Toujeo vs. Novolog for Diabetes Type 2 and Diabetes Type 1: Important Differences and Potential Risks.

Key takeaways

Toujeo (insulin glargine) and NovoLog (insulin aspart) are both insulins used to manage diabetes, but they have some key differences. Toujeo is a long-acting insulin that you inject once a day, and it helps control your blood sugar levels for up to 36 hours. In contrast, NovoLog is a fast-acting insulin that you take multiple times a day, usually right before meals. It starts working within 15 minutes to manage blood sugar spikes from eating. Toujeo is only available as a brand-name medication, while NovoLog has several brand options like NovoLog FlexPen and NovoPen Echo. Toujeo is typically used for maintaining a baseline insulin level, whereas NovoLog is used to control blood sugar levels around mealtimes. Both can cause low blood sugar and weight gain, but NovoLog may also lead to accidental injuries due to more frequent injections and potential issues with insulin pumps.

Toujeo

(insulin glargine)

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NovoLog

(insulin aspart)

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Summary for Toujeo

Prescription only

Toujeo SoloStar and Toujeo Max SoloStar are a pair of brand names for insulin glargine. It's a long-acting insulin that's used for diabetes in adults and children. This medication is a more concentrated version of insulin glargine containing 300 units/mL. Toujeo (insulin glargine) comes as prefilled pens. You inject the medication under the skin once daily. Side effects include common cold symptoms and low blood sugar.

Indications for Toujeo

Pros and Cons for Toujeo

Pros

Long-lasting insulin that provides consistent, all-day blood sugar control
Given once a day
Available as a prefilled pen
Good choice for people who need high doses of long-acting insulin
Can use in children as young as 6 years old

Cons

Must inject under the skin
Might be hard for some people to administer correctly
Has a risk of causing low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
Might cause weight gain
Can't mix with other insulins

Common Side Effects for Toujeo

Warnings for Toujeo

Risk of infections with pen sharing
Risk of changes to blood sugar levels with changes to your insulin regimen
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
Low potassium levels
Swelling and heart failure when used with certain diabetes medications
Allergic reactions

Summary for Novolog

Prescription only

NovoLog (insulin aspart) is a fast-acting insulin for adults and children with diabetes. It lowers your blood sugar levels by moving the sugar into your body so it can be used for energy. NovoLog (insulin aspart) is available as vials and ready-to-use prefilled pens. It's typically injected under the skin at mealtimes, but it can also be given as an infusion into the veins by a healthcare provider for people in the hospital. Side effects include headache and low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).

Indications for Novolog

Type 1 diabetes in adults and children
Type 2 diabetes in adults

Pros and Cons for Novolog

Pros

Starts to work within 10 minutes to lower blood sugar levels
Dose can be easily adjusted to make treatment tailored to your specific needs
Can use if you have liver or kidney problems
Available as a prefilled pen for easier and convenient use

Cons

Given multiple times per day (before each meal)
Must give as an injection
Might be hard for some people to inject properly
Risk of low blood sugar and weight gain

Common Side Effects for Novolog

Type 1 diabetes:

Severely low blood sugar (17%)
Headache (12%)
Accidental injury (11%)
Nausea (7%)
Diarrhea (5%)

Type 2 diabetes:

Muscles slow to react (11%)
Severely low blood sugar (10%)
Fungal nail infection (10%)
Impairment of your senses (9%)
Urinary tract infection (8%)
Sinus infection (5%)
Chest pain (5%)
Stomach pain (5%)
Headache (5%)
Skin problems (5%)

Warnings for Novolog

Spread of infections from sharing injection supplies
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
Low blood potassium levels
Swelling from fluid buildup and risk of heart failure when taken with certain blood sugar medications
Dangerously high blood sugar levels or buildup of ketones (for people who use insulin pump)