Tirzepatide units for every concentration
Every dose from 2.5 to 15 mg, in units on a U-100 syringe, at ten vial concentrations.
Key facts
- units = dose (mg) ÷ concentration (mg/mL) × 100, on a U-100 syringe where 100 units is 1 mL.
- The same dose is a different number of units in every concentration. Check the label of each new vial.
- A branded single-dose vial is always 50 units, a multi-dose vial 60 units.
- A cell marked “over 1 mL” does not fit a standard 100-unit syringe.
Tirzepatide units chart
| mg/mL | 2.5 mg | 5 mg | 7.5 mg | 10 mg | 12.5 mg | 15 mg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 mg/mL | 100 | over 1 mL | over 1 mL | over 1 mL | over 1 mL | over 1 mL |
| 5 mg/mL | 50 | 100 | over 1 mL | over 1 mL | over 1 mL | over 1 mL |
| 8 mg/mL | 31.3 | 62.5 | 93.8 | over 1 mL | over 1 mL | over 1 mL |
| 10 mg/mL | 25 | 50 | 75 | 100 | over 1 mL | over 1 mL |
| 12.5 mg/mL | 20 | 40 | 60 | 80 | 100 | over 1 mL |
| 15 mg/mL | 16.7 | 33.3 | 50 | 66.7 | 83.3 | 100 |
| 20 mg/mL | 12.5 | 25 | 37.5 | 50 | 62.5 | 75 |
| 25 mg/mL | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 | 60 |
| 30 mg/mL | 8.3 | 16.7 | 25 | 33.3 | 41.7 | 50 |
| 40 mg/mL | 6.3 | 12.5 | 18.8 | 25 | 31.3 | 37.5 |
Units on a U-100 insulin syringe. Concentrations are examples, not recommendations.
Branded vials
Zepbound and Mounjaro vials keep the volume fixed and change the concentration, so the units never change: 50 units from a single-dose vial and 60 units from a multi-dose vial, at every strength. Pens are not drawn with a syringe.
Reading the chart
- Find the concentration printed on your vial in the left column.
- Move across to the dose your prescriber set.
- Draw to that mark on a U-100 syringe.
Which syringe
| U-100 syringe | Holds | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 0.3 mL | 30 units | Small draws from concentrated vials; finer markings |
| 0.5 mL | 50 units | Draws up to 50 units, such as a branded single-dose vial |
| 1 mL | 100 units | Branded multi-dose vials (60 units) and larger compounded draws |
Pick the smallest syringe that holds the whole dose in one draw. If a dose needs more than 100 units, ask the pharmacy for a more concentrated vial rather than splitting it.
Very small and very large draws
A concentrated vial makes doses small: 2.5 mg at 40 mg/mL is 6.3 units, where a misread of one unit is a 16% error. A dilute vial makes them large: 10 mg at 5 mg/mL is 2 mL, more than any insulin syringe holds. Both ends are where dosing mistakes happen, which is why the concentration is the first thing to check on every new vial.
Before every draw
- Read the concentration on this vial, not the last one.
- Confirm the dose in milligrams on your prescription.
- Find the units on the chart or the calculator, and check it matches the pharmacy’s instructions.
- Use a U-100 syringe; other syringe scales give the wrong amount.
Your own vial
Milligrams, millilitres and units
Three different measures get mixed up. Milligrams (mg) are the dose, the amount of tirzepatide your prescriber sets. Millilitres (mL) are the volume of liquid that carries it. Units are the markings on an insulin syringe: on a U-100 syringe, 100 units is 1 mL. The concentration on the vial, in mg/mL, is what connects the dose to the volume, and so to the units.
Use a U-100 syringe. Syringes on other scales mark units differently, and reading a U-100 number on them gives the wrong amount.
How many doses a vial holds
Total milligrams in the vial divided by the dose gives the number of doses, before any loss in the needle:
| Vial | 2.5 mg | 5 mg | 7.5 mg | 10 mg | 15 mg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 mg | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 20 mg | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 30 mg | 12 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| 60 mg | 24 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 4 |
Whole doses only. A compounded vial’s beyond-use date can end its use before the doses run out; branded multi-dose vials are thrown away 30 days after first use or after 4 doses.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my pharmacy give units instead of milligrams?
Units are what you read on the syringe. Ask for the dose in milligrams and the concentration too, so you can check the units against this chart.
Should I round the units?
Draw to the marking that matches the result. If it falls between markings, ask your pharmacist; a 0.3 mL syringe has finer markings for small doses.
My vial says mg per 0.5 mL. How do I convert it?
Divide the milligrams by the millilitres to get mg/mL: 10 mg per 0.5 mL is 20 mg/mL. Then use that concentration in the calculator.
What does U-100 mean on a syringe?
It means the syringe is marked for 100 units per millilitre: 100 units is 1 mL, 50 units is 0.5 mL.
How many units is 2.5 mg of tirzepatide?
25 units at 10 mg/mL, 12.5 units at 20 mg/mL, 50 units at 5 mg/mL. From a branded single-dose vial 50 units, multi-dose 60 units.
How many units is 15 mg of tirzepatide?
75 units at 20 mg/mL, 60 units at 25 mg/mL, 50 units at 30 mg/mL. At 10 mg/mL it is 1.5 mL, more than a 1 mL syringe holds.
How many units is 5 mg of tirzepatide?
50 units at 10 mg/mL, 25 units at 20 mg/mL, 100 units at 5 mg/mL. From a branded single-dose vial 50 units, from a multi-dose vial 60 units.
How many units is 10 mg of tirzepatide?
100 units at 10 mg/mL, 50 units at 20 mg/mL, 40 units at 25 mg/mL.
Why did my units change with a new vial?
The new vial has a different concentration. The dose in milligrams can stay the same while the units change.
What syringe do I need?
A U-100 insulin syringe, sized for the draw: 0.3 mL holds 30 units, 0.5 mL 50 units, 1 mL 100 units.