Synthetic amylin is a manufactured form of amylin, a hormone that increases release of insulin in the body. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved this injected medication in 2005 for treating adults whose type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes cannot be controlled by insulin alone.

Discovered in the 1987, amylin is released from the beta cells of the pancreas. These are the same cells that secrete insulin. As with insulin, amylin is absent in people with type 1 diabetes and does not work effectively in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Synthetic amylin functions by slowing the movement of food from the stomach to the small intestine. It helps to keep glucose levels from becoming too high immediately after meals and falling too low several hours after eating.

Side effects are usually mild to moderate and include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, headache, fatigue and dizziness. The severity of side effects tends to lessen over time and may stop within four weeks of beginning treatment.

Synthetic amylin is the only medication approved for treating type 1 diabetes since insulin was introduced more than 80 years ago. It is sold under the brand name Symlin (pramlintide acetate).

Synthetic amylin must be taken carefully under a physician’s supervision to avoid the potential for developing severe hypoglycemia. It is not recommended for certain patients, such as those with gastroparesis or hypoglycemia unawareness.