Tools

TB-500 dosage calculator

TB-500 is quoted in milligrams far more often than in micrograms, which is where most of the arithmetic errors come from. Enter either — the toggle converts — and this returns the concentration, the volume and the units on a U-100 syringe.

Calculator

Doses are quoted in milligrams more often than micrograms — 2000mcg is 2mg, which is the same number entered two ways.

Draw to

80units

on a U-100 insulin syringe (0.8 ml)

025507510080u
Concentration
2.5 mg/ml
2500 mcg/ml
Volume to draw
0.8 ml
Doses per vial
2
Syringe capacity
100 units

How this is calculated

concentration (mg/ml)  = vial mg / water ml            = 5 / 2 = 2.5
concentration (mcg/ml) = concentration mg/ml x 1000    = 2500
volume to draw (ml)    = dose mcg / concentration mcg  = 2000 / 2500 = 0.8
insulin units          = volume ml x 100               = 0.8 x 100 = 80
doses per vial         = floor(water ml / volume ml)   = floor(2 / 0.8) = 2

100 units = 1 ml on every U-100 insulin syringe. Barrel size changes how much it holds,
never what a unit means.

How TB-500 is supplied, and the unit trap

TB-500 is a lyophilised powder in sealed vials, usually 2mg, 5mg or 10mg. Unlike most research peptides it is discussed almost entirely in milligrams — a figure of 2 or 2.5 rather than 2000 or 2500 — and that difference in convention is the single most common cause of error on a calculator like this one. 2mg and 2000mcg are the same quantity written two ways, and 2mg entered into a field expecting micrograms is a thousandfold mistake.

The calculator above carries an explicit mcg/mg toggle for that reason, and shows the concentration in both units beneath the result. If the units figure it returns looks implausible against the barrel in front of you, the unit toggle is the first thing to check.

Reconstitution volumes

Because the quantities involved are larger than most peptides, TB-500 is usually reconstituted in 2ml or more, and a 5mg vial in 2ml gives 2500 mcg/ml. At that concentration a 2mg quantity is 0.8ml — 80 units — which will not fit a 0.3ml or 0.5ml barrel and needs a 1ml syringe. The alternative is a smaller volume of water: the same 5mg vial in 1ml doubles the concentration and halves the units.

This is the case where the syringe-capacity notice earns its place. The calculator does not quietly rescale anything when a figure exceeds the barrel; it states the figure, names the barrel it will not fit, and leaves the two real options — a larger syringe, or a more concentrated solution.

Storage and stability, in general terms

Sealed vials of lyophilised powder keep well when cool, dry and dark. Once liquid, the solution needs refrigeration and has a much shorter life, measured in weeks; heat, light and shaking all shorten it further. Bacteriostatic water, with its benzyl alcohol preservative, is what permits a vial to be entered more than once — plain sterile water does not, and is a single-use diluent.

The usable window for any specific vial comes from the supplier, not from a general rule, and it varies with peptide, diluent and storage. This page does not offer a figure for it.

Frequently asked questions

Is TB-500 measured in mg or mcg?

Both, and that is the problem. The convention is milligrams — you will see 2mg or 2.5mg quoted — while most peptide calculators expect micrograms. 2mg is 2000mcg. The toggle above converts, and the concentration is shown in both units so a thousandfold slip is visible rather than silent.

How many units is 2mg of TB-500?

From a 5mg vial in 2ml — 2500 mcg/ml — 2mg is 0.8ml, which is 80 units on a U-100 syringe and needs a 1ml barrel. From the same vial in 1ml it is 40 units. The concentration decides it.

Why does my figure exceed the syringe?

Because the quantity is large relative to the concentration. The two ways out are a larger barrel — a 1ml insulin syringe holds 100 units — or less bacteriostatic water, which raises the concentration so the same quantity occupies fewer units. The calculator flags the case rather than hiding it.

Can I reconstitute a 10mg vial in 5ml?

Arithmetically yes: that is 2000 mcg/ml, and the calculator will show what any quantity comes to at that concentration. Whether a larger volume is sensible for a given vial depends on how long the solution will be kept and what the supplier says about it, neither of which this page can answer.

Is TB-500 an approved medicine?

No. It is not FDA-approved for the uses described online and is not a licensed medicine in the UK. This page does arithmetic on figures you enter and makes no claim that any use of it is appropriate or lawful where you are.

Before you use this

This tool performs arithmetic only. It does not recommend a dose, a frequency, a duration or a supplier. Many peptides discussed online are not approved by the FDA for the uses people describe. Compounded medicines are supplied on prescription and should be prepared exactly as your pharmacy instructs. Talk to a prescriber or pharmacist before preparing or administering anything.