Short answer: Both are mealtime insulins from Novo Nordisk for adults and children with diabetes.12 Novolin R is regular human insulin, injected about 30 minutes before a meal. NovoLog is insulin aspart, injected 5 to 10 minutes before a meal. The NovoLog label compared it with "regular human insulin" and found similar HbA1c; it does not name Novolin R. Neither has a boxed warning.
| Novolin R | NovoLog | |
|---|---|---|
| Insulin | Regular human insulin 100 units/mL1 | Insulin aspart 100 units/mL2 |
| When injected | Approximately 30 minutes before the start of a meal1 | Within 5 to 10 minutes before a meal2 |
| Peak level | Between 1.5 and 2.5 hours after 0.1 unit/kg in healthy subjects1 | Median 40 to 50 minutes, vs 80 to 120 for regular human insulin in the same studies2 |
| Type 1 adults, 24 weeks, with NPH | Regular human insulin: HbA1c 0.0%2 | HbA1c −0.1%2 |
| Type 2 adults, 6 months, with NPH | Regular human insulin: HbA1c −0.1%2 | HbA1c −0.3%2 |
| Insulin pump | Not recommended, because of the risk of precipitation1 | Change the reservoir at least every 7 days2 |
| Forms | 10 mL vial; FlexPen1 | Vial, FlexPen, FlexTouch, PenFill cartridges2 |
| Opened, room temperature | Vial 42 days up to 77 F; FlexPen 28 days1 | Vial, pens and cartridges 28 days up to 86 F2 |
| Side-effect rates | None given; reactions listed without percentages1 | Table vs regular human insulin, e.g. headache 12% vs 10% in type 12 |
| Label type on DailyMed | Human OTC drug label1 | "Rx only" on the cartons2 |
In 24-week trials of adults with type 1 diabetes, NovoLog was injected right before meals and regular human insulin 30 minutes before, both with NPH insulin. HbA1c changed −0.1% on NovoLog (596 people) and 0.0% on regular human insulin (286 people). In type 2 diabetes over 6 months it changed −0.3% vs −0.1%, and in children aged 6 to 18 it rose 0.1% in both groups. The label calls the HbA1c reduction similar to regular human insulin.2 It does not say the regular insulin was Novolin R.
NovoLog can be used in an insulin pump, changed at least every 7 days; the Novolin R label says pump use is not recommended. Both can be given into a vein under medical supervision and both may be mixed in a syringe with NPH insulin, drawing the clear insulin first. The NovoLog label reports severe lows in 17% of adults with type 1 diabetes over 24 weeks; the Novolin R label gives no rates.21
Which, if either, fits is for your prescriber. More detail: Novolin R side effects, NovoLog side effects, the Novolin R and NovoLog dosing schedules, the NovoLog missed-dose page, how to store NovoLog and Humalog vs NovoLog: what is different between the two mealtime insulins?.