Free tool

Syringe Unit Converter

Convert between units on an insulin syringe, volume in millilitres, and the actual amount in mcg or mg. Handles both U-100 and U-40 scales — the distinction that causes the most expensive mistakes.

Unit conversion only. This tool converts numbers you enter between units, volume, and amount. It does not recommend compounds, amounts, or schedules, and it cannot verify what is in your vial. Talk to a qualified healthcare professional about anything medical.

Convert

U-100 is the standard human insulin syringe. U-40 is calibrated for 40 units/mL and is mostly veterinary — mixing the two up is a 2.5× error.
Vial amount divided by the water you added. Needed only to convert to or from an amount.

Equivalents

Units on the syringe
10
on a U-100 syringe
Volume
0.1 mL
Amount
250 mcg
Per 1 unit
25 mcg

How the conversion works

Insulin syringes are marked in units rather than millilitres, and a unit is a fixed fraction of a millilitre — but which fraction depends on the scale the syringe was made for.

Barrel size does not change this. A 0.3 mL, 0.5 mL, and 1 mL U-100 syringe all read the same at the 10-unit mark; they just hold 30, 50, and 100 units in total.

Units and millilitres describe volume only. To reach an actual amount in mcg or mg you also need the concentration, which is why that field feeds the amount row.

The formulas

mL = units ÷ scale  (scale is 100 or 40)

amount = mL × concentration

On a U-100 syringe at 2.5 mg/mL: 10 units = 0.1 mL = 250 mcg.

Frequently asked questions

How many mL is 10 units?

On a U-100 syringe, 10 units is 0.1 mL. On a U-40 syringe the same 10 marks are 0.25 mL — two and a half times more liquid.

Is a 0.5 mL syringe the same as U-50?

No, and this is a common mix-up. "U-50" is not a standard concentration. A 0.5 mL insulin syringe is normally a U-100 syringe that holds 50 units. The markings are U-100 markings; only the capacity is smaller.

Do I need the concentration?

Only to convert to or from an amount in mcg or mg. Units and mL are pure volume and convert without it.

What if my syringe is marked in mL?

Then use the volume row directly and ignore units. Tuberculin and standard syringes are marked in mL and need no unit conversion at all.

Keep the numbers with the routine

PepTrack saves concentration, unit counts, and vial details alongside each entry, so the math stops being something you redo every week. Free on iPhone, no account required.

Download on the App Store