Calculations of Carb to Insulin Ratios for Type 1 Diabetes | ADW Diabetes (2024)

By Marci Sloane|2018-07-10T16:06:14-04:00Updated: February 28th, 2015|Diabetes Management, DIY Diabetes Articles|0 Comments

A carbohydrate to insulin ratio is the amount of insulin used to lower the blood sugar from a particular amount of grams of carbohydrates eaten. For example, some people have a 15:1 carbohydrate-to-insulin ratio or they take 1 unit of insulin for every 15 grams of carbohydrates they eat. But other Type 1s need 1 unit of insulin for every 10 or even 8 grams of carbohydrates. Every person responds a little differently to insulin.

The 450/500 rule goes as follows:

If a person is taking rapid-acting insulin such as Humalog, Novolog or Apidra they would follow the 500 rule which states:

Divide 500 by the total daily dose of insulin. The result is the grams of carbohydrates that are approximately covered by 1 unit of insulin. For example, add up all the insulin you take for the day and divide by 500. If your total daily dose was 45 units, you would divide 500 by 45 and your ratio would be 11:1.

If a person is taking short-acting insulin such as Humulin R or Novolin R (Regular insulins) they would follow the 450 rule which states:

Divide 450 by the total daily dose of insulin. The result is the grams of carbohydrates that are approximately covered by 1 unit of insulin. For example, add up all the insulin you take for the day and divide by 450. If your total daily dose was 45 units, you would divide 450 by 45 and your ratio would be 10:1.

About the Author: Marci Sloane

Calculations of Carb to Insulin Ratios for Type 1 Diabetes | ADW Diabetes (1)

Marci SloaneMarci Sloane, MS, RD, LD/N, CDE, is a registered and licensed dietitian/nutritionist and certified diabetes educator. She grew up in NYC where she graduated with a degree in Nutrition and Physiology from Teachers College at Columbia University.For over a decade, Marci managed a Diabetes and Nutrition Education Center at a multi-bed hospital in South Florida and has been counseling people on healthy eating, weight loss, and managing diseases and conditions such as: diabetes, pre-diabetes, healthy eating, heart disease, weight loss, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, hypertension, hypoglycemia and a host of other nutrition-related diseases.Marci is an American Diabetes Association Valor Award recipient and lectures frequently to the public and healthcare professionals. Marci was a featured panelist for the Sun-Sentinel's "Let's Take It Off" weight loss program, was highlighted in the Palm Beach Post: Meet Your Neighbor, "Woman's book on healthy eating uses humor as a key ingredient" and was a participant in their Diabetes Series in 2007. Marci Sloane is a member of the American Diabetes Association’s Health Professional Committee.

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Calculations of Carb to Insulin Ratios for Type 1 Diabetes | ADW Diabetes (2024)

FAQs

How do you calculate insulin to carb ratio for type 1 diabetes? ›

Divide the total grams of carb by your insulin-to-carb ratio. Let's say you plan to eat 45 grams of carbohydrate and your insulin-to-carb ratio is 1 unit of insulin for every 15 grams of carbohydrate eaten. To figure out how much insulin to give, divide 45 by 15. 1.

What is the 500 rule for insulin to carb ratio? ›

The 500 rule (500 divided by total daily insulin dose [TDD] of insulin) is often used to find a starting point for the insulin to carbohydrate ratio (ICR), that is, how many grams of carbohydrate 1 unit of insulin covers, and this has been validated in children.

How many carbs per day for type 1 diabetes? ›

The total grams or amount of carbohydrate you need each day depends on your calorie goals, activity level and personal preferences. Carbohydrates generally provide 45-65% of your daily calories. For most people with type 1 diabetes, this ranges from 150-250 grams of carbohydrate a day.

What is the prescribed carbohydrate to insulin ratio? ›

The bolus dose for food coverage is prescribed as an insulin to carbohydrate ratio. The insulin to carbohydrate ratio represents how many grams of carbohydrate are covered or disposed of by 1 unit of insulin. Generally, one unit of rapid-acting insulin will dispose of 12-15 grams of carbohydrate.

What is the insulin regimen for type 1 diabetes? ›

Types of insulin for type 1 diabetes. Most people with type 1 diabetes take both: a long-acting insulin (also called background or basal insulin) once or twice a day. a rapid-acting insulin (also called mealtime or bolus insulin) before meals.

How many units of insulin is normal for type 1 diabetes? ›

The starting total daily insulin dose is typically weight based, ranging from 0.4 to 1.0 units per kilogram body weight, as recommended by various guidelines [2, 8, 9].

What is the 450 rule for type 1 diabetes? ›

Alternatively, the insulin-to-carbohydrate ratio (ICR) may be determined by the "450 rule." To determine the ICR, divide 450 by the child's total daily dose of insulin (TDD). For example, for a child with a TDD of 36 units, the ICR would be 450/36 = 12.5, or 1 unit per 12 g of carbohydrate.

What is the rule for carb ratio? ›

The insulin-to-carb ratio means you will take 1 unit of insulin for a certain amount of carbohydrate. For example, if your insulin-to-carb ratio is 1 unit of insulin for every 10 grams of carbohydrate (written 1:10), you will take 1 unit of insulin for every 10 grams of carbohydrate you eat.

What is the 500 rule for t1dm? ›

To calculate the ICR the 500 rule is sometimes used. You take the number 500 and divide it by the current total daily dose (TDD) of insulin. For example, if you usually have 20 units of Lantus and 10 units of Novorapid with each of your three meals then your TDD is 50.

Is 200 carbs a day too much for diabetics? ›

A more moderate carb diet may provide 130–220 grams of carbs per day, or 26–44% of calories in a 2,000-calorie diet ( 24 ). A few studies examining such diets have reported good results in people with diabetes (25, 26).

How to count carbs for T1D? ›

Carbs are measured in grams. On packaged foods, you can find total carb grams on the Nutrition Facts label. You can also check this list or use an app to find grams of carbs in foods and drinks. For diabetes meal planning, 1 carb serving is about 15 grams of carbs.

What happens when a type 1 diabetic eats a carb-heavy meal? ›

Twice-daily insulin

This means estimating how much carbs are in the individual foods and meals you eat in order to get the amounts right. More carbohydrate than usual can cause blood glucose levels to go too high, and less than usual can cause a hypo (low blood glucose levels).

What is the average carb ratio for a Type 1 diabetic? ›

Dr. Adi finds that an ICR of 1:15 (one unit of insulin to 15 grams of carbohydrates) generally works for most adults and children as a starting point, but more insulin-resistant patients will typically require a more aggressive ICR (less than 1:15). Ideally, Dr.

How to figure carb to insulin ratio? ›

To figure out a rough estimate of your I:C ratio, divide the number 500 by your total daily dose (TDD) of insulin, which includes both long-acting and rapid-acting insulin. This is known as the “500 rule.” To roughly calculate your correction factor, take the number 1,800 and divide that by your TDD.

What is the best ratio of carbohydrates? ›

The acceptable macronutrient distribution ranges are 45–65% of your daily calories from carbs, 20–35% from fats, and 10–35% from protein. However, remember that your macronutrient ratio doesn't directly influence weight loss. Instead, it's important to focus on being in a calorie deficit.

What is the insulin to carb ratio 450 rule? ›

Objective: Formulas to determine Insulin-Carbohydrate Ratio (ICR) use total daily dose (TDD) such as the 450 Rule (450/TDD=ICR) or body weight (BW) (2.8*weight in pounds/TDD).

What should carb ratio be on insulin pump? ›

Insulin-to-carbohydrate ratio: 1:10 (1 unit insulin for every 10 grams of carbohydrate)

How much insulin should I take if my sugar is 300? ›

70-139 mg/dL - 0 units 140-180 mg/dL - 4 units subcut 181-240 mg/dL - 6 units subcut 241-300 mg/dL - 8 units subcut 301-350 mg/dL - 10 units subcut 351-400 mg/dL - 12 units subcut If blood glucose is greater than 400 mg/dL, administer 14 units subcut, notify provider, and repeat POC blood sugar check in 1 hour.

What is the 400 rule for diabetes? ›

Carbohydrate-to-insulin ratio is estimated from 300-400 divided by total daily insulin dose in type 1 diabetes patients who use the insulin pump.

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