Table of Contents
Understanding the Four Units
Milligrams (mg) — measures the total mass of lyophilized peptide in a vial (e.g., 5 mg vial).
Micrograms (mcg) — 1/1000 of a milligram. Doses are expressed in mcg. A 5 mg vial = 5,000 mcg.
Milliliters (ml) — the volume you draw into a syringe after reconstitution.
IU — the scale markings on a U-100 insulin syringe where 100 IU = 1 ml.
1 mg = 1,000 mcg | 100 IU = 1 ml | 1 IU = 0.01 mlReading an Insulin Syringe
A U-100 syringe has 100 major divisions each equal to 0.01 ml. Major tick marks appear every 10 IU (0.10 ml). Minor marks are typically every 2 IU (0.02 ml).
| Syringe Mark | Volume (ml) |
|---|---|
| 10 IU | 0.10 ml |
| 20 IU | 0.20 ml |
| 25 IU | 0.25 ml |
| 50 IU | 0.50 ml |
| 100 IU | 1.00 ml |
What is Concentration?
Concentration is the ratio of peptide mass to solution volume. It is set during reconstitution and determines how many ml or IU you draw per dose. Calculated as: (Vial mg × 1000) ÷ BAC Water (ml) = mcg/ml.
The Dosage Formula
Three steps convert a desired mcg dose to a syringe volume:
- Concentration (mcg/ml) = (vial mg × 1000) ÷ BAC water (ml)
- Volume (ml) = Desired dose (mcg) ÷ Concentration (mcg/ml)
- IU = Volume (ml) × 100
Use our peptide dosage calculator to do this instantly.
Worked Examples
Example 1 — 5 mg vial, 2 ml BAC water, 250 mcg dose
| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Concentration | (5 × 1000) ÷ 2 | 2,500 mcg/ml |
| Volume (ml) | 250 ÷ 2,500 | 0.10 ml |
| Syringe (IU) | 0.10 × 100 | 10 IU |
Quick Reference Chart
| Dose (mcg) | @ 1,000 mcg/ml | @ 2,500 mcg/ml | @ 5,000 mcg/ml |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 mcg | 10 IU | 4 IU | 2 IU |
| 250 mcg | 25 IU | 10 IU | 5 IU |
| 500 mcg | 50 IU | 20 IU | 10 IU |
| 1,000 mcg | 100 IU | 40 IU | 20 IU |