Insulin converter
Convert insulin units to a volume. Pick the strength first: 20 units is 0.2 mL of U-100 but only 0.067 mL of U-300.
That's about the same as a basal dose. Information only: always follow the prescription and use a matching syringe.
What it means
How much is that?
Information only, not medical advice. Insulin syringes are marked in units for a specific strength — never measure a concentrated insulin in a U-100 syringe.
Every unit
Your dose in every unit
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Three things worth knowing
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U-100: 100 units in 1 mL
So one unit is 0.01 mL, and 20 units is 0.2 mL. With U-300, the same 20 units is a third of that volume.
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Standardized in 1922
Early insulin varied wildly in potency between batches, so it was defined by its effect on a rabbit’s blood sugar. The unit has been anchored to that original standard ever since.
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Units are not milliliters
Drawing "20 mL" instead of 20 units would be a hundredfold overdose. It is one of the reasons insulin syringes are marked only in units.
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Background
About insulin units
Insulin is dosed in units of activity, not volume or weight, because that is what the body responds to. The volume depends on the strength: U-100 means 100 units in a milliliter, and concentrated forms pack 200, 300 or 500 into the same space.