Insulin Dosing Calculator

Dose

Starting 10 IU basal insulin, titrated to fasting glucose target

Frequency

Once daily (basal) or with meals if needed

Duration

Ongoing

Route

Subcutaneous injection

Initiated when oral medications and lifestyle modifications are insufficient

Dose

4-10 IU rapid-acting insulin

Frequency

Pre or post-workout

Duration

Training cycles (variable)

Route

Subcutaneous injection

EXTREMELY DANGEROUS - bodybuilding use carries risk of fatal hypoglycemia; discussed in r/steroids

Dose

Individualized basal rates + bolus calculations

Frequency

Continuous basal + meal-time boluses

Duration

Ongoing

Route

Continuous subcutaneous infusion

Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion via pump; discussed extensively in r/diabetes and r/Type1Diabetes

Dose

Individualized; typically 0.4-1.0 IU/kg/day total (basal-bolus split)

Frequency

Basal once or twice daily; bolus with each meal

Duration

Chronic lifelong therapy

Intensive therapy targets HbA1c ~7% with frequent glucose monitoring

Dose

Individualized; starting basal 0.1-0.2 IU/kg/day, titrated to fasting glucose target

Frequency

Basal once daily; add prandial insulin if needed

Duration

Chronic therapy when oral agents insufficient

Often combined with metformin or GLP-1 receptor agonists

How much bacteriostatic water should I add to a 5,000 IU vial of Insulin?

The community standard is 2 mL of bacteriostatic water for a 5,000 IU Insulin vial. That gives a concentration of 2,500 IU/mL, so a 1 IU dose is 0 units on a U-100 insulin syringe. Adding 1 mL instead doubles the concentration to 5,000 IU/mL and halves the draw to 0 units. Less water = smaller injection volume but harder to measure precisely.

How many syringe units is a 1 IU dose of Insulin?

On a standard U-100 insulin syringe, a 1 IU dose of Insulin is 0 units when the 5,000 IU vial is reconstituted with 2 mL of bacteriostatic water (2,500 IU/mL). If you use 1 mL of bac water instead, draw 0 units (5,000 IU/mL).

What is the standard Insulin dose?

Community-reported protocols for Insulin typically use 0.5–1 IU once daily via Subcutaneous injection. 1 IU is a common starting dose. Standard diabetes management; basal insulin (glargine/detemir) plus rapid-acting (lispro/aspart) with meals

How long does a vial of Insulin last at 1 IU once daily?

A 5,000 IU vial of Insulin contains roughly 10000 doses at 1 IU per injection. At once daily dosing, that is approximately 10000 days (about 1429 weeks) of supply per vial. Reconstituted Insulin should generally be used within 28 days when refrigerated.

Where do you inject Insulin?

Insulin is typically injected subcutaneous injection. Common sites reported in the literature and by users include: Abdomen (fastest absorption), Upper arm, Thigh (slower early exposure), Buttock. Rotate sites with each injection to reduce localized irritation.

Can I use sterile water instead of bacteriostatic water for Insulin?

Bacteriostatic water (containing 0.9% benzyl alcohol as a preservative) is strongly preferred for multi-dose vials like Insulin because it inhibits microbial growth and lets a single vial be used over multiple weeks. Sterile water has no preservative and should generally be reserved for single-use preparations only.