Health Tip: Storing Your Insulin

Proper storage helps maintain effectiveness

(HealthDay News) -- Diabetics must not only take their insulin correctly, they also need to make sure that it's stored properly.

The American Diabetes Association offers these suggestions:

• Never store insulin in the freezer. It clumps at temperatures below 36 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Any insulin that won't be used in a month or less should be stored in the refrigerator.
• Insulin that you are currently using can be stored at room temperature (no higher than 86 degrees Fahrenheit) for up to a month.
• Check the color and consistency of your insulin before you use it. Rapid- and short-acting insulin should be clear, and intermediate-acting insulin should be cloudy, but never with large clumps floating in it.
• Never use insulin that is past its expiration date.