The Discovery of Insulin: When and Who Found It?

The Discovery of Insulin: When and Who Found It?

Insulin is something most of us have heard of, especially if we know someone with diabetes. But have you ever wondered who discovered it and when? Let’s take a little trip back in time to find out!

Insulin was discovered in 1921 by two brilliant scientists from Canada, Frederick Banting and Charles Best. They were working together at the University of Toronto, trying to find a cure for diabetes, a disease where the body can’t control blood sugar levels.

Before the discovery of insulin, diabetes was a deadly disease. People who had it didn’t have any way to control their blood sugar, and they often didn’t survive for long. But Banting and Best’s work changed that.

They discovered that the pancreas, an organ in our body, produces a hormone called insulin that helps control blood sugar. By isolating insulin and testing it on dogs, they realized it could be used to help people with diabetes manage their condition.

Thanks to their hard work, insulin became available as a treatment in the early 1920s. This was a breakthrough for medical science and gave many people with diabetes the chance to live longer, healthier lives.

So, the next time you hear about insulin, remember it was Frederick Banting and Charles Best who made this life-saving discovery in 1921!