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Peptide reconstitution chart

A reconstitution chart gives the concentration of a vial after water is added: concentration (mg/mL) = mg in the vial ÷ mL of water. This chart covers 1 mg to 100 mg vials mixed with 0.5 to 5 mL, with the amount held in every 10 units of a U-100 insulin syringe. A 10 mg vial with 2 mL is 5 mg/mL, so 10 units hold 0.5 mg.

Key facts

  • Concentration (mg/mL) = amount in the vial (mg) ÷ bacteriostatic water added (mL).
  • A 5 mg vial mixed with 2 mL of water is 2.5 mg/mL, so 10 units on a U-100 insulin syringe hold 0.25 mg (250 mcg).
  • A 10 mg vial mixed with 2 mL of water is 5 mg/mL, so 10 units hold 0.5 mg and 1 mg is 20 units.
  • The amount in every 10 units is the concentration divided by 10, because 10 units is 0.1 mL on a U-100 syringe.
  • Different vials can reach the same concentration: 5 mg + 1 mL, 10 mg + 2 mL and 15 mg + 3 mL are all 5 mg/mL.

The chart is arithmetic on vial sizes and water volumes. It contains no doses and does not say how much water to use; that comes from your pharmacy label.

It is formatted to print: use your browser's print command.

Chart 1: concentration in mg/mL

Rows are the mg printed on the vial. Columns are the mL of bacteriostatic water added.

Vial0.5 mL water1 mL water1.5 mL water2 mL water2.5 mL water3 mL water4 mL water5 mL water
1 mg2 mg/mL1 mg/mL0.6667 mg/mL0.5 mg/mL0.4 mg/mL0.3333 mg/mL0.25 mg/mL0.2 mg/mL
2 mg4 mg/mL2 mg/mL1.333 mg/mL1 mg/mL0.8 mg/mL0.6667 mg/mL0.5 mg/mL0.4 mg/mL
3 mg6 mg/mL3 mg/mL2 mg/mL1.5 mg/mL1.2 mg/mL1 mg/mL0.75 mg/mL0.6 mg/mL
5 mg10 mg/mL5 mg/mL3.333 mg/mL2.5 mg/mL2 mg/mL1.667 mg/mL1.25 mg/mL1 mg/mL
6 mg12 mg/mL6 mg/mL4 mg/mL3 mg/mL2.4 mg/mL2 mg/mL1.5 mg/mL1.2 mg/mL
10 mg20 mg/mL10 mg/mL6.667 mg/mL5 mg/mL4 mg/mL3.333 mg/mL2.5 mg/mL2 mg/mL
12 mg24 mg/mL12 mg/mL8 mg/mL6 mg/mL4.8 mg/mL4 mg/mL3 mg/mL2.4 mg/mL
15 mg30 mg/mL15 mg/mL10 mg/mL7.5 mg/mL6 mg/mL5 mg/mL3.75 mg/mL3 mg/mL
20 mg40 mg/mL20 mg/mL13.33 mg/mL10 mg/mL8 mg/mL6.667 mg/mL5 mg/mL4 mg/mL
24 mg48 mg/mL24 mg/mL16 mg/mL12 mg/mL9.6 mg/mL8 mg/mL6 mg/mL4.8 mg/mL
30 mg60 mg/mL30 mg/mL20 mg/mL15 mg/mL12 mg/mL10 mg/mL7.5 mg/mL6 mg/mL
40 mg80 mg/mL40 mg/mL26.67 mg/mL20 mg/mL16 mg/mL13.33 mg/mL10 mg/mL8 mg/mL
50 mg100 mg/mL50 mg/mL33.33 mg/mL25 mg/mL20 mg/mL16.67 mg/mL12.5 mg/mL10 mg/mL
60 mg120 mg/mL60 mg/mL40 mg/mL30 mg/mL24 mg/mL20 mg/mL15 mg/mL12 mg/mL
100 mg200 mg/mL100 mg/mL66.67 mg/mL50 mg/mL40 mg/mL33.33 mg/mL25 mg/mL20 mg/mL

Chart 2: amount in every 10 units

How many mg sit in 10 units (0.1 mL) of a U-100 insulin syringe at each concentration above. For 1 unit, divide by 10; for 50 units, multiply by 5.

Vial0.5 mL water1 mL water1.5 mL water2 mL water2.5 mL water3 mL water4 mL water5 mL water
1 mg0.2 mg 200 mcg0.1 mg 100 mcg0.06667 mg 66.67 mcg0.05 mg 50 mcg0.04 mg 40 mcg0.03333 mg 33.33 mcg0.025 mg 25 mcg0.02 mg 20 mcg
2 mg0.4 mg 400 mcg0.2 mg 200 mcg0.1333 mg 133.3 mcg0.1 mg 100 mcg0.08 mg 80 mcg0.06667 mg 66.67 mcg0.05 mg 50 mcg0.04 mg 40 mcg
3 mg0.6 mg 600 mcg0.3 mg 300 mcg0.2 mg 200 mcg0.15 mg 150 mcg0.12 mg 120 mcg0.1 mg 100 mcg0.075 mg 75 mcg0.06 mg 60 mcg
5 mg1 mg0.5 mg 500 mcg0.3333 mg 333.3 mcg0.25 mg 250 mcg0.2 mg 200 mcg0.1667 mg 166.7 mcg0.125 mg 125 mcg0.1 mg 100 mcg
6 mg1.2 mg0.6 mg 600 mcg0.4 mg 400 mcg0.3 mg 300 mcg0.24 mg 240 mcg0.2 mg 200 mcg0.15 mg 150 mcg0.12 mg 120 mcg
10 mg2 mg1 mg0.6667 mg 666.7 mcg0.5 mg 500 mcg0.4 mg 400 mcg0.3333 mg 333.3 mcg0.25 mg 250 mcg0.2 mg 200 mcg
12 mg2.4 mg1.2 mg0.8 mg 800 mcg0.6 mg 600 mcg0.48 mg 480 mcg0.4 mg 400 mcg0.3 mg 300 mcg0.24 mg 240 mcg
15 mg3 mg1.5 mg1 mg0.75 mg 750 mcg0.6 mg 600 mcg0.5 mg 500 mcg0.375 mg 375 mcg0.3 mg 300 mcg
20 mg4 mg2 mg1.333 mg1 mg0.8 mg 800 mcg0.6667 mg 666.7 mcg0.5 mg 500 mcg0.4 mg 400 mcg
24 mg4.8 mg2.4 mg1.6 mg1.2 mg0.96 mg 960 mcg0.8 mg 800 mcg0.6 mg 600 mcg0.48 mg 480 mcg
30 mg6 mg3 mg2 mg1.5 mg1.2 mg1 mg0.75 mg 750 mcg0.6 mg 600 mcg
40 mg8 mg4 mg2.667 mg2 mg1.6 mg1.333 mg1 mg0.8 mg 800 mcg
50 mg10 mg5 mg3.333 mg2.5 mg2 mg1.667 mg1.25 mg1 mg
60 mg12 mg6 mg4 mg3 mg2.4 mg2 mg1.5 mg1.2 mg
100 mg20 mg10 mg6.667 mg5 mg4 mg3.333 mg2.5 mg2 mg

Chart 3: units that hold 1 mg

The marking on a U-100 syringe that holds 1 mg. 1 mg is a round reference amount for scaling, not a dose: for 0.5 mg halve the figure, for 2 mg double it. A 1 mL syringe stops at 100 units, and readings under 2 units are too small to measure reliably.

Vial0.5 mL water1 mL water1.5 mL water2 mL water2.5 mL water3 mL water4 mL water5 mL water
1 mg50 units100 units150 units over 1 mL200 units over 1 mL250 units over 1 mL300 units over 1 mL400 units over 1 mL500 units over 1 mL
2 mg25 units50 units75 units100 units125 units over 1 mL150 units over 1 mL200 units over 1 mL250 units over 1 mL
3 mg16.67 units33.33 units50 units66.67 units83.33 units100 units133.3 units over 1 mL166.7 units over 1 mL
5 mg10 units20 units30 units40 units50 units60 units80 units100 units
6 mg8.333 units16.67 units25 units33.33 units41.67 units50 units66.67 units83.33 units
10 mg5 units10 units15 units20 units25 units30 units40 units50 units
12 mg4.167 units8.333 units12.5 units16.67 units20.83 units25 units33.33 units41.67 units
15 mg3.333 units6.667 units10 units13.33 units16.67 units20 units26.67 units33.33 units
20 mg2.5 units5 units7.5 units10 units12.5 units15 units20 units25 units
24 mg2.083 units4.167 units6.25 units8.333 units10.42 units12.5 units16.67 units20.83 units
30 mg1.667 units under 2 units3.333 units5 units6.667 units8.333 units10 units13.33 units16.67 units
40 mg1.25 units under 2 units2.5 units3.75 units5 units6.25 units7.5 units10 units12.5 units
50 mg1 unit under 2 units2 units3 units4 units5 units6 units8 units10 units
60 mg0.8333 units under 2 units1.667 units under 2 units2.5 units3.333 units4.167 units5 units6.667 units8.333 units
100 mg0.5 units under 2 units1 unit under 2 units1.5 units under 2 units2 units2.5 units3 units4 units5 units

The formula behind the chart

concentration (mg/mL) = amount in vial (mg) ÷ water added (mL) volume to draw (mL) = dose (mg) ÷ concentration (mg/mL) syringe units = volume (mL) × 100 (U-100 syringe: 100 units = 1 mL)
One 10 mg vial mixed with 1 mL and with 2 mL of water Two identical vials each hold 10 mg. With 1 mL of water the concentration is 10 mg/mL and 10 units hold 1 mg. With 2 mL the concentration is 5 mg/mL and 10 units hold 0.5 mg. The amount in the vial is the same in both. 10 mg + 1 mL 10 mg/mL 10 units hold 1 mg 10 mg + 2 mL 5 mg/mL 10 units hold 0.5 mg same amount, more water
The same 10 mg vial at two dilutions. Doubling the water halves the concentration, so each unit on the syringe holds half as much.

Vials labeled in IU

The same division works for vials labeled in international units. IU on the label is an amount; units on the syringe are a volume.

Vial1 mL water2 mL water3 mL water5 mL water10 mL water
4 IU4 IU/mL 0.4 IU per 10 units2 IU/mL 0.2 IU per 10 units1.333 IU/mL 0.1333 IU per 10 units0.8 IU/mL 0.08 IU per 10 units0.4 IU/mL 0.04 IU per 10 units
10 IU10 IU/mL 1 IU per 10 units5 IU/mL 0.5 IU per 10 units3.333 IU/mL 0.3333 IU per 10 units2 IU/mL 0.2 IU per 10 units1 IU/mL 0.1 IU per 10 units
12 IU12 IU/mL 1.2 IU per 10 units6 IU/mL 0.6 IU per 10 units4 IU/mL 0.4 IU per 10 units2.4 IU/mL 0.24 IU per 10 units1.2 IU/mL 0.12 IU per 10 units
16 IU16 IU/mL 1.6 IU per 10 units8 IU/mL 0.8 IU per 10 units5.333 IU/mL 0.5333 IU per 10 units3.2 IU/mL 0.32 IU per 10 units1.6 IU/mL 0.16 IU per 10 units
36 IU36 IU/mL 3.6 IU per 10 units18 IU/mL 1.8 IU per 10 units12 IU/mL 1.2 IU per 10 units7.2 IU/mL 0.72 IU per 10 units3.6 IU/mL 0.36 IU per 10 units
5,000 IU5,000 IU/mL 500 IU per 10 units2,500 IU/mL 250 IU per 10 units1,667 IU/mL 166.7 IU per 10 units1,000 IU/mL 100 IU per 10 units500 IU/mL 50 IU per 10 units
10,000 IU10,000 IU/mL 1,000 IU per 10 units5,000 IU/mL 500 IU per 10 units3,333 IU/mL 333.3 IU per 10 units2,000 IU/mL 200 IU per 10 units1,000 IU/mL 100 IU per 10 units

Calculate a vial that is not on the chart

mg
mL
Syringe (U-100 insulin)
Draw to–units

Fill in steps 1 to 3. The syringe marking appears here, with the working.

Volume–
Concentration–
Doses in this vial–
The working
  1. Concentrationamount in vial ÷ water added
  2. Volumedose ÷ concentration
  3. Syringe unitsvolume × 100

Arithmetic only. This tool does not recommend a dose; use the one your prescriber gave you.

Questions

How do I use a peptide reconstitution chart?

Find the row for the mg printed on your vial and the column for the mL of water that was added. The cell where they meet is the concentration in mg/mL. The second chart gives the amount in every 10 units of a U-100 insulin syringe at that concentration, and the third gives the units that hold 1 mg.

How do I calculate concentration after reconstitution?

Divide the mg in the vial by the mL of water added. A 10 mg vial with 2 mL of water is 10 ÷ 2 = 5 mg/mL. A 5 mg vial with 2 mL is 2.5 mg/mL.

How many mg are in 10 units?

Divide the concentration by 10. At 5 mg/mL, 10 units on a U-100 syringe hold 0.5 mg. At 10 mg/mL they hold 1 mg.

Does this chart tell me how much water to add?

No. It shows the concentration each volume produces. The volume to add is the one on your pharmacy label or the product instructions. To work backwards from a draw size to a water volume, use the bacteriostatic water calculator.

Does the chart work for any peptide?

Yes. The arithmetic depends only on the mg in the vial and the mL of water, not on which substance it is. The same grid applies to vials labeled in IU if you read IU in place of mg.

Is 10 units the same as 0.1 mL?

On a U-100 insulin syringe, yes: 100 units is 1 mL, so 10 units is 0.1 mL. On a U-40 syringe 10 units is 0.25 mL, and the chart does not apply.

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