Convert Ml To Insulin Units

It'due south incredibly uncommon to come across insulin noted in milligrams (mg). The insulin products you get at the pharmacy will ever be labeled in units, or as a concentration in terms of units (due east.yard., U100 ways 100 units of insulin per 1mL of liquid).

The term 'units' refers to International Units (IU), which is a measure of the "biological activity" of a specific drug or substance. International Units are used over a conventional metric measure (such every bit milligrams) to make it easier to compare different forms of the same drug. Essentially, the use of International Units is a way to standardize.

For instance, you may see 'Vitamin A' available in a variety of forms in 'over-the-counter' supplements, including:

Retinol
Beta-carotene

Although they both provide 'Vitamin A', they have dissimilar biological activities (i.e., potencies) regarding how much 'Vitamin A' they really provide. Therefore, they have been standardized with International Units every bit follows:

One International Unit (IU) equals:

0.3 mcg of retinol
0.6 mcg of beta-carotene

In the same vein, for Vitamin East, o ne International Unit of measurement (IU) equals:

0.67 mg of d-alpha-tocopherol
0.ix mg of dl-alpha-tocopherol

Units To Milligrams Insulin Conversion

The conversion factor for homo insulin is: Ane International Unit of measurement (IU) equals 0.0347 mg of insulin.

International Units are far easier to understand, peculiarly when it comes to dosing, for insulin. Having a prescription say 'inject x units' is easier to comprehend than 'inject 0.347 mg'.

Similarly, when listed as a concentration, such as the commonly used U100 (which means 100 units of insulin per 1mL), units represent tidily with a volume (due east.g., 20 units is contained in 0.2 mL).

Nevertheless, if you are so inclined to convert between units of insulin and milligrams, you tin use this handy conversion tool:

Insulin: Units To Milligrams (mg) Tool

Type a value in any of the fields to catechumen between Insulin measurements:

International Units (IU)

Milligrams (mg)

*Notation: The tool rounds to the 'hundredths' place for milligrams

Converting Insulin Milliliters To Units

While we are on the subject of converting units of insulin to milligrams, it is important to discuss a common source of confusion regarding insulin dosing, which is the relationship between milliliters and units.

Insulin products are listed in terms of concentration, such as U100 or U500.

U40 stands for:

xl Units of insulin per 1mL (milliliter)

U100 stands for:

100 Units of insulin per 1mL (milliliter)

U500 stands for:

500 Units of insulin per 1mL (milliliter)

And so, if you accept a U100 insulin production, and you need to inject 50 units, that would come out to 0.v mL.

Similarly, if you have a U500 insulin production, and you need to inject 50 units, that would come out to 0.i mL.

Yous can convert between units and mL for the most common blazon of insulin concentration, U100, below.

U100 Insulin to Milliliter (mL) Converter

Type in units of U100 insulin to convert to mL:

Units

Milliliters: 0

If y'all are using syringes to draw up and inject your insulin, it is vitally important to be sure you lot are using the right ones to prevent dosing errors.

For example, you cannot utilize U100 syringes if you are utilizing a U500 insulin product. Drawing up one-half-way, to 0.five mL, on a U100 syringe will equal a dose of 50 units of a U100 insulin. However, doing the same (drawing up to 0.5mL) with a U500 product would yield 250 units!

Insulin Analogs Vs. Human Insulin

In that location is besides some other, very important reason, why insulin products aren't listed in milligrams and that has to do with the existence of Insulin analogs.

Insulin analogs and human being insulin technically utilize the aforementioned conversion (1 Unit = 0.0347 milligrams) and are considered 'equipotent'.

Nevertheless, there are meaning differences in the pharmacokinetic profiles of each (eastward.grand., how they are absorbed and metabolized).

Homo Insulin

'Human' insulins include:

Regular insulin (example products include Humulin R and Novolin R).
NPH insulin (example products include Humulin Due north and Novolin North).

Regular human insulin products are considered 'fast-acting', with an onset of activity around thirty minutes. High concentration regular homo insulin (U500), have a slightly faster onset of action and duration of action.

NPH (Neutral Protamine Hagedorn) insulin is too known as isophane insulin and is intermediate-interim. It is regular man insulin with added zinc and protamine, which causes a delay in absorption and prolongs the duration of action.

Insulin Analogs

Insulin analogs are altered forms of insulin and are manufactured via genetic engineering. Analogs are created in such a mode to change their pharmacokinetic characteristics from homo insulin.

For instance, at that place are several rapid-acting insulin analogs that have a faster onset of action than human insulin products. These include:

Insulin aspart (Novolog)
Insulin lispro (Humalog)
Insulin glulisine (Adipra)

There are also long-acting insulin analogs, with alonger elapsing of activeness than NPH insulin. These include:

Insulin glargine (Lantus)
Insulin detemir (Levemir)
Insulin degludec (Tresiba)

Conversions Between Homo And Analog Insulin

Although all insulin products are considered 'equipotent' in regard to the fact that 1 unit of each equals 0.0347 mg, as described higher up, they have significant differences in their onset of action, time to summit event, and duration of action.

Therefore, information technology doesn't make much sense to quantify them all in the aforementioned style in terms of their milligram force as it could easily cause confusion and dosing errors.

Most insulin products, in their prescribing information, discuss how to convert or switch between different types, with many recommending a one-to-one conversion (with caveats).

For example, the prescribing information for Levemir (a long-acting insulin) recommends the following if you are switching from an NPH insulin:

"For patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes on basal-bolus treatment, irresolute the basal insulin to LEVEMIR can exist done on a unit-to-unit basis. The dose of LEVEMIR should then be adjusted to achieve glycemic targets. In some patients with blazon two diabetes, more LEVEMIR may be required than NPH insulin."

Last Words

To wrap it all upward, in that location generally is non a demand to convert between units and milligrams of insulin, but we accept provided a tool if you wish to utilize it.

More than commonly, information technology is necessary to convert between units and milliliters, and we have provided tools in this article to make that piece of cake for yous besides.