
Mean accumulation ratio: Evidence does not suggest that insulin glargine (Lantus, specifically) accumulates
Insulin glargine does not achieve peak plasma concentration over time; rather, its concentration remains static while it works. After injection, the body quickly converts glargine into the metabolites M1 (21A-Gly-insulin) and M2 (21A-Gly-des-30B-Thr-insulin).
Note: When giving a dose of basaglar/ lantus/ glargine the dose will have an effect on blood sugar levels for about 24 hours.
FAQ
What is the half-life of Basaglar?
The FDA does not provide direct data on the half-life of Basaglar. However, other outlets claim that another form of insulin glargine, Lantus, has a half-life of 12 hours. Still other reports contradict these claims though, saying that there is no sufficiently documented half-life of insulin glargine.
How long does Basaglar stay in your system?
Basaglar’s effects last up to 24 hours after the last dose. Since the body quickly metabolizes this drug, glargine is not readily detectable in blood. However, its M1 metabolite instead was largely detectable (roughly 97% of the total amount of insulin detected) in blood.
Is Basaglar long or short acting?
Basaglar (insulin glargine) is a long-lasting synthetic insulin.
How long does regular insulin last?
There are several types of human-made insulin. Which one you choose can affect when and how long you’ll feel the benefits of these medications. For example, regular human insulin starts working anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour after injection. It attains maximum effectiveness within 2 to 4 hours, and its effects last up to 8 hours total.
By contrast, the long-lasting insulin glargine starts working 1 to 2 hours after injection, reaching maximum effectiveness after about 12 hours. Its effects last up to 24 hours.
Disclaimer: this article does not constitute or replace medical advice. If you have an emergency or a serious medical question, please contact a medical professional or call 911 immediately. To see our full medical disclaimer, visit our Terms of Use page.
