The key difference between basal and bolus insulin is that basal insulin controls blood sugar throughout the day and night while bolus insulin controls blood sugar at mealtimes, especially when the blood sugar rises suddenly.
Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas. It regulates the blood glucose level. When there is a disorder in producing insulin, sugar builds up in the blood, causing diabetes or high blood sugar and increasing the chances of other health problems. At that time, insulin supplements have to be taken in order to treat and manage diabetes. Basal insulin and bolus insulin are two types of insulin that control blood sugar. Basal insulin lowers blood sugar throughout the day working as long-acting insulin while bolus insulin lowers blood sugar at mealtime working as rapid-acting insulin. Basal-bolus therapy is the combination of both types of insulin which mimics the body’s natural insulin function.
